PHOENIX — By weekend’s end, third baseman Matt Chapman could finally be back from the injured list.
Chapman, who hasn’t played since June 8, checked off another box in his return from right hand inflammation by taking batting practice at Chase Field prior to the Giants’ series finale against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
As he walked off the field, Chapman told reporters that he plans to play a rehab game with Triple-A Sacramento on Friday as the Giants begin their three-game series against the Athletics at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento. The River Cats are currently playing in Reno, which is roughly a two-hour drive from West Sacramento.
The five-time Gold Glover began his batting practice session by hitting pitches thrown by assistant hitting coach Damon Minor, sending several offerings over Chase Field’s tall center-field fence. Chapman then progressed to taking swings against a pitching machine with the velocity turned up.
“We tuned up the machine to pretty good velocity,” said manager Bob Melvin said of Chapman, who has a team-high .812 OPS. “He didn’t feel anything. Felt great. He’s frustrated with his swing right now, but that’s the way it goes with him. He ended his session mad — that’s a good thing.”
Chapman, who injured multiple fingers when sliding back to first base, said he hopes to return this weekend against his former team. If Chapman does not return against the Athletics, he could be back on Monday as San Francisco begins its three-game series against the Philadelphia Phillies.
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Along with Chapman, infielder Casey Schmitt is likely to return when he is first eligible on Monday after receiving a cortisone shot earlier this week. Schmitt had been filling in for Chapman at third base until he was plunked by a pitch and diagnosed with left hand inflammation.
With Chapman back at third base, Schmitt should slide over to the infield’s right side and become the team’s starting second baseman. In 14 games as Chapman’s replacement, Schmitt had a slash line of .375/.444/.646 with four home runs and 12 RBIs.
Johnson optioned, Alcántara recalled
Prior to Thursday’s game, the Giants optioned outfielder Daniel Johnson to Triple-A and selected infielder Sergio Alcántara from Sacramento. Catcher Logan Porter was designated for assignment.
Infielder Tyler Fitzgerald, who was recalled earlier this week, has been dealing with a back ailment, and Melvin said the Giants feel that they’re “short an infielder right now.” Despite the bad back, Fitzgerald started for the Giants at second base on Thursday.
“We have (Wilmer Flores) out at third base one day,” Melvin said. “It just feels like we’re maybe an infielder short right now.”
Alcántara, 28, has played parts of three major-league seasons with the Detroit Tigers, Chicago Cubs, Arizona Diamondbacks and San Diego Padres. He has a career .624 OPS with 12 homers over 192 games and has played at least 300 innings at second base, third base and shortstop in the majors.