Giants place Samardzija (shoulder) on IL

The Giants lost another member of their starting rotation after placing veteran Jeff Samardzija on the 10-day injured list with a right shoulder impingement on Saturday. Left-hander Andrew Suárez was recalled from the alternate training site to replace Samardzija on the 28-man roster.

After the Giants' 5-4 victory over the Dodgers on Saturday, manager Gabe Kapler said an MRI exam showed posterior rotator cuff inflammation in Samardzija's right shoulder and that he wouldn't throw for at least seven days.

The 35-year-old right-hander informed the Giants’ medical staff of his shoulder issue after allowing six runs (five earned) over four-plus innings in a 7-2 loss to the Dodgers on Friday.

“Shark shared that he just had trouble getting loose and he wasn’t really able to rip his pitches the way he wanted to,” Kapler said. “That certainly makes an impact on a pitcher’s ability to perform.”

Samardzija logged a 9.88 ERA over his first three starts of the season and had more home runs allowed (six) than strikeouts (five) over 13 2/3 innings. He missed the bulk of the 2018 campaign with shoulder trouble, but he came back and established himself as one of the Giants’ best starters last year, posting a 3.52 ERA over 181 1/3 innings.

He struggled to recapture that form in 2020, as he dealt with diminished velocity and a blister on his pitching hand that prevented him from throwing his wipeout splitter. Samardzija’s injury will create uncertainty about his future with the Giants. He is in the final season of the five-year, $90 million deal he signed in December 2015, so if he misses significant time, he might not have the chance to make another start for San Francisco.

The Giants are now down two starters after losing Drew Smyly to a left index finger strain last week. Kapler said it’s too early to say who will take Samardzija’s spot in the rotation on Wednesday in Houston, though right-hander Trevor Cahill is expected to be among the candidates.

Cahill, 32, was left off the Opening Day roster due to a fingernail injury, but he has been rehabbing at the alternate training site in Sacramento, Calif., and threw approximately 40 pitches over three innings in a simulated game on Friday.

“He looked sharp with all of his pitches and really carved,” Kapler said. “It was among the better outings we’ve seen since we’ve had Cahill. That’s certainly good news.”