Casey Schmitt wasn’t in the Giants’ lineup for their series finale against the Miami Marlins on Thursday at Oracle Park, but he could be back on the field soon.
The third baseman underwent a CT scan before San Francisco’s 12-5 loss to Miami after he was hit in the wrist during an at-bat the night before, and manager Bob Melvin said after Thursday’s game that the results brought some good news.
“The [CT] scan says there’s no fracture or anything in there,” Melvin told reporters. “It’s still pretty sore. There’s a pretty good bone bruise in there. We’ll see how it responds tomorrow.”
Melvin said before Thursday’s game that if the results on Schmitt’s CT scan were negative, he could have a chance to return to the lineup Friday against the White Sox in Chicago as long as he’s feeling better.
Schmitt was one of three batters to be hit by the Marlins in the Giants’ 8-5 loss on Wednesday. After being drilled on the left wrist by a 95 mph sinker in the ninth inning, he went out for defense in the top of the 10th but wouldn’t have been able to swing a bat in the bottom of the inning.
X-rays on Schmitt’s wrist immediately after Wednesday’s game came back negative, but Thursday’s additional testing brought relief for the 26-year-old infielder. He has swung a hot bat in place of starting third baseman Matt Chapman, who is working his way back from a hand injury sustained on June 8.
Schmitt is one of eight Giants batters to be hit in San Francisco’s last nine games. Asked before Thursday’s contest by reporters about how the team could counteract that issue, Melvin responded with a smirk and said it “depends on the situation.”
Perhaps by coincidence, or perhaps not, Giants starter Hayden Birdsong plunked Marlins shortstop Otto Lopez in the first inning Thursday — a two-out hit-by-pitch that ultimately led to a three-run rally for Miami.
Schmitt has been hit by a pitch three times so far this season, and Giants fans certainly hope this recent scare is the last of it.
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