Cain starts rehab process after elbow surgery

SAN FRANCISCO -- Giants right-hander Matt Cain will require three months of rehabilitation following surgery on his throwing elbow, manager Bruce Bochy said Tuesday.

Cain had bone chips and bone spurs removed from his elbow on Monday by Dr. Ken Akizuki, the Giants' team orthopedist. A three-time All-Star, Cain is expected to be fully recovered by the start of Spring Training next February.

"I think he's excited for the fact that he got his elbow cleaned out," Bochy said of Cain, 29.

Bochy related that Cain saved some of the bone fragments in a jar, as players often do. Cain pitched successfully with the chips in his elbow for years.

"It's amazing this guy was pitching, when you look at the jar," Bochy said.

In other injury-related news, Bochy said that catcher Hector Sanchez, whose recovery from post-concussion syndrome was slowed recently when he was struck by another dangerous foul tip, was expected to serve as Triple-A Fresno's designated hitter Tuesday night and go back behind the plate Wednesday. Both games are against Oklahoma City.