Giants shut down three-time All-Star due to knee discomfort

The Giants announced a slew of injury updates Monday, revealing that shortstop Brandon Crawford will be shut down from all baseball activity for the next week due to discomfort in his left knee. The team added that lefty Thomas Szapucki is seeking a second opinion on a left upper-arm injury and that third baseman David Villar has been diagnosed with a mild strain in his left hip flexor. Two-way player Ronald Guzman is slated for an MRI after experiencing left forearm discomfort Sunday, and outfielder Luis Gonzalez is getting a second opinion from a spine specialist due to ongoing discomfort in his back.

Crawford, 36, is coming off his worst showing at the plate since the 2019 season, batting just .231/.308/.344 last season (87 wRC+). That same left knee twice sent Crawford to the injured list last summer, costing him about a month overall. He was limited to 118 games and 458 plate appearances on the year. The Giants haven’t indicated whether Crawford might be sidelined to begin the 2023 season. If he’s able to return to baseball activity next Monday, he’d have 10 days to build up in advance of the Giants’ season opener on March 30.

In the event that Crawford does need to miss some time, Thairo Estrada could move over from second base to cover the shortstop position in the short term. Estrada, who hit .260/.322/.400 in 541 plate appearances in 2022, spent 286 innings at shortstop last season — second-most on the team behind Crawford. Donovan Walton might be another option were he healthy, but he’s expected to be out until at least May as he continues recovering from last September’s shoulder surgery.

Villar, the Giants say, will be re-evaluated daily, so it’s possible he’s only looking at a short-term absence. He entered camp as the favorite to win the Giants’ third base job this spring after hitting .231/.331/.455 through 181 plate appearances as a rookie in 2022, though he’s just 1-for-14 so far in Cactus League play. If Villar’s hip injury proves to be enough to keep him out, the Giants have veterans J.D. Davis and Wilmer Flores as options at the hot corner. Flores could also factor in at second base in the event that Estrada slides over to shortstop to cover for Crawford.

As for the other injuries, more information will be available following additional testing. Szapucki was originally said by manager Gabe Kapler to be dealing with elbow discomfort, but the Giants’ release Monday instead specified an “upper arm” injury. The former Mets southpaw, acquired alongside Davis in the deal sending Darin Ruf to Queens, tossed 13 2/3 innings of 1.98 ERA ball with the Giants following that trade and worked to a 3.11 ERA in 72 1/3 Triple-A frames between the two organizations last season. The Giants are six- or seven-deep in big league starters — Logan Webb, Alex Wood, Alex Cobb, Anthony DeSclafani, Sean Manaea, Ross Stripling, Jakob Junis — but Szapucki represents depth both for the rotation and the bullpen.

It was already known that Gonzalez’s back injury would cause him to miss the beginning the season. As for Guzman, the former Rangers first base prospect has been hoping to prove himself a viable presence on the mound, but he’s been tagged for three runs in 3 1/3 innings this spring and is now heading for imaging after the ominous complaint of forearm discomfort.