Mike Yastrzemski suffers setback in rehab, shutdown by SF Giants

Aug 15, 2023, 8:31 AM

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - JULY 26: Mike Yastrzemski #5 of the San Francisco Giants runs to home p...

(Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)

Sacramento Kings Beat Writer

The San Francisco Giants were on the cusp of getting an impact bat back from injury this week, but the team will now have to wait a little longer before Mike Yastrzemski returns to the lineup.

Yastrzemski, who has been on the injured list since July 31st due to a left hamstring strain, was set to be activated this week and rejoin his teammates on the active roster.

While Yastrzemski’s return seemed inevitable, the 32-year-old suffered a setback while running the bases during his rehab and will be shut down until the discomfort subsides.

Giants say Mike Yastrzemski suffered a setback while running this weekend and has been shut down. He was set to come back from hamstring strain this series, possibly tomorrow.

— Alex Pavlovic (@PavlovicNBCS) August 14, 2023

“Running is always the final test,” Giants manager Gabe Kapler said of Yastrzemski’s setback on Monday. “You have this progression where you’re running with good intent straight ahead, and then you run curves, and then you get on the bases. Once you’re in that phase of running bases, you’re days away.”

Yastrzemski was in the midst of a strong five-game stretch before suffering a hamstring injury on July 30th, batting .444 with a .546 on-base percentage during the final week of July.

Over 77 appearances this season, the veteran outfielder is batting .233 with 11 home runs and 32 RBI.

While Yastrzemski will be shelved for at least the next few days, possibly weeks, Kapler said that he feels confident that the outfielder will return for next month’s final stretch run.

“We’ve all been around seasons where players have had hamstring issues through the season,” Kapler said. “Eventually, you get over the hump. That doesn’t mean you don’t continue to have hamstring issues because that’s a thing, but I don’t have any reason to believe he can’t get healthy here in the next week or ten days and then have no more issues through the end of September and into the postseason.”

Until Yastrzemski is able to return, San Francisco will continue to roll out a line of outfielders that includes Michael Conforto, rookie Heliot Ramos, Blake Sabol, and recent call-up Wade Meckler.