Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
LOS ANGELES — It looked grisly, and Pablo Sandoval imagined the worst.
“When I felt that, [I thought it was] a break or something, dislocation, I don’t know,” the big first baseman said. “The cut was a big cut.”
It required four stitches, but the Giants announced it was a laceration to his right pinkie, with X-rays negative. Sandoval’s finger was wrapped following a play that would end up saving San Francisco in its 3-2, series-opening victory at Dodger Stadium on Monday.
With two outs in the fifth inning of a game the Giants were winning, 2-1, Max Muncy bounced a grounder to the right side, but too far up the middle for the Giants’ shifted defense. Brandon Crawford ranged over from shortstop, fielded the ball and fired, the throw leading Sandoval to the ground up the first-base line. The 32-year-old caught it with his foot still on the bag and hit the dirt as Muncy barreled down and over him — his cleat coming down on Sandoval’s hand.
“Sore,” was Sandoval’s response when asked how he felt. Muncy, by the way, is listed at 210 pounds.
The Giants said he was day-to-day, and Sandoval said he would see how the pinkie felt Tuesday. He didn’t want to offer a timeline for a return, but did say, “I want to play.”
His love of playing may have saved the Giants a game, preserving a run in a one-run victory.
“I just try to make the plays. I just try to help. Whatever I can,” Sandoval said. “… Worth it.”
Unreal play ? pic.twitter.com/HxslkqRqoQ
— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) June 18, 2019