MLB Player News

Manager Gabe Kapler said Friday that Luciano (hamstring) has begun playing in instructional league games, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

Luciano landed on the minor-league injured list Aug. 13 because of a hamstring strain, but he should be able to return to Triple-A Sacramento within the next week and could potentially get another shot with the Giants before the end of the regular season. The 21-year-old infield prospect went 3-for-11 during a brief cup of coffee with San Francisco in late July.

Conforto (hamstring) ran the bases without issue Friday, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

Conforto has also been taking daily rounds of on-field batting practice as he nears a return from the Grade 2 left hamstring strain that sent him to the injured list Aug. 25. He could be allowed to skip a minor-league rehab assignment if all of the side work continues to go smoothly.

Yastrzemski is absent from the lineup Friday against the Rockies.

Luis Matos, Austin Slater and Mitch Haniger are starting across the outfield as the Giants face lefty Ty Blach. Yastrzemski has registered a .565 OPS in 76 plate appearances this year against lefties. He carries an .838 OPS in 231 plate appearances versus righties.

Pederson is out of the lineup Friday versus Colorado.

J.D. Davis will serve as the Giants' designated hitter and Luis Matos will play left field with left-hander Ty Blach toeing the slab for the Rockies. Pederson has a .503 OPS in 47 plate appearances against southpaws this year.

Crawford is absent from the lineup Friday versus the Rockies.

Paul DeJong will cover shortstop and bat eighth against left-hander Ty Blach. Crawford is slashing just .200/.271/.320 in 281 total plate appearances this year and should continue to sit versus southpaws.

Wade is not in the lineup Friday against the Rockies.

Wilmer Flores will play first base and bat third with left-hander Ty Blach getting the start for Colorado. Wade has slashed just .250/.319/.344 in 75 plate appearances versus southpaws this year.

Cobb (hip) said he expects to return to the rotation Monday against the Guardians, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

Cobb has been pitching through a left hip impingement during the second half, but he received a cortisone injection earlier this week that has helped him avoid a stay on the injured list. The veteran right-hander struggled in his last start against the Padres on Sept. 3, but in the game prior to that he worked a complete game and nearly notched a no-hitter against the Reds.

Colorado selected Vodnik's contract from Triple-A Albuquerque on Friday.

The 23-year-old was acquired from Atlanta in late July for Pierce Johnson and will get his first taste of the majors as the Rockies look ahead to 2024 and beyond. Vodnik has a 3.35 ERA and 69:31 K:BB through 53.2 innings this season between Double-A and Triple-A.

Colorado placed Gomber on the 60-day injured list Friday with lower-back inflammation.

This doesn't sound like an overly serious diagnosis, but Gomber has been battling back issues for a while and the Rockies will go ahead and shut him down for the final three weeks of the 2023 regular season. The 29-year-old left-hander finishes with a 9-9 record, 5.50 ERA, 1.49 WHIP and 87:43 K:BB in 27 starts covering 139 innings, but with stark splits -- he had a respectable 3.68 ERA and 1.37 WHIP on the road, and a 7.05 ERA and 1.59 WHIP at Coors Field.

Thomas went 1-for-4 with one steal in Friday's 1-0 win over the Cubs.

Thomas has now stolen bags in back-to-back games. He also posted the hardest-hit ball of Friday's game with a 109.3-mph single in the ninth inning. The 23-year-old has produced a .263 batting average with six homers and six stolen bases over 210 plate appearances since being recalled from Triple-A on June 19.