Smyly goes on injured list with finger strain

SAN FRANCISCO -- The Giants’ rotation took a hit Sunday after left-hander Drew Smyly was placed on the 10-day injured list with a left index finger strain.

Right-hander Andrew Triggs was recalled from the club’s alternate training site in Sacramento to replace Smyly on the roster. To clear a spot on the 40-man roster, the Giants designated reliever Jandel Gustave for assignment.

Manager Gabe Kapler said Smyly underwent an MRI exam on Sunday that revealed a pulley injury in his left index finger. He will be down for seven to 10 days and will not travel with the club on its 10-game road trip to Colorado, Los Angeles and Houston.

Smyly exited his start against the Rangers on Saturday after experiencing discomfort in his pitching hand while facing Rob Refsynder in the fifth inning. The 31-year-old veteran departed after striking out seven and allowing two runs over four-plus innings, costing him a chance to become the Giants’ first starter to complete five innings this season.

The injury is a tough setback for Smyly, who had said that he finally felt back to full strength this year after missing nearly two seasons while rehabbing from Tommy John surgery. He had looked sharp in each of his first three appearances for the Giants, yielding three runs over 8 1/3 innings.

Kapler said left-hander Tyler Anderson will be a candidate to replace Smyly in the rotation, even after throwing 26 pitches in a relief outing against the Rangers on Sunday. The Giants are also carrying right-hander Dereck Rodríguez and lefty Andrew Suárez on their taxi squad, giving them more pitching options during their road trip.

Triggs, 31, logged a 4.53 ERA over parts of three seasons with the A’s from 2016-18, but he missed the entire 2019 season after undergoing thoracic outlet surgery. He joined the Giants on a Minor League deal earlier this year and enjoyed a few promising outings during the club’s Summer Camp at Oracle Park. Kapler has said his crossfire delivery makes him particularly tough on right-handed hitters.

Gustave, 27, posted a 2.96 ERA with one save over 23 relief appearances for the Giants last year, but he was among the first wave of cuts during Spring Training in March. At the time, Kapler said the Giants felt Gustave needed “a secondary pitch that he can depend on and lean on in the zone, and for swing-and-miss." He was not included in the club’s player pool during Summer Camp.

When a player's contract is designated for assignment -- often abbreviated "DFA" -- that player is immediately removed from his club's 40-man roster, and active roster if he was on that as well. Within seven days of the transaction (it was previously 10 days), the player must either be traded, released or placed on irrevocable outright waivers.

Worth noting

• Catcher Chris Herrmann, who signed a Minor League deal with the Giants earlier this month, will join Rodríguez and Suárez on the three-man taxi squad.

• The Giants announced that Rule 5 Draft pick Dany Jiménez cleared waivers and was returned to the Blue Jays. Jiménez was designated for assignment last week after struggling with his command in two relief appearances with the Giants this year.