John Hefti-USA TODAY Sports
LOS ANGELES — The Giants will not have their leader for the series-opener at Dodger Stadium.
Buster Posey will watch Monday from the dugout, the catcher receiving his second day off in three days. Posey was activated off the injured list Wednesday with a strained right hamstring, and Bruce Bochy indicated he hasn’t had a setback.
“Coming off the hamstring, trying to take it easy in the early go here,” the manager said before the Giants faced off against the hated, 48-24 Dodgers. “Thought today would be a good one to give him. He can run out there the rest of this series.”
In his stead is Stephen Vogt, who will be catching a pitcher in Tyler Beede whom he caught at Triple-A Sacramento earlier this year.
If the Giants wanted Posey’s bat in the lineup against Kenta Maeda — against whom he is 6-for-20 (.300) in his career — they could have inserted him at first, where he’s played a pair of games this season. But Bochy wanted a full day of rest.
“First base, that’s not a day off,” Bochy said.
Also not in the lineup was Tyler Austin, the right-handed slugger again taking a seat against a right-hander. Brandon Belt was in left, with Pablo Sandoval at first.
Last week, Bochy had signaled the Giants would try to find more at-bats for Austin against righties. It has not happened so far, Austin’s last start coming Wednesday.
“He’ll play the next two days,” Bochy said with the Dodgers lining up southpaws Clayton Kershaw and Rich Hill. “But yeah, as we move on, I would like to find ways to get him in there against some right-handers and just get him a little more comfortable.”
Austin, in mostly pinch-hit duties, is 1-for-15 in his past seven games played.
“I’m not making the most of the opportunities I’ve had,” Austin told KNBR. “It’s going to turn. Just when that is, I don’t know.”