Veteran left-handed starter Alex Wood will likely return from the injured list this week to start for the Giants.
Wood, 32, has been sidelined with a left hamstring strain since April 18. He threw 3.2 innings in a rehab assignment Sunday and all signs point to him making a start later this week.
“I know Alex feels ready,” manager Gabe Kapler said.
The Giants haven’t made an official decision on reinstating Wood or when he’ll start, but a logical opportunity could be next Friday in Arizona.
In three starts this year, Wood has a 1.80 ERA — albeit in just 10 innings. Wood’s imminent re-emergence should help calm concerns over the back end of SF’s rotation.
Ross Stripling and Sean Manaea, two offseason acquisitions, have struggled this year as San Francisco’s fifth and sixth starters. Stripling, who took the loss Sunday against Milwaukee, has a 6.66 ERA. Manaea is scheduled to take the mound in Wednesday’s series finale against the Nationals with a 7.33 ERA.
Manaea and Stripling have each pitched as starters and in relief this season. In the nine combined games Manaea and Stripling have started, the Giants are 2-7. That’s as SF’s trio of Logan Webb, Alex Cobb and Anthony DeSclafani has ranged from solid to dominant.
In addition to Wood, the Giants’ injured position players are trending in the right direction. Brandon Crawford (calf strain) is participating in full baseball activities and may be on track to return on Wednesday when eligible. Crawford ran in the outfield, took grounders and hit batting practice pitching on the field Monday afternoon.
Kapler said he doesn’t anticipate Crawford needing a rehab assignment.
Center fielder Mike Yastrzemski (hamstring strain), too, is progressing. He has thrown and hit and is set to run on Tuesday, according to the Giants’ medical update.