On the heels of news that Madison Bumgarner will return to the big league club next week, Giants starter Jeff Samardzija and reliever Dereck Rodriguez both exited Tuesday’s 11-4 loss to the Rockies with injuries.
Samardzija’s night ended after just a single inning, with what was reported as right-shoulder tightness. Samardzija, who’s fastball averaged just 91 MPH, gave up two runs in the opening frame. After the inning when it was determined that Samardzija would not continue, the pitcher snapped a bat over his knee in anger.
Giants manager Bruce Bochy said postgame that the club expects Samardzija to miss at least one start and have an MRI. Officially the Giants are calling it a tight right shoulder, but based on Samardzija’s postgame comments, the issue seems to be related to the pectoral strain that kept him out early in the season.
“It’s been pretty consistent here the whole time,” Samardzija said of the issue. “That’s just the way it goes. Today it just didn’t respond.”
Rodriguez had his MLB debut spoiled when he took a 108 MPH line drive off his right ankle, causing him to leave the game. Postgame X-rays came back clean, and the club expects him to be okay according to Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area.