The Giants announced this third baseman tonight Eva Longoria will undergo surgery to repair a ligament in his right index finger (via NBC Sports Bay Area’s Alex Pavlovic). His timeline is unclear, but the team noted his finger is expected to be immobilized for at least 10 days.
More will be known in the coming days about how long the Giants will be without Longoria, but he is at least slated to open the year on the injury list. Opening Day is still eight days away, meaning his finger is likely to remain immobilized until the Games begin. He’ll certainly need some time between then and his return to MLB action to participate in some baseball activities and maybe start a minor league rehab assignment.
It will be the fifth straight season of an injured stint for Longoria, who has not hit 600 record appearances in a year since 2017. He missed a few months last year with a shoulder problem, but the three-time All-Star enjoyed something of an offensive resurgence when he was healthy. Last season’s .261/.351/.482 line was his best performance since 2016, though he only appeared in half of San Francisco’s games.
With Longoria sidelined for the season opener, the Giants are looking to mix and match in the hot corner. Wilmer Flores will likely see some action there while San Francisco has a few utilities that are out of options Thairo Estrada and Maurice Dubon compete for bankrolls. All three of these players hit with the right hand, as does the recently acquired one Luke Williams. The Giants have a left-handed corner infielder Jason Voesler also on the 40-man list, but the 28-year-old has a limited MLB track record and two minor league option years remaining.