Longtime SF Giants third baseman hits injured list for the 3rd time in 2022

The injury woes continue for a veteran-heavy SF Giants roster. On Sunday, longtime third baseman Evan Longoria was placed on the injured list with a hamstring strain.

Longtime SF Giants third baseman hits injured list for the 3rd time in 2022

This will be Longoria's third trip on the injured list in 2022. In his age-36 season, the right-handed bat has usually been productive when healthy, but he has only appeared in 49 of the Giants' 97 games this season.

Longoria has slashed .243/.331/.459 (120 OPS+) with nine home runs, 19 RBI, and 21 runs in 169 plate appearances. This includes an 11.2 percent walk rate against a 25.4 percent strikeout rate.

For years, the 15-year veteran had been one of the more durable players in the game. In 10 seasons with the Tampa Bay Rays, Longoria eclipsed the 150-game threshold seven times. He has had a remarkable career and some of that is due to his ability to stay on the field.

That said, this has not been the case with the Giants. The veteran third baseman appeared in 129 games in 2019, which has been his highest total since joining San Francisco before the 2018 season. Some of these injuries have been freakish in nature whether it be getting hit by a baseball or colliding into Brandon Crawford while attempting to field a ground ball.

Given that the Giants hold a $13 million team option for 2023 with a $5 million buyout, it seems likely that San Francisco will not exercise that option, thereby making him a free agent. However, Longoria has quietly mulled retirement after the conclusion of this season and some of his recent injuries might influence his decision.

In his place, reliever Gregory Santos was recalled. The right-handed reliever has made one appearance with the Giants in 2022. It was a scoreless outing against the St. Louis Cardinals on May 5.

Santos has made 23 appearances with the Sacramento River Cats where he has registered a 3.70 ERA, 1.52 WHIP, 8.5 K/9, and a 1.77 SO/W ratio across 24.1 frames. His time on the active roster could be short-lived as it appears that infielder Tommy La Stella is nearing activation.

It is unfortunate to see Longoria hit the injured list yet again. The Giants could use another bat like his in the lineup. In the meantime, David Villar should continue to see playing time at third base.