The Giants optioned Villar to Triple-A Sacramento on Tuesday, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.
Just three days after being recalled by the Giants, Villar will head back to Sacramento. Villar holds a .514 OPS through 108 plate appearances in the majors this season, but has been solid in the minors with a .900 OPS. If Villar can maintain a high level of output at the plate in Triple-A, he could be back with the Giants relatively soon. Luke Jackson (elbow) was activated from the 60-day injured list Tuesday in a corresponding move.
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Giants' David Villar: Rejoins big-league team
Rotowire
Villar was recalled from Triple-A Sacramento on Saturday.
Thairo Estrada was placed on the 10-day injured list with a left wrist sprain, opening the door for Villar to return after a couple weeks in the minors. Villar struggled to the tune of a .148/.240/.318 line in his prior stint with the Giants this season, fanning in exactly one-third of his plate appearances. He figures to serve primarily as a bench piece with perhaps occasional starts against left-handed pitching.
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Giants' David Villar: Heads back to minors
Rotowire
San Francisco optioned Villar to Triple-A Sacramento on Sunday, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.
Villar hadn't seen consistent playing time thus far in May, and his outlook wasn't going to improve after Brandon Crawford (calf) was reinstated from the 10-day injured list Sunday. As a result, the Giants elected to send Villar back to Triple-A so he can receive everyday at-bats.
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Giants' David Villar: On bench again
Rotowire
Villar is on the bench Wednesday versus the Nationals, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.
Villar has now been out of the lineup for eight of the last 11 games, as he seems to have lost a hold on a regular role following a .570 OPS in his first 28 contests. With Brandon Crawford (calf) due back soon, Villar's roster spot might be in jeopardy.
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Giants' David Villar: On bench for second straight
Rotowire
Villar is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Padres.
Villar is sitting against a right-handed starting pitcher (Yu Darvish) for the second straight day and appears to have ceded primary duties at third base to J.D. Davis. The righty-hitting Villar offers the ability to play three infield positions and should still have a path to steady playing time versus left-handed pitching.
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Giants' David Villar: Homers off bench Saturday
Rotowire
Villar went 1-for-3 with a solo home run in Saturday's 16-11 loss to the Padres.
Brett Wisely initially replaced Brandon Crawford (calf), but Villar entered as a pinch hitter in the sixth inning. One frame later, Villar briefly put the Giants ahead 11-10 with his solo shot. He was initially expected to start at third base this season, but J.D. Davis has hit well to begin the year, limiting Villar to more of a utility role in the infield. He still gets his fair share of playing time, but he's managed a paltry .156/.258/.351 slash line with four homers, 11 RBI, 10 runs scored, a stolen base and three doubles through 89 plate appearances.
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Giants' David Villar: On bench Sunday
Rotowire
Villar is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Mets.
Villar started five of the past six games but went just 2-for-17 with two doubles, three RBI and nine strikeouts during that span. J.D. Davis appears to have taken ahold of the starting job at third base, as he's starting there Sunday for the 10th time in San Francisco's last 11 contests.
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Giants' David Villar: Takes seat Thursday
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Villar is not in Thursday's lineup against the Mets, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.
Villar has started seven of the team's last eight games but will hit the bench for a breather Thursday after collecting only three hits across his last 27 plate appearances while striking out at a 37 percent rate. Wilmer Flores enters the lineup in Villar's spot, batting sixth while playing first base.
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Giants' David Villar: Slams two-run homer
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Villar went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run in Tuesday's 5-0 win over the Dodgers.
With one out and one on in the bottom of the eighth, Villar smacked an Evan Phillips offering 403 feet to center field to give the Giants some extra cushion heading into the final inning. The home run ended a relative lull at the dish for Villar, who had reached base at a .409 clip over his prior six games but batted just .188 with one extra-base hit (a double) during that stretch.
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Giants' David Villar: Logs first steal
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Villar went 0-for-2 with a walk and a stolen base in Monday's 9-1 loss to the Dodgers. He was also hit by a pitch.
Villar had three multi-hit efforts through his first six games, but he's since slumped, going 1-for-8 with two walks over his last four contests. His steal Monday was the first of his young major-league career. Villar wasn't a major threat to run in the minors, logging just 10 steals across parts of four campaigns. He's seeing regular playing time between third base and second base, and he's maintained a passable .233/.378/.467 slash line with two home runs, five RBI and six runs scored through 37 plate appearances this season.
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Giants' David Villar: Not in Saturday's lineup
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Villar is out of the lineup for Saturday's game versus Kansas City, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
Villar started the past six contests after being on the bench Opening Day, and he'll take a seat Saturday after going 6-for-25 with two home runs, four walks, five RBI and six runs during that six-game stretch. J.D. Davis will man the hot corner and bat third.
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Giants' David Villar: Making third straight start
Rotowire
Villar is starting at third base and batting sixth for the Giants in Monday's game versus the White Sox, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.
Villar was surprisingly held out of the lineup on Opening Day, but he's since started three straight at the hot corner so he does look to be the preferred option at the position. The 26-year-old is 2-for-10 with one run scored in his first three contests this season.
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Giants' David Villar: Riding bench for opener
Rotowire
Villar is not in the Giants' lineup for Thursday's opener against the Yankees.
The Giants on multiple occasions have implied that Villar would be their regular third baseman to begin 2023, but he'll ride the pine on Opening Day. It will be Wilmer Flores handling the hot corner instead Thursday, batting third.
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Giants' David Villar: Expected back Saturday
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Villar (hip) is in line to return to Cactus League play Saturday, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
Villar will have missed about a week of action with a left hip flexor strain. He's struggled so far this spring, going 1-for-14 with eight strikeouts and no walks, but he'll have time to sharpen up ahead of Opening Day. Villar is in line to be the Giants' primary third baseman.
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Giants' David Villar: Thinks he'll be back soon
Rotowire
Villar (hip) said Wednesday that he believes he'll return to Cactus League games in a few days, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
He suffered a left hip flexor strain over the weekend, but it's been deemed mild and it sounds like he should be ready to play before the end of the week. Villar is expected to log the bulk of the at-bats at third base for the Giants this season.
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Giants' David Villar: Dealing with hip flexor strain
Rotowire
Villar was diagnosed Monday with a mild left hip flexor strain, Maria I. Guardado of MLB.com reports.
Villar had to be scratched from the Giants' lineup over the weekend with the injury and an MRI has provided a more specific diagnosis. He will be re-evaluated daily and, thus, can be considered day-to-day.
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Giants' David Villar: Scratched with hip tightness
Rotowire
Villar was scratched from the lineup for Saturday's game against the Dodgers due to left hip tightness, Maria I. Guardado of MLB.com reports.
After hitting a promising .231/.331/.455 (albeit with a 32.0 percent strikeout rate) in 52 games as a rookie last season, Villar entered spring training with a good shot to carve out a regular role at third base. If his injury remains nothing worse than tightness and he's able to return to the field soon, he'll still be in the favorite to start at the hot corner, but if he's forced to hit the injured list, Wilmer Flores and J.D. Davis could earn a larger share of at-bats.
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Giants' David Villar: Inside track for starting job
Rotowire
Villar is viewed as the Giants' starting third baseman heading into spring training, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports.
Villar slashed .231/.331/.455 with nine home runs and 24 RBI in 52 games as a 25-year-old last season. He won't go unchallenged for the job at third base -- Wilmer Flores and J.D. Davis are also in the mix, but their versatility around the diamond may make them better suited for utility roles. Villar is also expected to see time at second base when Thairo Estrada covers for Brandon Crawford at shortstop.
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Giants' David Villar: Not in Sunday's lineup
Rotowire
Villar is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Diamondbacks, Maria I. Guardado of MLB.com reports.
Villar has a .559 OPS and 37.5 percent strikeout rate in his past 10 contests and will take a seat Sunday. Evan Longoria will start at the hot corner in the series finale versus Arizona.
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Giants' David Villar: Sitting again
Rotowire
Villar is not in Friday's lineup against the Diamondbacks, Sonja Chen of MLB.com reports.
Villar has now sat three of the last four games after starting several in a row. Evan Longoria is starting at third base and hitting fifth.
