SF Giants left-handed hurler possibly done for the season with shoulder ailment

The SF Giants will have one rotation to hole to fill as the season winds down. Veteran lefty Alex Wood was placed on the injured list on Saturday with left shoulder impingement. Speedy outfielder Bryce Johnson was recalled to take Wood's spot on the roster.

SF Giants left-handed hurler possibly done for the season with shoulder ailment

Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports that the Giants are leaving the door open for Wood to return before the end of the season. However, that will depend on how quickly the starter's shoulder responds as there are only 31 games left in the season.

It has been a roller-coaster of a season for the 10-year veteran after he inked a two-year, $25 million pact in the offseason. Wood was coming off of a strong 2021 campaign in which he registered a 3.83 ERA, 3.48 FIP, 1.18 WHIP, 9.9 K/9, 3.90 SO/W ratio, and a 50.8 percent ground ball rate.

However, he was unable to replicate that performance due in part to the shoulder injury. In 26 starts in 2022, the left-handed hurler posted a 5.10 ERA, 3.77 FIP, 1,24 WHIP, 9/0 K/9, 4.37 SO/W ratio, and a 48.2 percent ground ball rate.

If you close one eye, Wood's numbers in 2022 were what you would want in a mid-rotation arm, but in terms of run prevention, he struggled and got worse as the season progressed. It was clear that he was not fully healthy down the stretch as his ERA ballooned from 4.11 on July 28 to 5.10 by possibly his final start of the year on August 31.

The Giants put together a rotation that came with high injury risk with pitchers like Wood, Carlos Rodón, Alex Cobb, and Anthony DeSclafani. With that being said, the Giants have to be pleased with the number of starts that Wood (26), Rodón (26), and Cobb (22) have made in 2022. On the other hand, DeSclafani struggled through five injury-riddled starts earlier in the year.

Bryce Johnson will get another shot of recording his first major league hit. The outfield prospect's contract was selected in the middle of this season and he has tallied five hitless at-bats so far. Johnson has had a nice season in Triple-A, slashing .290/.371/.401 (98 wRC+) with five home runs, 32 RBI, 37 runs, and 29 stolen bases in 312 plate appearances. He will give them much-needed athleticism and strong defense in the outfield.