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It’s starting to really feel like San Francisco Giants baseball is back. No, not because the team is working out at Summer Camp. And no, not because they’re scheduled to open the season against the Los Angeles Dodgers in just two weeks.
It really feels like Giants baseball is back because Brandon Belt is injured. Thankfully it appears to be a very mild injury, as the team announced that he’s dealing with right heel pain. He’s expected to be out five to seven days, though he is currently in a walking boot.
Brandon Belt has right heel pain, will be out at least 5-7 days, Gabe Kapler said.
— Alex Pavlovic (@PavlovicNBCS) July 9, 2020
If Belt isn’t healed by the season opener on July 23, or if he’s simply not yet up to speed after missing much of camp, the Giants have plenty of options at first base. You can expect at least three — if not all four — of Wilmer Flores, Pablo Sandoval, Darin Ruf, and Austin Slater to make the 30-man active roster to start the season. Playing games without Belt would certainly be a hit to the team’s talent (and power), but there are at least options.
But Belt’s heel isn’t the only notable roster news. Buster Posey — who has been open about the fact that he’s not completely sure he’ll play this year — missed Wednesday’s workouts due to a personal matter. He missed the first day of workouts for the same reason. It would be unfair to speculate as to what that could be, so I’ll just say that my thoughts are with the Posey household, and hopefully everything is all right.
Kapler, asked if Posey would return tomorrow or if his situation will require him to be away for an undetermined time: "The only way to answer this question is to say this is a personal issue Buster should address. That's as deep as I can go into it."
— Andrew Baggarly (@extrabaggs) July 9, 2020
Finally, there have been two notable absences from Summer Camp, per the beat reporters covering the team. Left-handed pitcher Jarlin Garcia, who is on the 40-man roster and had a dominant Spring Training, has yet to be spotted at Oracle Park. Neither has outfielder Billy Hamilton, a non-roster invitee who has a great shot at making the roster.
When asked about Garcia and Hamilton, manager Gabe Kapler kept relatively quiet.
Billy Hamilton and Jarlin Garcia have not been at workouts. Kapler: "I don't have anything to report on Billy and Jarlin. That's where I'm going to leave that question."
— Alex Pavlovic (@PavlovicNBCS) July 9, 2020
Hopefully everything is fine with those two as well.
For now, the slightly smaller camp marches on, preparing for an Opening Day that may or may not come in 14 days.