Like any team, injuries can turn a ball club’s roster upside down. The injury bug has hit the San Francisco Giants in the second to last week of Spring Training. While the injuries have come extremely early into the season that does not mean they will be any easier to address.
The most reliable lefty relief pitcher on the Giants’ roster, Will Smith, is out indefinitely with an elbow injury. Smith’s first MRI showed possible ligament damage, which could require season-ending Tommy John surgery. He will have a second opinion soon and then make a decision on what course of action to take.
Over the past two season, San Francisco has lost two of their key lefty relievers, Javier Lopez and Jeremy Affeldt, to retirement. Smith was in line to be their top left-handed reliever this year. If Smith were to miss part or all of the 2017 season, they will most likely have to find an in-house option to fill his role. As of now, those options are Josh Osich and Steven Okert. Osich has thrown over 60 innings for the Giants’ over the past two seasons. Okert only threw 14 innings for them last season.
So far this spring, Okert has easily outperformed Osich. Okert has thrown seven scoreless innings while Osich has allowed five runs in 6 1/3 innings. To add more versatility to the bullpen, the Giants could go with both lefties. If they decide to choose just one of the two options, the choice should come down to the hot-hand, which goes to Okert.
The starting left field job for the Giants has been somewhat won by default. Mac Williamson and Jarrett Parker were the two players competing for the job this spring. Earlier this week, Williamson injured his quad and could miss most of April, giving Parker the starting left field job.
The battle had seemingly been won prior to the injury, as Parker has been one of the more productive hitters for San Francisco during Spring Training. Williamson’s playing time door could still be open if Parker has a slow start in April.
Michael Morse just started heating up and was becoming a real contender for a utility role on the Giants’ 25-man roster. Like Smith and Williamson, Morse came down with an injury this week. Morse will be out for some time with a hamstring injury. He could rejoin San Francisco’s roster when he heals, but for now, they will have to look elsewhere for a right-handed power bat off the bench.
Besides Smith’s potential season-ending injury, the Giants have not been derailed by injuries just yet. The majority of their 25-man roster is healthy. If San Francisco can get through the next week without an injury to a key player, their postseason hopes would still be intact.
Harrison Howard covers the San Francisco Giants and Fantasy Baseball as a Staff Writer for OPSN. Follow him on Twitter @harryhoward54.
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