The San Francisco Giants took another hit Monday night in Kansas City, and this one came from the mound. Trevor McDonald exited before the bottom of the fifth inning after reporting stiffness in his elbow, a concerning development in a season that has already been rough on the Giants’ pitching staff.
McDonald said after the game, "... I mean, we'll take it day by day and see, and, you know, when I feel like I'm ready again, then I'll be back out there."
He also explained, "Nothing that I want to chance right now, so just thought it was best to come out when I did,"
The right-hander left with a trainer before the fifth inning began, after signaling to the dugout that something felt wrong. The move came on a night when the heat was already working against both clubs, with temperatures in the mid-90s and high humidity in Kansas City. San Francisco went on to lose 4-3.
McDonald’s departure only added to the Giants’ problems on the mound. The rotation has been hit by inconsistency and nagging injuries, and no starter has really settled in during 026. The results show it: San Francisco enters Tuesday at 42-58, fourth in the standings and 20.5 games behind the Los Angeles Dodgers.
The bullpen hasn’t offered much help either, ranking 21st in MLB. Between the relief corps and the rotation, the Giants have struggled to find any steady pitching at all, and no one in the regular five has managed to break through and change the tone of the season.
Now the focus shifts to McDonald’s elbow. Both he and the team are treating him as day-to-day while they wait on an MRI. The issue does not appear to be serious, but the 25-year-old could still wind up on the 15-day injured list.
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