SF Giants outfielder Bryce Johnson suffers a concussion
The SF Giants ended their first homestand of the season with a 10-5 loss to the Dodgers on Wednesday night. The Giants jumped out to a 3-0 early, and in the top of the fourth inning, center fielder Bryce Johnson made an incredible catch against the wall to save multiple runs. However, he remained on the ground for several minutes after the play and was removed from the game with a concussion.
"Bryce was tested for and has been diagnosed with a concussion," Giants manager Gabe Kapler said during his postgame media availability. "He is likely to hit the IL for us. I just want to confirm that with our medical staff before I say that definitively."
Johnson was a surprising omission from the Giants Opening Day roster, but he was quickly called up from Triple-A early this season and has seen ample playing time against left-handed starting pitchers. In 10 games this season, Johnson is hitting .150/.150/.300 with 10 strikeouts in 20 plate appearances.
"Huge play in the game, obviously," Kapler described Johnson's catch postgame. "At the time, it would qualify as game saving. It was the biggest moment in the game to that point and probably the highest-leverage moment on paper, and he made a tremendous play and us in."
With SF Giants outfielders Austin Slater and Mitch Haniger already on the injured list, they were already short on outfielders before Johnson went down. Corner bat Matt Beaty and utility man Brett Wisely (Giants #22 prospect) who was a career infielder before playing center field this spring, are the remaining outfielders on the 40-man roster at Triple-A. Granted, Luis Matos (Giants #4 prospect) is a right-handed hitting center fielder who is off to a scorching hot start at Double-A. However, the Giants have moved Matos slowly through the minors.
