Giants get Yaz back as busy week for 40-man roster begins

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LOS ANGELES -- A night after getting held in check by the Los Angeles Dodgers, the Giants got a key hitter back. Mike Yastrzemski returned from the COVID-19 IL before the second game of a short series at Dodger Stadium, with Luke Williams optioned back to Triple-A Sacramento to open a roster spot.

Yastrzemski is in the Giants' lineup against the Dodgers on Wednesday night and is batting sixth.

Yastrzemski got off to a slow start this season but had seven hits over four games before testing positive in Washington D.C. on April 24. He had to quarantine in the nation's capital for five days and then flew back to San Francisco, where he was unable to get the two negative PCR tests needed to return to the active roster before MLB's mandatory 10-day quarantine period was over. 

The move kicked off what will be a very busy week or two on the 40-man roster. The Giants will get LaMonte Wade Jr. back at some point in the upcoming series against the St. Louis Cardinals and Evan Longoria and Tommy La Stella have both started rehab assignments. Brandon Belt, Dominic Leone and Zack Littell are on the COVID IL and should all be back by early next week. 

Because the Giants were deemed by MLB to have a clubhouse COVID outbreak, they were able to add players to their 40-man roster without having to worry about the repercussions when they were removed. At one point, the 40-man roster had swelled to 45, plus two more players on the 60-day IL. Earlier Wednesday, the Giants continued to shed.

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Right-hander Cory Abbott, claimed recently from the Chicago Cubs, was put through waivers and claimed by the Washington Nationals. Utility man Jason Krizan cleared waivers and was outrighted back to Triple-A Sacramento's roster. Left-hander Darien Nuñez has had the craziest stretch; he had Tommy John surgery last week, was DFA'd by the Dodgers, claimed by the Giants, released, and then signed to a minor league contract.

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