Sitting in the basement of the NL West with a 6-10 record entering play Friday, the San Francisco Giants haven’t had the most ideal start to 2017. But matters have been compounded further by news that ace Madison Bumgarner sustained rib and shoulder injuries in a dirt biking accident and is expected to miss 6-8 weeks, according to FOX Sports’ Ken Rosenthal.
Madison Bumgarner Injured in Dirt Biking Accident
Source: Expectation is that #SFGiants’ Bumgarner will be out 6 to 8 weeks.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) April 21, 2017
Bumgarner was injured on the Giants off day on Thursday after the team traveled from Kansas City, MO to Denver, CO for their next series against the Colorado Rockies. Bumgarner spent the day dirt biking, and suffered and a grade one or two AC joint sprain in his left shoulder, which is also his throwing shoulder. The injury came after Bumgarner threw six innings of one-run ball in his start the night before, a 2-0 loss to the Royals.
In four starts for the Giants this season, Bumgarner has posted a very solid 3.00 ERA and 1.07 WHIP, along with 28 strikeouts. The win-loss column has not been nearly as kind, however, as the Giants ace sits at 0-3 thanks in large part to having received the fourth fewest run support of any qualified starter in Major League Baseball. Bumgarner also has two home runs to his name at the plate and is batting .286 on the campaign.
Replacing Bumgarner on the 25-man active roster is right-handed pitcher Chris Stratton, who was recalled from Triple-A Sacramento following Bumgarner’s transfer to the 10-day DL. Stratton hasn’t been his sharpest in two Pacific Coast League starts on the young season, posting a 7.84 ERA and 1.45 WHIP with only two strikeouts to show for his 10.1 innings of work. In seven career Major League appearances — all last season with the Giants — Stratton is 1-0 with a 3.60 ERA and 1.60 WHIP.
The Giants will kick off the first of a three-game weekend set against the Rockies tonight in the Mile High City, with Johnny Cueto scheduled to take the hill as the starting rotation’s new interim ace.
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