The Giants placed Gonzalez (back) on the 60-day injured list Thursday.
Gonzalez underwent surgery two weeks ago to address a herniated disc in his lower back, with the procedure carrying an estimated 16-week recovery timeline. With that in mind, the Giants' decision to have him start the season on the 60-day injured list comes as little surprise, given that he's on track to miss more than two months while rehabbing from surgery. The transaction frees up a spot on the 40-man roster for outfielder/infielder Matt Beaty, whom the team acquired in a trade from the Royals earlier Thursday.
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Giants' Luis Gonzalez: Getting spine checked out
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Gonzalez (back) traveled to Los Angeles on Monday to receive a second opinion from a spine specialist, Maria I. Guardado of MLB.com reports.
Gonzalez mentioned just over a week ago that he had noticed improvement in his recovery from the lower-back strain that has kept him from playing throughout the spring, so it's possible that his meeting with the specialist may be for the purpose of mapping out of his next steps rather than the result of any sort of setback. Whatever the case, Gonzalez is running out of time to prove his health during spring training, and unless he's cleared to return to game action next week, he appears destined to begin the season on the injured list.
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Giants' Luis Gonzalez: Undergoing surgery on back
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Gonzalez is undergoing surgery Tuesday to repair a herniated disc in his lower back, Andrew Baggarly of The Athletic reports.
The procedure comes with a 16-week recovery estimate, per Baggarly, which means that Gonzalez is sure to miss at least the first half of the 2023 season. He was bothered by back issues for much of the 2022 campaign and slashed just .254/.323/.360 across 350 plate appearances for San Francisco. At least the 27-year-old outfielder can now look forward to putting those back troubles in the past whenever he does finish up the lengthy rehab process.
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Giants' Luis Gonzalez: Aiming for Opening Day
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Gonzalez (back) said Sunday that he believes he can be ready for Opening Day, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
Gonzalez struggled with back injuries last season and was diagnosed with a lower-back strain shortly after arriving to Giants camp this spring, but he's making steady progress now. Nonetheless, Slusser guesses that the 27-year-old outfielder will not be part of the active roster out of camp because of all the time lost. He'll presumably spend at least a couple of weeks rehabbing at Triple-A Sacramento.
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Giants' Luis Gonzalez: Out with back injury
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Gonzalez was diagnosed with a lower-back strain Sunday and is expected to be sidelined 4-to-6 weeks, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
The 27-year-old battled back issues last season and spent the final stretch of the campaign on the injured list with a back strain, so it's concerning he'll open 2023 in similar fashion. Gonzalez isn't likely to be healthy in time for Opening Day, and his spot on the major-league roster isn't guaranteed once healthy given the offseason additions of Mitch Haniger and Michael Conforto to the outfield mix.
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Giants' Luis Gonzalez: Placed on 10-day IL
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Gonzalez was placed on the 10-day injured list with a low back strain Saturday.
Gonzalez left Friday's game early due to a back injury, and he'll be forced to miss at least a week and a half. He'll be eligible to return during the Giants' final regular-season series, although it's not yet clear whether he'll be activated at that point since the team is unlikely to make the playoffs. Ford Proctor was recalled to take Gonzalez's place on the active roster.
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Giants' Luis Gonzalez: Plays through back issue
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Gonzalez (back) went 1-for-3 with two strikeouts in Friday's 5-0 loss to the Dodgers.
Gonzalez accounted for one of the Giants' three baserunners in the game. He missed one game with back soreness, but it's evidently a minor issue as he was able to replace LaMonte Wade (side) for Friday's game. Gonzalez has gone 5-for-20 (.250) across his last eight games, but he'll likely be limited to the strong side of a platoon in right field. He's slashing a middling .252/.322/.361 through 93 contests.
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Giants' Luis Gonzalez: Enters lineup Friday
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Gonzalez (back) will start in right field and bat ninth Friday against the Dodgers, Evan Webeck of The San Jose Mercury News reports.
The 27-year-old has been battling back soreness this week, but he'll join the lineup Friday after LaMonte Wade was scratched with side tightness. Gonzalez has a .189/.268/.243 slash line in 14 games since he was recalled from Triple-A Sacramento in late August.
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Giants' Luis Gonzalez: Dealing with stiff back
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Gonzalez isn't starting Wednesday against Atlanta due to a stiff back, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
Gonzalez started the last four games, and manager Gabe Kapler said that the 27-year-old would have been in Wednesday's lineup if he was healthy. It's not yet clear whether Gonzalez will be available off the bench Wednesday, but he'll be able to rest Thursday since the Giants have a scheduled day off.
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Giants' Luis Gonzalez: Heads to bench Wednesday
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Gonzalez is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against Atlanta, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.
Gonzalez will rest in the series finale after he went 2-for-9 with a walk and an RBI while starting each of the past four games. Though he still looks like the Giants' fourth outfielder behind Joc Pederson, Mike Yastrzemski and LaMonte Wade, Gonzalez should continue to get the opportunity to play semi-regularly while Wade often makes cameos at first base.
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Giants' Luis Gonzalez: Resting against southpaw
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Gonzalez isn't starting Friday against the Cubs.
Gonzalez has started against a pair of left-handed pitchers since the start of September, but he'll head to the bench Friday with southpaw Drew Smyly on the mound for the Cubs. Mike Yastrzemski is starting in right field and batting sixth.
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Giants' Luis Gonzalez: Not starting vs. lefty
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Gonzalez is out of the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Dodgers, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.
Gonzalez will sit for the second consecutive game against a left-handed starting pitcher with Tyler Anderson on the mound for Los Angeles. Bryce Johnson will take over in right field and bat ninth Tuesday.
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Giants' Luis Gonzalez: Sits versus lefty
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Gonzalez is not in the starting lineup for Monday's game against the Dodgers, Evan Webeck of The San Jose Mercury News reports.
The lefty-hitting Gonzalez currently holds a .525 OPS against southpaw pitching this season, so he will retreat to the bench as the Dodgers will begin the game with Andrew Heaney on the mound. Rookie outfielder Bryce Johnson will take Gonzalez's place in right field, batting ninth.
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Giants' Luis Gonzalez: Returns to starting nine
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Gonzalez (illness) is starting in right field and batting eighth Monday against San Diego, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.
Gonzalez was held out of Sunday's series finale against Minnesota while tending to an illness, but he's since received clearance to return. The outfielder has struggled at the dish in the month of August, slashing .133/.231/.156 with one double, three RBI, one stolen base and three runs scored over 14 games.
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Giants' Luis Gonzalez: Dealing with illness
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Gonzalez is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Twins while tending to an illness, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
Gonzalez is expected to serve as a fourth outfielder during his latest stint with the big club, but he likely would have been in line to start Sunday with left fielder Joc Pederson (groin) day-to-day with an injury. Instead, Gonzalez will wind up joining Pederson on the bench while he's under the weather, resulting in Austin Slater picking up a start alongside LaMonte Wade and Mike Yastrzemski in the outfield.
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Giants' Luis Gonzalez: Called up from Triple-A
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Gonzalez was recalled from Triple-A Sacramento on Saturday.
Gonzalez spent the last week and a half in the minors and went 4-for-17 with three runs, an RBI, five walks and seven strikeouts over five games at Sacramento. However, he'll rejoin the major-league club Saturday, and it's possible that he carves out a role in the short side of a platoon in the outfield after Bryce Johnson was sent down.
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Giants' Luis Gonzalez: Call-up coming Saturday
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Gonzalez will be called up by the Giants on Saturday, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
Gonzalez was sent to the minors in mid-August, and he went 4-for-17 with three runs, an RBI, five walks and seven strikeouts over five games during his time at Sacramento. The 26-year-old should provide outfield depth and will likely be in the lineup for Saturday's matchup against the Twins.
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Giants' Luis Gonzalez: Sent to Triple-A
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Gonzalez was optioned to Triple-A Sacramento on Wednesday.
Gonzalez had been playing nearly everyday in the outfield for the Giants, but his playing time slipped over the past couple weeks while mired in a 1-for-30 slump. The 26-year-old has a .256/.326/.374 slash line with four home runs, 32 RBI and 10 stolen bases in 78 games this year, and he could return to the majors down the stretch if San Francisco requires outfield depth.
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Giants' Luis Gonzalez: Not starting Tuesday
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Gonzalez is out of the lineup for Tuesday's game against Arizona, Evan Webeck of The San Jose Mercury News reports.
Gonzalez is mired in a 1-for-30 slump over his past nine games and will take a seat Tuesday for the second time in the last three days. LaMonte Wade will start in right field and bat ninth.
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Giants' Luis Gonzalez: Gets break Sunday
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Gonzalez is not in the lineup for Sunday's game against the Pirates.
Gonzalez started the last seven games, but he went just 1-for-24 (.042) over that span, so manager Gabe Kapler decided to give him a mental break.
