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SCOTTSDALE — It was expected, but devastating just the same.
Dedniel Nunez will have Tommy John surgery on his right elbow, Gabe Kapler announced Friday. The Rule 5 pick has a UCL sprain that has to be repaired, and San Francisco moved him to the 60-day injured list Thursday. He was having a solid camp and showing stuff that was harnessed enough to give belief that he could stick as a righty bullpen arm the whole season.
Kapler said he has empathy for the person, who hadn’t even risen to Double-A with the Mets before getting plucked in the draft, and acknowledged it’s a blow to the bullpen.
“Nunez was throwing the ball so well,” Kapler said of the Dominican Republic native, who has an upper-90s fastball and excellent sider. “…We really started to see him as a key piece of our bullpen this year.”
After the surgery, the details of which are still being hammered down, Nunez will be able to rehab with the Giants. He could return next year under the same Rule 5 rules.
There were plenty of injury updates around the Giants now under two weeks before Opening Day:
— Buster Posey (hip) could play as early as Sunday. He’ll be doing baseball activities Friday, and the Giants want to see how their star catcher comes through.
— Alex Wood (a Tuesday ablation procedure for nerves in his lower back) is set to play catch Friday and is “feeling better,” Kapler said. The Giants will know more — and whether he has a chance to be ready the first week of the season — after he throws.
“He hasn’t missed too much time, so he hasn’t been down for too long,” Kapler said. “There’s still a nice foundation there.”
— Evan Longoria (plantar fasciitis) is building up and should play catch at 75 feet and then 90 feet. He could be playing the field in games “by the middle of next week.” He’s only been designated hitter thus far.
— Brandon Belt (mono, offseason heel surgery) is going to run bases Sunday. They’d like him to do that two or three times.
“It’s not out of the question that he would be in a game around the end of next week,” Kapler said.
— Outfield prospect Hunter Bishop has ankle soreness.