SF Giants recall speedy outfielder Bryce Johnson, place LHP Alex Wood on IL
The SF Giants placed left-handed pitcher Alex Wood on the 15-day injured list (retroactive to September 1st) with a left shoulder impingement and recalled outfielder Bryce Johnson from Triple-A. While the Giants will need to make do without Wood in the rotation for at least two weeks, manager Gabe Kapler will have another speedy bat to deploy off the bench.
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Johnson made his big-league debut earlier this year but went 0-4 with three strikeouts before he was optioned back to Triple-A. Johnson has been a solid hitter in the minors this season, hitting .290/.371/.401 with 29 steals (34 attempts) in 95 games with the Sacramento River Cats.
The Giants drafted Johnson in the sixth round of the 2017 draft out of Sam Houston State. A speedy center fielder known for his ability to wreak havoc on the basepaths alongside excellent defense, Johnson has lived up to that reputation as he worked his way through the organization's minor-league ranks. He's a career .275/.361/.375 hitter with 141 stolen bases.
A switch-hitter, Johnson has shown significant platoon splits this season, hitting .330/.416/.523 against southpaws. However, year-to-year platoon splits tend to be noisy. Last year, Johnson faired noticeably better against righties than lefties.
Wood has had an excellent season according to most ERA estimators, recording 131 strikeouts in 130.2 innings while issuing just 30 walks. However, Wood has struggled with runners on base and likely been the victim of some bad batted-ball luck. He currently has a 5.10 ERA. Kapler told reporters that Wood has been dealing with the impingement for some time and the team will evaluate whether he will make a return to this season in a couple of weeks.
With Anthony DeSclafani already out for the season, the SF Giants do not have a clear replacement for Alex Wood on the big-league roster. With his next turn in the rotation supposed to come on Monday against the Dodgers, it would not be surprising to see San Francisco promote someone from Triple-A to fill in while Wood works his way back to the field.
