Giants third baseman Eva Longoria It is expected to be missing at least six weeks after this week’s surgery to repair a damaged ligament in his right index finger, manager Gab Kapler told reporters this morning (Twitter link via MLB.com’s Maria I Guardado). porter Wilmer Flores is expected to fill third base for the Giants in place of Longoria on Opening Day.
It’s a tough blow for the Giants, as Longoria, 36, enjoyed a resurgent 2021 campaign on the plate as he batted .261/.351/.482 with 13 home runs and 17 doubles in 291 plate appearances. However, a sprained shoulder kept the former Rookie of the Year and three-time All-Star out of action for two months over the summer and Longoria will now suffer another notable absence thanks to this latest injury. He is expected to take a break until mid-May.
The 30-year-old Flores is no stranger to third base, having played more than 1,500 innings there in his career — including 430 frames last year when Longoria was on the shelf. Depending on the health of the other infielder Tommy LaStella, Flores could be used in either a regular role or in a hot corner pull setting. While Flores’ career .263/.311/.413 slash is quite respectable against righties, it’s not as strong as his .278/.321/.502 line against lefties. The Giants have a pair of left-handed batting options that could see time at third base, Tommy La Stella and Jason Voesler, but La Stella is also set to get a good chunk of play time at second base. Versatile infielder Thairo Estrada, another real slugger, also expects game time to increase if Longoria is out. Likewise infielders/outfielders Maurizio Dubon has experience at both second base and third base.
Suffice it to say, Kapler will have plenty of options to mix and match his infield alignment depending on the day’s matchup. The loss of Longoria nonetheless deprives a source of right-handed pop from a cast that will also manage without left-handers LaMonte Wade Jr. at least for the first week of the season, if not a bit longer.
Longoria is in the final guaranteed season of a six-year, $100 million contract extension, which he signed while still playing with his original organization, the Rays, who picked him No. 3 overall in 2006. The Giants hold a $13 million option for the 2023 season, though their decision to pick Longoria will actually be $8 million net as he owes a $5 million buyout even if the option is denied.