Dickerson back in SF for cortisone injection

LOS ANGELES -- The Giants sent slugger Alex Dickerson back to San Francisco on Saturday to receive a cortisone injection in his sore right oblique.

Dickerson landed on the injured list with an oblique strain last month and missed two weeks before returning to action, though he’s continued to feel discomfort in the area, which has hampered his production. An MRI exam came back clean, so the Giants are hoping the injection will help dissipate the lingering soreness and allow Dickerson to play again before the end of the season.

“We’re going to give him an injection to see if we can get this thing cleared up,” manager Bruce Bochy said. “He should keep trying to play. We want him to hopefully get back out there before the season is over. The diagnostics aren’t showing anything, so I don’t think there’s a risk of injury. It’s just a matter of getting him comfortable to where he can play. Now, if there’s something going on, yeah, then you shut the player down. But he needs to play if he can.”

Acquired from the Padres for Minor League pitcher Franklin Van Gurp in June, Dickerson emerged as a key sparkplug for the Giants during their July surge, batting .386 with a 1.222 OPS over his first 30 games with the club. But he has not looked comfortable at the plate since returning from the oblique injury, as he’s hitting just .156 with a .424 OPS and two extra-base hits over 16 games since Aug. 14.

Injuries have stalled Dickerson’s career in the past, as he missed the entire 2017 and ‘18 seasons with back and elbow issues. While the Giants view the 29-year-old as a talented hitter, his injury history raises questions about his durability and whether he’ll be able to stay healthy enough to become a significant part of their outfield next season.

“That’s going to be the challenge,” Bochy said. “I think you have to look at anything we can do this offseason, any sort of conditioning or program we can put him on to keep him on the field. Maybe monitoring his work and how much he plays on the field. These questions are going to have to be answered when the season is over so we can get the best out of him. I think the guy is a really good hitter.”

Peralta claimed

The Giants added another arm to their evolving bullpen Saturday, claiming left-hander Wandy Peralta off waivers from the Reds. Peralta is expected to join the team Monday in San Francisco. To clear a spot for Peralta on the 40-man roster, the Giants placed infielder Zach Green on the 60-day IL with a left hip impingement.

Peralta, 28, posted a 3.76 ERA over 64 2/3 innings for the Reds in 2017, but he’s struggled to replicate that success in subsequent seasons. He logged a 6.09 ERA over 34 innings in 39 games for Cincinnati this year.

“He has a great arm,” Reds manager David Bell said Saturday. “He’s a great teammate. He wants to be good, not only for himself but for his team and organization so bad. I think sometimes he tried so hard, and that can get in the way, too. It was just kind of the right time to give him a new opportunity.”

The Giants have experienced significant turnover in their bullpen since the Trade Deadline, as they traded away Sam Dyson, Drew Pomeranz and Ray Black and have now lost two of their high-leverage relievers -- Trevor Gott and Reyes Moronta -- to season-ending injuries in the last week. Setup man Tony Watson also remains unavailable due to a sore left wrist.

The recent spate of injuries has created opportunities for newcomers like Jandel Gustave, Tyler Rogers and Fernando Abad, who combined to pitch two scoreless innings in Friday night’s 5-4 win over the Dodgers.

“It’s been pretty drastic,” Bochy said. “The bullpen has never changed as much as it’s changed here.”

Cueto progressing

Johnny Cueto (Tommy John surgery) threw a bullpen session at Dodger Stadium on Saturday and could be ready to rejoin the rotation next week, barring any setbacks.

Worth noting

The Giants wore gold ribbon decals and wristbands Saturday as part of Major League Baseball’s Childhood Cancer Awareness Day. The league-wide event is in recognition of Stand Up To Cancer, which has named September Childhood Cancer Awareness Month.