Kelvim Escobar may open the season on the DL

Kelvim Escobar headshot.jpg Or at least that’s what it sounds like. Here’s manager Jerry Manuel, as quoted by Adam Rubin of the New York Daily News:

“I don’t see it right now,” Manuel said about the righthander’s Opening Day availability. “Hopefully I’m wrong.”

Of course, Craig has been on this story ever since it was first reported that Escobar was suffering from shoulder weakness. The Mets have tried to temper expectations for Escobar, even hinting that he wasn’t expected to be ready for the start of the season in the first place. Well then why did they guarantee $1.5 million to such an unknown quantity? And why wasn’t this conveyed more openly in the first place?

Provided the Mets fail to sign Kiko Calero (an injury concern in his own right own), the Mets are going to have to rely heavily on Japanese right-hander Ryota Igarashi or someone else (Fernando Nieve? Bobby Parnell? Sean Green?) to step up to the eighth-inning role. As of now, it’s a shaky bridge to Francisco Rodriguez.

Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area hints that the Giants may be done with outfielder Hunter Pence. It’s not clear just how seriously the club is contemplating such a decision, but there are six days remaining on Pence’s rehab assignment, at which point they’ll be able to recall him, reassign him to the minors or release him.

The 35-year-old outfielder has struggled to make a full recovery after spraining his right thumb during the first week of the season. Pence bounced back for a 17-game run with the Giants in April, during which he slashed a meager .172/.197/.190 with one double and one stolen base in 61 plate appearances, but was eventually placed on the disabled list with recurring soreness in his finger. He currently sports a promising .318/.359/.388 batting line with four extra-base hits (including a grand slam) over 92 PA in Triple-A Sacramento.

Despite his recent resurgence in Triple-A, the Giants may not need the additional outfield depth just yet. Mac Williamson, who was recalled in the wake of Pence’s DL assignment, has already cemented the starting role in left field and is off to a strong start at the plate as well. Of course, if the Giants decide to say a premature goodbye to their veteran outfielder (who, it should be said, helped them to two World Series championships over the last seven seasons), it’ll cost them the remaining balance on his $18.5 million salary for 2018.