SF Giants outfielder Mitch Haniger suffers Grade 1 oblique strain
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The SF Giants will be without one of their most significant offseason acquisitions over the next week after outfielder Mitch Haniger suffered a Grade 1 oblique strain. Haniger was the Giants costliest free-agent signing this offseason, agreeing to a three-year, $43.5 million contract. While Giants manager Gabe Kapler was hopeful Haniger will be ready by Opening Day, there is no timetable for his return.
SF Giants outfielder Mitch Haniger doubles during his tenure with the Mariners. (2022)
Nick Turchiaro-USA TODAY Sports
Haniger will rest for the next 5-7 days before he is reevaluated and hopefully begins ramping up to his return. But Kapler acknowledged in a conversation with reporters, "Obliques are challenging."
Haniger has suffered an oblique strain before, missing roughly six weeks with the Mariners back in 2017. However, he told reporters on Saturday that the 2017 injury felt noticeably worse, "It's way less severe." Granted, Haniger is now 32.
Of course, the news is concerning given Haniger's struggles with injuries over the past few years. From 2017-2022, Haniger has only appeared in at least 100 games twice. Last season, Haniger severely sprained his ankle in late April and missed three months. He hit 11 home runs with a .246/.308/.429 triple-slash in just 57 games.
When healthy, Haniger has been a consistent, above-average outfielder. He received his lone All-Star selection in 2018 when he hit 26 home runs with a .285/.366/.493 line and finished 11th in American League MVP voting. He sat out the 2020 season after having multiple surgeries but came back in 2021 to blast a career-high 39 homers.
Haniger has primarily played right field throughout his big-league career, but advanced metrics have been critical of his defensive performance there. However, the SF Giants hope to allow Mitch Haniger to become an everyday left fielder by using superior defenders like Mike Yastrzemski, Austin Slater, and Michael Conforto to handle the lion's share of right field duties.
