After undergoing surgery on his right index finger Tuesday, Giants third baseman Evan Longoria is expected to miss the next six weeks. Giants manager Gabe Kapler revealed the news to reporters before Wednesday’s Cactus League contest against the Kansas City Royals.
LaMonte Wade Jr. (left knee bone bruise) is also going to start the season on the injured list, while outfielder Mike Yastrezmski (right quad tightness) and Brandon Belt (right knee inflammation) could return to Cactus League game action this weekend, per MLB.com’s Maria Guardado.
In Longoria’s absence, Wilmer Flores is expected to get the lion’s share of playing time. Potential breakout candidate Thairo Estrada is more of a middle infielder but has some previous experience at the hot corner. Other potential fill-ins on the 40-man roster include infielders Jason Vosler, Mauricio Dubón and Luke Williams.
Longoria is 36 and his bat has declined over the years, but his glove remains solid. As NBC Sports Bay Area Giants Insider Alex Pavlovic detailed on 95.7 The Game Tuesday morning, Longoria’s defense alongside Brandon Crawford will probably be missed most.
“That really is the big drop off for me,” Pavlovic said. “Wilmer Flores is the guy who fills in first and foremost and it’s just not the same defensively. Wilmer – at this point of their careers – is probably a pretty similar hitter and someone they trust at the plate. Defensively, there’s a huge drop-off.”
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Giants manager Gabe Kapler is known for mixing his lineups based off matchups and Longoria had great splits against southpaws in 2021: slashing .318/.451/.636 with six homers, 13 RBI, 15 walks and 11 strikeouts in 82 plate appearances. The Giants should find some comfort in the fact Flores fared well against lefties last year. He slashed .288/.336/.468 with six homers, 19 RBI, 10 walks and 24 strikeouts in 149 plate appearances.
After staying relatively healthy throughout his first three seasons with the Giants, Longoria has spent a significant amount of time on the injured list the past couple seasons. Last year he was limited to 81 games after colliding with Crawford in the field and injuring his shoulder/collarbone area. He was hit by a pitch in the index finger last August and was still feeling lingering effects in camp.
Longoria is due to make $19.5 million this season and the Giants hold a $13 million club option with a $5 million buyout in 2023.
