The San Francisco Giants on Sunday placed veteran third baseman Evan Longoria on the 10-day injured list with a sprained left shoulder. Manager Gabe Kapler said he's expected to be out four to six weeks. To take his spot on the active roster, infielder Thairo Estrada has been recalled from Triple-A Sacramento. Wilmer Flores is in the Giants' Sunday lineup at third base.
Longoria suffered the injury on Saturday when he collided with shortstop Brandon Crawford while trying to make a play in the ninth inning. Here's a look:
Evan Longoria left the game after this scary collision with Brandon Crawford in the ninth pic.twitter.com/lYN3PaF4Ty
— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) June 6, 2021
X-rays were negative, which means a worst-case scenario was likely avoided, but it's still a lengthy absence.
In his age-35 season, Longoria has been thriving for the first-place Giants. He exits the active roster with a slash line of .280/.376/.516, which is good for a standout OPS+ of 150, and nine home runs, 11 doubles, and 25 walks in 50 games. He's also presently leading the majors in hard-hit rate. Throw in his plus fielding at the hot corner, and Longoria will obviously be missed. In a division that also includes the powerhouse Padres and Dodgers, the loss of Longoria could be a critical one for San Francisco.
