SF Giants OF Mike Yastrzemski leaves game with left hamstring tightness

SF Giants outfielder Mike Yastrzemski left Wednesday night's game against the San Diego Padres with an injury he sustained while running the bases.

Marc Delucchi | Jun 21, 2023

SF Giants OF Mike Yastrzemski leaves game with left hamstring tightness /

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San Francisco Giants

Another key SF Giants contributor appeared to suffer an injury during Wednesday night's game against the San Diego Padres. Outfielder Mike Yastrzemski was running the bases on an RBI single by J.D. Davis amidst a four-run fifth inning by the Giants. However, as he approached third base, Yaz pulled up and immediately reached for the back of his leg.

After a brief conversation with Giants trainers and manager Gabe Kapler, Yastrzemski was removed from the game and replaced by Austin Slater. The Giants later said that he was removed from the game with "left hamstring tightness." Kapler said he will undergo a scan on Thursday morning.

SF Giants center fielder Mike Yastrzemski (left) gets a fist bump from teammate Roberto Perez. (2023) — SF Giants OF Mike Yastrzemski (left) gets a fist bump from Roberto Pérez. (2023) / D. Ross Cameron-USA TODAY Sports

Yastrzemski has already been on the injured list once this season with a left hamstring strain. After missing two weeks of action, Yastrzemski did not go on a minor-league rehab assignment and struggled upon his return. After going 0-for-22 in his first five games back, though, Yastrzemski rebounded. Entering play on Wednesday, Yaz had an above-average .258/.324/.485 triple-slash with 12 doubles, a triple, and 10 home runs in 54 games.

The Giants already lost one starting outfielder earlier this month when Mitch Haniger suffered a fractured forearm. If Yastrzemski is forced to miss an extended period, the Giants will likely lean more on Austin Slater and Blake Sabol (Giants preseason #33 prospect) in the outfield next to everyday starters Luis Matos (Giants preseason #4 prospect) and Michael Conforto.

The only remaining healthy outfielders on the Giants 40-man roster not already on the MLB roster are Bryce Johnson and Brett Wisely (Giants preseason #22 prospect).

While Wisely has struggled offensively this season in his big-league stints, hitting .195/.230/.317, he has been an excellent defensive center fielder. Moreover, he has remained productive at Triple-A (.306/.454/.506 line in 112 plate appearances).

Johnson is one of the best defenders and baserunners in the organization but has also struggled to hit in the majors. He is a career .155/.227/.275 hitter in 63 MLB plate appearances but has a .313/.397/.516 line at Triple-A this season.

The SF Giants are in the middle of their hottest stretch of the season, but the injuries are continuing to pile up. The team will hope outfielder Mike Yastrzemski only suffered a minor issue that will not require a stint on the injured list.

Published Jun 21, 2023

MARC DELUCCHI

Marc Delucchi (he/they/she) serves as the Managing Editor at Giants Baseball Insider, leading their SF Giants coverage. As a freelance journalist, he has previously covered the San Francisco Giants at Around the Foghorn and McCovey Chronicles. He also currently contributes to Niners Nation, Golden State of Mind, and Baseball Prospectus. He has previously been featured in several other publications, including SFGate, ProFootballRumors, Niners Wire, GrandStand Central, Call to the Pen, and Just Baseball. Over his journalistic career, Marc has conducted investigations into how one prep baseball player lost a college opportunity during the pandemic (Baseball Prospectus) and the rampant mistreatment of players at the University of Hawaii football program under former head coach Todd Graham (SFGate). He has also broken dozens of news stories around professional baseball, primarily around the SF Giants organization, including the draft signing of Kyle Harrison, injuries and promotions to top prospects like Heliot Ramos, and trade details in the Kris Bryant deal. Marc received a Bachelor's degree from Kenyon College with a major in economics and a minor in Spanish. During his time in college, he conducted a summer research project attempting to predict the future minor-league performance of NCAA hitters, worked as a data analyst for the school's Women's basketball team, and worked as a play-by-play announcer/color commentator for the basketball, baseball, softball, and soccer teams. He also worked as an amateur baseball scout with the Collegiate Baseball Scouting Network (later renamed Evolution Metrix), scouting high school and college players for three draft cycles. For tips and inquiries, feel free to reach out to Marc directly on Twitter or via email (delucchimarc@gmail.com).