Injured San Francisco Giants Players to Begin Rehab Assignments

While the San Francisco Giants get healthier, the question of how everyone fits in the lineup becomes more prominent.

May 11, 2026; Los Angeles, California, USA; San Francisco Giants left fielder Heliot Ramos (17) doubles in two runs in the sixth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

The San Francisco Giants haven't been able to find a foothold at all this season. They've dealt with the injury bug, haven't won more than three games in a row and as the summer continues, they're listening to offers on their star players.

The best that both the team and fans can hope for is that for the rest of the season, the Giants play their best ball so that 2026 isn't a total disaster. The offense has been performing better since late May and the good news is they're about to get a little healthier.

According to Shayna Rubin of the San Francisco Chronicle (subscription required) both Heliot Ramos and Tyler Mahle are set to begin their rehab assignments this week with Triple-A Sacramento as they work their way back from injury. Both Ramos and Mahle have been out since May.

Ramos and Mahle's Return Could Provide a Spark

San Francisco Giants pitcher Tyler Mahle. | Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images

Ramos has been out since May 16 with a quad strain and will begin his rehab assignment on Wednesday.

The 2024 All-Star got off to a nice start this season, slashing .267/.307/.424 with a 108 OPS+ and four home runs. He looked to be on pace to having a similar season as 2025, where he posted 1.2 bWAR and a 108 OPS+.

The 26-year-old struggles defensively, but proved himself to be one of the team's best bats since 2024. Under the hood, he was having a season more similar to his breakout in 2024. He was in the 88th percentile in exit velocity and 86th percentile in hard hit rate before going down, according to Baseball Savant.

His barrel rate, however, went from 47th percentile in 2025 to 86th this season, which is more in line with what he did in 2024.

Ramos has just been a very steady hitter since 2024 and having him back in the lineup will make the Giants better. However, there is a bit of a hiccup. Since Ramos has gone down, Casey Schmitt has filled in left-field duties with the infield full amid Bryce Eldridge's emergence.

The question of where Ramos and Schmitt both fill in is interesting. The Giants seem comfortable moving Schmitt anywhere on the diamond, so would they move him to right and Jung Hoo Lee to center, leaving Drew Gilbert on the bench? That's one possibility, but manager Tony Vitello likely won't comment on it until Ramos is closer to returning.

On the other side of the ball, Tyler Mahle is set to return from a hamstring injury that sent him to the IL on May 29. Accoridng to Rubin, his first rehab start was supposed to be on Sunday, but with that game being rained out, it was pushed back.

The veteran right-hander has really struggled in his first year with the Giants. In 56.2 innings, he has posted a 6.04 ERA and a 1.535 WHIP. Mahle has been a solid, mostly close to a league average pitcher over the course of his career, but has posted a career worst 66 ERA+ so far this season and has the second worst bWAR on the pitching staff with a mark of -0.6.

There are going to be a lot of question marks with the 31-year-old upon his return. If he continues his rough season, can the Giants really afford to keep him in the rotation with young arms like Trevor McDonald and Carson Whisenhunt knocking on the door?

If he does return healthy and looking like he did in 2025, he could be a huge boost to the rotation in the immediate future. That said, he is only on a one-year deal and could also become a trade chip if he comes back looking better.

While the Giants are looking forward to getting healthy, there are also going to be question marks upon the return of both players. All eyes will be on the front office to see how they navigate the coming months as the trade deadline looms.