Posey (knee), Crawford (back) day to day
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NEW YORK -- The Giants lost two key veterans in their 8-0 win over the Mets on Tuesday night, as catcher Buster Posey and shortstop Brandon Crawford exited with left knee discomfort and lower back tightness, respectively.
Manager Gabe Kapler said Posey and Crawford are both day to day and will be monitored to determine if they’ll be available to return to action on Wednesday.
“Right now, I think we’re looking at these as manageable injuries going forward,” Kapler said. “I think this is a read-and-react situation. As of right now, there’s no long-term concerns for either guy, but we’re going to have to monitor this.”
Posey, who went 1-for-3 against Mets right-hander Tylor Megill, received a visit from Kapler and trainer L.J. Petra in the fourth, but he stayed in to finish the inning. The Giants made a change behind the plate in the fifth, though, with backup Curt Casali entering the game to catch left-hander Sammy Long.
Posey, 34, previously landed on the injured list this year with a left thumb contusion, which forced him to miss the All-Star Game. The knee issue isn’t believed to be serious, but if Posey misses time, the Giants could opt to call up Chadwick Tromp from Triple-A Sacramento. Top prospect Joey Bart is also on the 40-man roster, but he’s been on the IL with a quad injury since Aug. 7.
Kapler said Crawford, who delivered an RBI single off reliever Trevor Williams to cap a four-run rally in the fourth, felt some back tightness prior to the game and continued to feel discomfort while running and throwing. Donovan Solano came in to pinch-hit for Crawford to start the seventh and stayed in the game at shortstop for the final three innings. Solano currently serves as a backup shortstop, but the Giants also have Mauricio Dubón and Thairo Estrada as options down at Triple-A.
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The Giants will likely err on the side of caution with Posey and Crawford, as they’re set to play 16 consecutive games without an off-day, their longest such stretch of the regular season.
“My expectation is that Craw is going to play a lot on this road trip,” Kapler said. “My expectation is also that Buster is going to be OK, but we’ll see how they come in tomorrow.”