Mark Melancon placed on DL with pronator strain

As the walls crumbled and the floor sank into the gaping maw of the chasm underneath, the Giants placed Mark Melancon on the 10-day DL with a right pronator strain. The flames will lick around everyone’s ankles eventually, but for now they have only caught up with the closer.

The injury apparently caught the Giants by surprise because there has been no corresponding roster move yet. A reliever will presumably be called up tomorrow and join the team in New York.

While anything to do with the elbow is freaky, note that Noah Syndergaard had a similar injury for the Mets as a 21-year-old prospect in 2014, and he was pitching weeks later. Knowing how the season has gone, I’m tempted to assume that his elbow is filled with carnivorous plants and ball bearings, but the initial diagnosis isn’t as scary as, say, a forearm strain or shoulder discomfort.

For now, I’d guess that the Giants will mix and match in the ninth inning, depending on match-ups. Derek Law and Hunter Strickland are likely candidates to slide up, with Josh Osich and Steven Okert getting high-leverage outings against lefties. The corollary is there will be higher-leverage outings for George Kontos, Cory Gearrin, and Bryan Morris, too.

Adjust your expectations accordingly.

Stay hot, 2017 Giants. Stay hot.