HOUSTON — The Giants knew Mike Yastrzemski would go on the injured list on Monday. But he wasn’t alone.
Yastrzemski was joined by Brandon Crawford, who strained his calf on Saturday in Mexico City, a day before Yastrzemski strained his hamstring. To fill the roster spots, utility man Brett Wisely and outfielder Cal Stevenson were recalled from Triple-A.
Yastrzemski and Crawford took back-to-back MRIs on Monday and received surprising results. Crawford feels better than he did over the weekend, but the MRI showed a Grade 1-plus strain. Yastrzemski’s hamstring strain looked like it might keep him out all of May, but he also only has a Grade 1 strain, the lowest of the three grades.
"I think that's a pretty big relief," manager Gabe Kapler said. "The way Yaz came off the field, you worried you might be without him for a month, six weeks or more."
Yastrzemski said Sunday that he might have to extend Mustache May into June, but it now seems likely the Giants will get him back later this month. He said he was thrilled with the MRI result but will be smart about the rehab process.
"Hopefully it takes something off of the timetable, but obviously we're just going to be cautious because it's one of those things that can be re-aggravated and I don't want to miss any more time than I have to now," Yastrzemski said.
Crawford won’t get to take aim at the Crawford Boxes in left field at Minute Maid Park this week, but doesn’t expect to miss long. He said he hopes to return when eligible after 10 days. Without Crawford, Thairo Estrada will see most of the action at shortstop.
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Wisely can also play short but will primarily split time in center with Stevenson. The Giants have slow-played Austin Slater since he came off the IL because of elbow soreness and, while Bryce Johnson passed a concussion test, he still has enough mild symptoms that he's not close to a return.
Stevenson was acquired in April from the Oakland A’s and said he was surprised to be up in the big leagues so quickly, but the Giants need the outfield depth. The Fremont native went 5-for-19 in five games with Triple-A Sacramento and is known as a good defender.
"He's defense-first, but he's been swinging the bat pretty good in Triple-A for us," Kapler said.