HOUSTON — The Giants knew Mike Yastrzemski would be on the injured list Monday. But he wasn’t alone.
Yastrzemski was joined by Brandon Crawford, who strained his calf in Mexico City on Saturday, a day before Yastrzemski strained his hamstring. To fill the roster spots, supply man Brett Wisely and outfielder Cal Stevenson were recalled from Triple-A.
Yastrzemski and Crawford did back-to-back MRIs Monday and got surprising results. Crawford is feeling better than he was over the weekend, but the MRI showed Grade 1 plus distress. Yastrzemski’s hamstring strain looked like it would keep him out all May, but he also only has a Class 1 strain, the lowest of the three classes.
“I think that’s a pretty big relief,” said manager Gabe Kapler. “The way Yaz came off the field, you worried that you could be without him for a month, six weeks or more.”
Yastrzemski said Sunday he may need to extend Mustache May into June, but it now seems likely the Giants will get him back later this month. He said he’s thrilled with the MRI result but will be smart about the rehab process.
“Hopefully it takes something off the schedule but of course we’re just going to be careful because it’s one of those things that can be tightened again and I don’t want to waste any more time than I have to now,” Yastrzemski said.
Crawford won’t be targeting the Crawford Boxes in left field at Minute Maid Park this week but doesn’t expect to miss by long. He said he hopes to return after 10 days if eligible. Without Crawford, Thairo Estrada will see most of the shortstop action.
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Wisely can also play briefly but will mostly share center time with Stevenson. The Giants have been playing Austin Slater slowly since he came out of the IL with elbow pain, and while Bryce Johnson passed a concussion test, he still has enough mild symptoms that he’s not close to a return.
Stevenson was acquired by the Oakland A’s in April and said he’s surprised to be moving up the big leagues so quickly, but the Giants need the outfield depth. The Fremont native went 5-for-19 in five games with Triple-A Sacramento and is known as a solid defender.
“He’s first on defense, but he swung the racquet pretty well in Triple-A for us,” Kapler said.
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