SF Giants place 2 key veterans on the injured list

The SF Giants were expecting to add Mike Yastrzemski to the injured list on Monday with a hamstring strain. However, in a bit of a surprise, Brandon Crawford was also placed on the injured list with a calf strain according to the team's transaction log.

SF Giants place 2 key veterans on the injured list

The good news is that neither player is expected to miss a lot of time according to Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area. Pavlovic notes that Crawford is expected to miss roughly 10 days, whereas Yastrzemski has a Grade 1 strain, meaning that he might be able to return in a couple of weeks.

Infielder/outfielder Brett Wisely was added to the active roster and outfielder Cal Stevenson was recalled. Wisely joined the Giants in Mexico City as their 27th player and anticipated being sent back down after the series.

Due to the injuries to Crawford and Yastrzemski, that did not occur and he will be joined by Stevenson. Wisely is off to a rough start to his major league career as he has tallied just one hit in 17 at-bats. The Giants have experimented with him in center field, which is a position he had no experience previously.

The Giants just acquired Stevenson in a rare trade with the Oakland A's. The left-handed bat has slashed .294/.407/.420 with a solid 16.2 percent walk rate against a 15.6 percent strikeout rate in five minor league seasons. However, he has struggled to the tune of a .478 OPS in 71 plate appearances for the A's.

Replacing Crawford and Yastrzemski will be a tough task. Crawford was off to a rough start, registering a .169/.244/.352 line (61 OPS+) with four home runs, 10 RBI, and six runs in 78 plate appearances. The defense may not be what it used to be, but Crawford is still one of the Giants' best options at a premium position. Thairo Estrada should see the bulk of the time at shortstop in his absence.

On the other hand, Yastrzemski was off to a very nice start with an .854 OPS and five home runs in 102 plate appearances. Not only that, but the 32-year-old outfielder is a reliably strong glove in center field. Some combination of Austin Slater, Wisely, and Stevenson will hold down the position in his absence.