SF Giants OF Luis Alexander Basabe Out 6-8 Weeks

Outfielder Luis Alexander Basabe left the SF Giants spring training game against the Milwaukee Brewers on Monday after appearing to injure his left wrist diving for a ball in right field. The team quickly diagnosed him with a sprained wrist, however, it was unclear if Basabe would have to miss a significant amount of time. On Friday, in a videoconference with reporters, manager Gabe Kapler revealed that Basabe would be in a cast for the next two weeks and will miss at least the next 6-8 weeks.

SF Giants OF Luis Alexander Basabe out for 6-8 weeks.

San Francisco acquired Basabe in exchange for cash considerations from the Chicago White Sox last summer. After a short stint at the alternate site in Sacramento, Basabe was promoted and made his MLB debut. He managed a meager 143/.333/.143 batting line in limited playing time, but played premium outfield defense and made a difference on the base paths. He showed a keen eye and worked many long at-bats even when he didn’t reach base. Last month, however, the team outrighted him off of their 40-man roster.

Once a consensus top-100 prospect, Basabe is still just 24 and remains a toolsy player with plenty of untapped potential. For the Giants right now, he offers above-average to plus defense in the outfield corners. However, before 2020, Basabe had never played above Double-A. In seven professional seasons, Basabe posted a .248/.345/.398 line with 40 triples, 44 home runs.

Following the diagnosis, SF Giants outfielder Luis Alexander Basabe will be unavailable for the rest of spring training and the early part of the regular season. If he is able to return along his current timeline though, he could still return to the field in time to play on Opening Day at Triple-A.