SF Giants Press Clips Saturday, April 29, 2017

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1 SF Giants Press Clips Saturday, April 29, 2017 San Francisco Chronicle Giants Madison Bumgarner doesn t need surgery John Shea Eight days after his dirt-bike accident in Colorado, left-hander Madison Bumgarner began a prolonged rehabilitation on Friday that will extend past midseason. The Giants ace was diagnosed with a Grade 2 sprain in the AC joint of his throwing shoulder and will be shelved until soon after the All-Star break, according to head athletic trainer Dave Groeschner. Groeschner confirmed Bumgarner won t need surgery, which wasn t a surprise. The trainer said Monday that surgery was unlikely, and several doctors including Giants orthopedist Dr. Ken Akizuki, who consulted with 49ers doctor Tim McAdams agreed rehabilitation is the proper route. At first, the Giants weren t certain whether the sprain was Grade 1 or Grade 2, which is more serious and involves slight ligament tears, with the collarbone partially out of alignment. A Grade 1 sprain is a mild shoulder separation with no collarbone movement. Bumgarner was hurt April 20 on the Giants off day in Denver. He said this week he expects he will pitch again this season: I would certainly be disappointed if I wasn t. He s on the disabled list for the first time in his career. His rehab is being overseen by Tony Reale, the Giants physical therapist. Briefly: Shortstop Brandon Crawford had an MRI exam shortly before the game to determine the extent of his groin injury. Crawford s three-day bereavement leave ended Friday, and the Giants must activate him or put him on the disabled list before Saturday s game. He returned after attending funeral services for his wife s sister.... With the MRI exam on Denard Span (sprained sternoclavicular joint) coming back clean, he can engage in baseball activities. John Shea is The San Francisco Chronicle s national baseball writer. Leading off

2 Adding up: Giants manager Bruce Bochy earned his 1,798th victory Friday night. Fourteen managers have 1,800-plus wins, and all but Gene Mauch and Lou Piniella are in the Hall of Fame. John Shea On deck Saturday vs. Padres 6:05 p.m. NBCSBA Chacin (2-3) vs. Cain (2-0) Sunday vs. Padres 1:05 p.m NBCSBA Richard (2-3) vs. Blach (0-1) Monday at Dodgers 7:10 p.m. NBCSBA TBA vs.tba San Francisco Chronicle Christian Arroyo homers in 8th, Giants win John Shea Hey, why didn t they bring this kid up earlier? Christian Arroyo, who s 21 going on 28, put in another night s work at the yard, and that has been good news for the Giants. He has made contributions in every game he has played, and the rookie took it to a new level Friday night. In the eighth inning of a tie game, Arroyo smacked a home run over the left-field wall to lift the Giants past the Padres 4-3 and continue to show fans he s no ordinary prospect.

3 Arroyo hit his second homer in five games to go along with the three homers he hit in 16 games with Triple-A Sacramento before his promotion. Not bad for someone who homered only three times last year at Double-A Richmond. Not that the home runs are surprising, Arroyo said, but I never envisioned myself getting called up and being in the big leagues and hitting two home runs in my first five games. Nothing seems to faze Arroyo, who got his first big-league start at shortstop and right away made a nice play behind second base. He scooped a grounder by the game s first batter, Manuel Margot, and flipped an easy throw to first. Before Arroyo was called up, the Giants talked about exercising patience and emphasized the benefit of experience at the highest minor-league level. They said they wanted him to force the issue over time. Well, he forced it in a hurry and has been a star in his first week in the majors. He moved a runner over in his first game, setting up the first run in a win. Next game, his first hit off Clayton Kershaw. The next, his first homer. Thursday, after Buster Posey was intentionally walked, Arroyo knocked in the Giants only run. Then Friday s homer off hard-throwing Ryan Buchter. It was impressive, no matter what age, for him to come through like that in the spot he did, second baseman Joe Panik said. It was a great pickup for this team. Arroyo s strategy against Buchter, who misplaced a fastball, seemed basic. I was not trying to hit a home run, Arroyo said. Just trying to get the head out, see a pitch over the plate, barrel something up, get on base, try to keep the line moving. Mark Melancon earned a save with a spotless ninth and could thank Panik for his running catch of Yangervis Solarte s popup in shallow center. When Panik threw out Cory Spangenberg to end it, he pointed at Arroyo and embraced him. This is yours, Panik said he told him. Manager Bruce Bochy, tired of minuscule offensive production, made changes Friday. Bochy rested Buster Posey and Eduardo Nuñez, his 3-4 hitters Thursday. Gave Michael Morse his first start of the year, at first base. Put Brandon Belt in left. Batted Panik first. And put the kid at short. A couple of us heard he was 21, we kind of laughed at it, pitcher Jeff Samardzija said. I was thinking maybe 23, 24. He s been really impressive. The 1-2 hitters were Panik and Belt, and they collected five hits and ignited a rare first-inning rally that gave the Giants two unearned runs, just the third time this season the Giants scored in the opening inning, the first since April 16.

4 Panik singled to right; Belt singled to left. Hunter Pence and Morse made outs, and the Padres would have escaped the inning had shortstop Erick Aybar fielded Arroyo s sharp grounder. Instead, Panik scored on the E-6, and Conor Gillaspie singled home Belt. Samardzija cruised through four hitless innings. The only base runner he permitted, he picked off: Jabari Blash, who walked in the third. The magic ran out in the fifth. Samardzija hit his first batter, Solarte, and Ryan Schimpf blasted a two-run homer to center. It was Schimpf s sixth homer of the season and his third in three games. With the game tied, Spangenberg s single to left went through Belt s legs for a two-base error. Spangenberg then scored on Austin Hedges single to put the Padres ahead 3-2. In the bottom of the inning, Morse hit a game-tying sacrifice fly to score Belt, who had doubled and advanced on a wild pitch. San Francisco Chronicle Bumgarner: Grade 2 sprain, no surgery, out until second half John Shea Eight days after his dirt-bike accident in Colorado, Madison Bumgarner began a prolonged rehabilitation on Friday that will extend past midseason. The Giants ace was diagnosed with a Grade 2 sprain in the AC joint of his shoulder and will be shelved until soon after the All-Star break, according to head athletic trainer Dave Groeschner. Groeschner confirmed Bumgarner won t need surgery, which wasn t a surprise. The trainer said Monday that surgery was unlikely, and several doctors including Giants orthopedist Dr. Ken Akizuki, who consulted with 49ers doctor Tim McAdams agreed rehabilitation is the proper route. At first, the Giants weren t certain whether the sprain was Grade 1 or Grade 2, which is more serious and involves slight ligament tears with the clavicle partially out of alignment. A Grade 1 sprain is a mild shoulder separation with no clavicle movement. Bumgarner s rehab is being overseen by Tony Reale, the Giants physical therapist. Manager Bruce Bochy said two hours before Friday s game that Reale began rehabbing Bumgarner. Bumgarner was hurt April 20 on the Giants off day in Denver. San Jose Mercury News Bye bye, baby: Christian Arroyo s home run lifts Giants to victory over Padres Andrew Baggarly SAN FRANCISCO Bye bye, baby? Better believe it.

5 Christian Arroyo cannot grow a beard. He never lived in a world without smartphones. He walked up to Giants teammate Matt Moore in the spring and gushed about how cool it was to watch him pitch with the Rays while growing up in Tampa. Moore is 27. And yet, youth continues to serve the Giants. Arroyo hit a solo home run in the eighth inning that both snapped a tie and unleashed closer Mark Melancon, and the Giants escaped last place in the NL West with a 4-3 victory over the San Diego Padres. The Giants might have hit Ctrl-Alt-Desperation when they promoted Arroyo from Triple-A Sacramento, but after five games, there is no denying the spark that their self-assured, 21-year-old hitting prospect has provided. Even Arroyo was not so self-assured to predict this, though. I just never envisioned myself getting called up, he said, and hitting two home runs in my first five games. In those five games, Arroyo has collected his first big league hit against Clayton Kershaw, started a stirring comeback with a two-run homer off Sergio Romo, recorded the first multi-hit game of his career and made the Dodgers pay for intentionally walking Buster Posey. Giants manager Bruce Bochy had no reservations about batting Arroyo second or fifth, or even moving him from third base to shortstop Friday while Brandon Crawford remained on the bereavement list and slumping Eduardo Nuñez received a day off. For him to have that much trust from the (coaching) staff, sure, it should give him confidence, Bochy said. This is a tough kid. Arroyo wears Will Clark s old No.22. Clark famously homered off Nolan Ryan in his first big league at-bat. Yet not even Clark hit two home runs in his first five games. Arroyo is the 12th Giants rookie to do it, and the first since Brett Pill in He jumped on a 1-0 fastball from right-hander Ryan Buchter and sent a screamer down the line that easily cleared the left field fence. I think of him as more of a gap guy, Bochy said of Arroyo, who hit just three home runs at Double-A Richmond last season. He ll get more power as he gets older. Right now, he s a young kid and he s getting settled here. We re not asking him to hit home runs, trust me. But it s good to see him letting it go. Second baseman Joe Panik made a diving catch of a blooper to help Melancon record his fifth save of the season, and the Giants hopped a half-game in front of the Padres for both the worst record in the division and the National League. The night began with some charity that the Giants were all too happy to accept. They scored a pair of runs in the first inning after Padres shortstop Erick Aybar fumbled Arroyo s two-out grounder for an

6 error. Panik, who had singled as the leadoff hitter, scored on the miscue. Conor Gillaspie followed with an RBI single that scored Brandon Belt as the Giants took a 2-0 lead. It was just the third time in their 24 games that the Giants scored in the first inning. Jeff Samardzija lost a no-hit bid and the lead on one swing in the fifth inning. He hit Yangervis Solarte with a pitch and gave up a home run to Ryan Schimpf, who had entered with a.125 average. It was the fourth time in five starts he has allowed a home run. The Padres took a 3-2 lead when Cory Spangenberg followed Schimpf s homer with a line single and ended up on third base when the ball scooted past Belt in left field for an error. Austin Hedges followed with an RBI single when his blooper fell in front of center fielder Drew Stubbs, who was playing inexplicably deep. The Giants tied it in the bottom of the fifth. Belt hit a leadoff double to the outer reaches of right-center, advanced on a wild pitch and scored on Michael Morse s sacrifice fly. Samardzija couldn t hold the early lead but he did not squander the tie. After Spangenberg doubled on a fat pitch to put two runners in scoring position in the seventh, Samardzija struck out Hedges and broke Jabari Blash s bat on a ground out. The bullpen did not stir the entire inning and that was deliberate. That s his game at that point, Bochy said. Now if he gives up another hit, we ll slow things down there and get somebody up. But I wanted to send a message, just in case he was looking. That was his game and those were his hitters. Derek Law pitched a scoreless eighth, and Arroyo made a winner of him. I wasn t trying to hit a home run, said Arroyo, who got tips about Buchter from teammates. I was just trying to get the head out. I got a good pitch, backspun it, elevated it, got it to go out. As he stood in the on-deck circle, he said he heard fans imploring him to go deep. It s a tie ballgame, you re in the on-deck circle and people are saying, `Hit a home run. Give us a lead, he said. They say it all the time. It s like, `Oh man, I wish it was that easy. This might be tougher: coming up with a nickname. Panik said that teammates are calling the kid C.A. or Yo-Yo in the clubhouse. We re working on it, said Panik, making a face. San Jose Mercury News Giants notes: Bruce Bochy gets creative with lineup; Brandon Crawford gets MRI Andrew Baggarly

7 SAN FRANCISCO With Buster Posey and Eduardo Nuñez getting a routine day of rest, plus Brandon Crawford still unavailable and Denard Span on the disabled list, Giants manager Bruce Bochy was forced to get creative with his lineup Friday night. He ll turn to Joe Panik to lead off as the Giants begin a three-game series with the San Diego Padres at AT&T Park. Michael Morse gets a start at first base his first as a Giant since 2014 and Brandon Belt moves to left field. Third baseman Conor Gillaspie also gets a crack at Padres right-hander Luis Perdomo, with rookie Christian Arroyo starting at shortstop. In five days, Bochy has shown no hesitation to bat Arroyo second against Clayton Kershaw, bat him fifth behind Buster Posey, and now shuttle him between third base and shortstop. He could help out at second base, too. For him to have that much trust from the (coaching) staff, sure, it should give him confidence, Bochy said. This is a tough kid. Bochy said Panik and even Belt could lead off more often against right-handers, especially while Span is on the DL with his sprained right shoulder. Span s MRI exam came back with no irregularities, and the hope is that he can resume baseball activities soon. He hurt himself while crashing into the wall last Saturday at Coors Field. Crawford s status remains uncertain. He returned from Southern California, where he attended funeral services for his sister-in-law, and he could be activated from the three-day bereavement list on Saturday. But Crawford also strained his right groin in the eighth inning of Tuesday night s loss and had no time to go for an MRI exam before leaving town. He is getting the MRI Friday afternoon, Bochy said. If the Giants must put Crawford on the DL, they are allowed to backdate him to the start of Wednesday s stint on the bereavement list. Even if Crawford manages to avoid the DL, Bochy indicated that the Gold Glove shortstop would not play on Saturday. He s coming off a tough couple days, Bochy said. He probably needs a day or two to catch his breath through all this. San Jose Mercury News Giants confirm Madison Bumgarner s Grade 2 shoulder sprain, plot out his rehab timeline Andrew Baggarly SAN FRANCISCO When it comes to a tricky course of treatment with a star player, there is great comfort in consensus. The Giants have reached a consensus when it comes to Madison Bumgarner s sprained left shoulder, and mapped out a rehab schedule that should have the left-handed ace ready to return to the major league rotation shortly after the All-Star break.

8 Bumgarner was definitively diagnosed with a Grade 2 sprain of the AC joint in his left shoulder, which means that he partially tore ligaments. A Grade 2 sprain is another way of describing a separated shoulder. Significant separations often require surgery to prevent recurrence due to shoulder instability. But after seeking out a range of opinions from the foremost orthopedic experts in the country, the Giants received diagnoses in harmony: Bumgarner s shoulder will heal on its own. It s nice when everybody agrees, Giants head athletic trainer Dave Groeschner said. We ve put a plan in place to rehab him and get him back. Giants orthopedist Dr. Ken Akizuki consulted with 49ers orthopedist Dr. Timothy McAdams, who sees this type of injury more often with quarterbacks after they sustain high-impact trauma when hit or slammed to the turf. The Giants and Bumgarner also sought opinions from Dr. Neal El Attrache from the Kerlan-Jobe Clinic in Los Angeles and Dr. James Andrews in Pensacola, Fla. Bumgarner began rehab activities on Friday, though he is unable to do much at this time. Once he regains more range of motion, he can begin strengthening exercises. About three weeks out, we ll see how he s feeling, Groeschner said. We ll see how much we can push or not push. Bum is a pretty conscientious person. We feel pretty good that when we ask him to do something, he ll do it the right way and give us honest feedback, and we ll adjust the program as needed. Although some peaks and valleys are expected, the hope is that Bumgarner can begin throwing near the end of June. Then he would graduate to throwing off a mound, build up his pitch count, throw live batting practice and make a series of minor league rehab starts. It s impossible to say how Bumgarner s unique, three-quarters delivery would impact his recovery, or whether the injury will have any long-term consequences on his stuff or durability. For now, Groeschner was pleased to have a consensus, and the confidence that Bumgarner has a plan plotted out to get back on the mound this season. We need him, that s for sure, Groeschner said. We re better when he s out there. MLB.com Hamstring fine, Cain set to face Padres AJ Cassavell Jhoulys Chacin and Matt Cain spent the past four days getting over a pair of nagging injuries. Chacin fouled a ball off his foot Monday in Arizona, but X-rays came back negative. Cain, meanwhile, exited his most recent start against the Dodgers with hamstring tightness. Neither pitcher will miss any time, however, with the duo set to square off Saturday night in the second game of a three-game set between the Padres and Giants at AT&T Park.

9 The Giants never had much concern about Cain's hamstring. He left his start Monday after just 70 pitches, but manager Bruce Bochy was confident immediately afterward that he'd be ready for his next outing. Cain allowed only two hits over six scoreless innings in that start and has allowed two runs in his past three games (18 innings). Things to know about this game Chacin is looking to find his form away from Petco Park. In three road starts this season, the veteran right-hander has allowed 19 earned runs for an ERA. Compare that with his 14 1/3 scoreless innings in San Diego this season. It could help Chacin that he's pitching at AT&T Park, where he owns a 1.41 ERA in five career starts. Even with their two first-inning runs Friday, the Giants have scored only six times this season in the opening frame. That's tied for the fewest in the Majors. The Padres, meanwhile, own a 2.52 ERA in the first, the second lowest in the National League. Padres right-hander Jarred Cosart is still recovering from the right hamstring strain that landed him on the disabled list last week. He will throw his second bullpen session Saturday before the Padres determine a course of action for his potential return. MLB.com Arroyo's long ball lifts Giants over Padres AJ Cassavell and Chris Haft SAN FRANCISCO -- Christian Arroyo continued to inject life into the Giants, shattering an eighth-inning tie Friday night with a leadoff home run as San Francisco topped the San Diego Padres, 4-3. Arroyo hit his second homer since the Giants summoned him from Triple-A Sacramento, pulling an 0-1 fastball from San Diego reliever Ryan Buchter over the left-field barrier. Mark Melancon pitched the ninth to convert his fifth consecutive save opportunity. Arroyo left a definite impression in his first handful of Major League games this week. He stroked his first Major League hit Tuesday off Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw, hit a two-run homer Wednesday that ignited a victorious Giants comeback from a 3-0 deficit, and now this. "Obviously at that point in the game it was huge, but for me, I was not trying to hit a home run," Arroyo said. "I was just trying to get the [bat] head out, see a pitch over the plate, try to get on base. But I got a good pitch, backspun it, elevated it a little bit, [and I] was fortunate enough [for it] to go out." Neither starter was involved in the decision but both were effective. San Francisco's Jeff Samardzija allowed three runs (two earned) in seven innings and saved his best for last, escaping a second-andthird, one-out jam in the seventh. Giants manager Bruce Bochy said he kept the bullpen quiet and left Samardzija in the game to demonstrate confidence in the right-hander. "He's real smart at picking his spots at when to show confidence in guys," Samardzija said. "I made some good pitches and got out of it."

10 San Diego's Luis Perdomo surrendered three runs (one earned) and six hits in six innings. He exited after throwing just 69 pitches. After the game, manager Andy Green noted Perdomo's struggles against the top of the Giants' order as the reason he wouldn't let him begin a fourth trek through the lineup. "I didn't think I was going back out at that point," said Perdomo, who was making his second start since coming off the disabled list with shoulder inflammation. "I know that we have a really strong bullpen and a seventh-inning guy. So I was going to rely on them." MOMENTS THAT MATTERED Seizing opportunity: Scoring runs has been a problem for the Giants, particularly early in games. Entering Friday, they had scored four first-inning runs all season. So it was significant when they scored in the first on shortstop Erick Aybar's two-out error, which resulted in a second unearned run coming across on Conor Gillaspie's single. The two-hopper that Aybar muffed ultimately reinforced the notion that good things happen when the ball's put in play. The last time the Giants scored in the first inning occurred April 16 against Colorado, when they tallied three runs. "That's a play he expects himself to make, I can guarantee you that," said Green. "And that's a play he makes 99 percent of the time. The reality is, over the course of a season, everybody misses a ground ball, and that one stung us." Soaring Schimpf: Samardzija cruised through four before plunking Yangervis Solarte to start the fifth. Ryan Schimpf made the Giants right-hander pay, as he launched his third homer in as many nights. The blast, which represented the Padres' first hit of the game, tied the score at 2 and marked Schimpf's ninth hit of the season -- six of which have left the yard. "We've always known he drives the ball out of the ballpark," Green said of Schimpf, who has emphatically broken out of his 1-for-28 slump. "... It's good to see him start to get that back." QUOTABLE "[Arroyo's] got pop. He's not a guy who's trying to hit home runs. He's just trying to put a good swing on it. He drives the ball, as you saw tonight and since he's been up here. He's going to get more power as he gets a little older. Here's a young kid just getting settled in. We're not asking him to hit home runs, trust me. But it's good to see the way he's letting it go." -- Bochy, who also observed during Spring Training that the 36 doubles Arroyo hit last season at Double-A Richmond provided a sign of budding power SOUND SMART WITH YOUR FRIENDS Arroyo became the first Giants rookie to hit a go-ahead home run in the eighth inning or later since Mac Williamson did so on June 8 against Boston left-hander David Price. UPON FURTHER REVIEW The Giants challenged a second-inning call, believing Hunter Pence had been grazed by a Perdomo pitch -- contrary to an umpire's ruling. A review overturned the call and awarded Pence his base.

11 Hunter Pence gets credited for an HBP on a pitch originally ruled a ball when the call is overturned after the Giants challenge in the 2nd WHAT'S NEXT Padres: Jhoulys Chacin fouled a ball off his foot Monday, but X-rays came back negative, and the veteran right-hander will make his scheduled start Saturday in San Francisco. First pitch is slated for 6:05 p.m. PT. Chacin has been dreadful on the road this season (11.93 ERA), but very sharp at AT&T Park throughout his career (1.41 ERA). Giants: Matt Cain (2-0) will attempt to remain undefeated Saturday as San Francisco and San Diego collide in a 6:05 p.m. PT encounter. Cain has improved lately, relying heavily on a two-seam fastball to record a 1.00 ERA in his last three starts. MLB.com Melancon getting job done for Giants Chris Haft SAN FRANCISCO -- Many Giants fans simply couldn't bear to watch what unfolded on Opening Day at Arizona, when closer Mark Melancon yielded two ninth-inning runs, squandered a one-run lead, blew a save opportunity and awakened unpleasant memories of last year's bullpen shortcomings. San Francisco's 4-3 victory Friday over the San Diego Padres reminded those anxious folks that it's safe to watch the late innings again. Full Game Coverage Since that April 2 collapse, Melancon has been virtually untouchable, making seven scoreless one-inning appearances in a row. That stretch featured five save chances, including Friday's. "I think we're seeing what Marky brings to this team as a closer, and just the confidence that he gives the coaches to get the ball to him," said right-hander Jeff Samardzija, who worked seven effective innings against the Padres. "It's great as a team to know you have that guy back there. You need to fight all game and give him one run and let him do his thing." Occasionally even the best closers need help themselves. Melancon benefited from such help when second baseman Joe Panik, the National League's reigning Gold Glove Award winner at his position, ranged into right field to snare Yangervis Solarte's bid for a leadoff hit. Panik explained he was stationed on the outfield grass, which gave him a head start. "Everything kind of worked out," Panik said. "Once he hit it, I knew it was going to be in that no-man's land, so I put my head down and went after it. Give everything you've got. Fortunately the ball stayed in the glove." And Melancon stayed in command. Ryan Schimpf, who homered in his third consecutive game during the fifth inning, flied out to right field. Cory Spangenberg, who had two hits, grounded out to Panik. That's what the Giants expected when they signed Melancon during the offseason to a four-year, $62 million contract.

12 It should be noted that Melancon appeared in his third consecutive game, yet showed no sign of faltering. "He's one of the elite closers in the game," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. "You saw great stuff tonight, for his third game in row. He has kind of helped the bullpen settle in, too." MLB.com Bumgarner likely out through All-Star break Chris Haft SAN FRANCISCO -- The Giants confirmed Friday what had been widely expected about Madison Bumgarner: Their pitching ace has a Grade 2 sprain of the AC joint in his throwing shoulder, besides bruised ribs, that will prevent him from rejoining San Francisco's starting rotation at least until the July All-Star break. The Grade 2 designation means Bumgarner has a partial tear in his shoulder. Giants manager Bruce Bochy said the four-time All-Star, who hurt himself in a dirt-bike accident during a scheduled off-day outside of Denver on April 20, began his rehabilitation procedure Friday with team physical therapist Tony Reale. Head athletic trainer Dave Groeschner said Bumgarner, 27, will require about two months of rehab before he resumes throwing a baseball. Bumgarner likely will need three to four weeks of throwing -- in bullpen sessions, simulated games and Minor League injury rehab assignments -- before he's ready to appear in a Major League game. Should Bumgarner adhere to that timetable, he'd likely regain adequate form around the time of the All- Star break. Reflecting Bumgarner's stature, the Giants' medical staff canvassed several renowned sports physicians for second opinions, including James Andrews, the reigning guru of Tommy John elbow surgery. All agreed Bumgarner would not need surgery, Groeschner confirmed. Bumgarner was 0-3 with a 3.00 ERA and 28 strikeouts in 27 innings and a complete game in four starts before being sidelined. NBC Sports Bay Area 'The Kid' Arroyo Continues Wildly Impressive First Week With Giants Alex Pavlovic SAN FRANCISCO In a quiet moment in the dugout Friday, manager Bruce Bochy tried to figure out a nickname for his new budding star. During a week where Christian Arroyo has made the game look so easy, this has turned out to be the most difficult part. Bochy briefly settled on Yo before that was scuttled because the team s video coordinator is Yo Miyamoto. Joe Panik said some players have tried C.A. or YoYo, but admitted that neither is all that good. The team s Twitter account spent a few days trying to make Boss Baby a thing, but Arroyo wasn t

13 thrilled with that one and the experiment appears to be over. In a back room of the clubhouse, there s a printout showing Arroyo and Buzz from Home Alone, but that comparison is much better made with Atlanta s Freddie Freeman. Perhaps the answer is as simple as the path Arroyo s bat takes to a fastball. As he watched Arroyo field grounders during batting practice, Dick Tidrow was asked about the 21-year-old. Tidrow, the team s senior VP of player personnel, has seen and worked with Arroyo since he was drafted. We always just called him The Kid, Tidrow said. He would turn around when I called him Kid. The Kid is growing up quickly. Arroyo s second homer of the week was the game-winner Friday, an eighth-inning blast that put a lead in Mark Melancon s hands. The new closer made sure the new third baseman s homer didn t go to waste, clinching a 4-3 win that got the Giants out of the National League West s cellar. The homer might have surprised Arroyo as much as anyone. He came here with a reputation as a mature and talented hitter, but power is not his calling card. I m not trying to hit a homer there, he said. Get the head out, see a pitch over the plate, barrel something, just keep the line moving. I got a good pitch, elevated it, and fortunately it went out. Arroyo already speaks like a hitting coach, but he is not afraid to admit that there are things he doesn t know. It s easy to get film on opposing starters, but there s little a rookie can do to prepare for lateinning pitching changes. Arroyo consulted Buster Posey and Conor Gillaspie before facing Ryan Buchter, who has been in the division for two years. Gillaspie told him Buchter s fastball has some late life and gets on a hitter. I wanted to see it and the first pitch was a little low so I got a good read on them, Arroyo said. The second one was right at the belt and Arroyo pulled it down the line for his second big league homer. He had just three last year in Double-A, but the Giants felt the 36 doubles showed that power was on the way. He s got pop, Bochy said. He s not a guy trying to hit homers. He tries to put a good swing on it. But he drives balls and you saw it tonight. We see him more as a gap guy, but he ll get more power as he gets older. We re not asking him to hit homers, trust me, but it s good to see him letting it go. The homer secured a win on a night when a lot went right. Jeff Samardzija was sharp, paying for one pitch to Ryan Schimpf that left the park but otherwise pitching seven strong. Panik and Brandon Belt ignited the offense early and Michael Morse came through with a game-tying sacrifice fly in the fifth. Derek Law and Mark Melancon closed it out, with Melancon getting help from Panik, who made a spectacular tumbling catch on a flare to shallow right-center. It was a big first out given that Melancon was pitching for the third straight day. It was going to be in no man s land, Panik said. You give it everything you ve got. Fortunately the ball stayed in the glove.

14 When it was over, the youngest Giant was in for another round of interviews to cap a hectic week. On Monday he made his debut and on Tuesday he picked up his first hit. Wednesday brought the first homer and Thursday was the first multi-hit game. What will the weekend include? Maybe a real nickname? For now, the Giants are fine with leaning on The Kid, because many of them didn t even know how young the star of the week was until he was a couple of days into his big league career. I was thinking he was 23 or 24, Samardzija said. This has been really impressive. NBC Sports Bay Area Bumgarner Diagnosed With Grade 2 Shoulder Sprain, Not Expected Back Before Break Alex Pavlovic SAN FRANCISCO -- One of the most important men in the Giants organization over the next two months won't be seen on the field. Madison Bumgarner has been turned over to Tony Reale, the team's physical therapist, for the start of his rehab from a dirt bike accident. The process kicked off Friday, and a week after they first announced the injury, the Giants provided additional details. Trainer Dave Groeschner said Bumgarner has been diagnosed with a Grade 2 left shoulder sprain, which means there are partial tears in his shoulder. The diagnosis was not a surprise, and neither is the timetable. Bumgarner is expected to need two months before he can get back on the mound and then another three to four weeks of throwing and rehab starts before he's big league-ready. If all goes according to plan, he will return to the rotation right after the All-Star break, although the early rehab process will determine if the timetable can be moved up a bit or if it has to be pushed back. The medical process is led by Dr. Ken Akizuki, the team's orthopedist, but outside specialists were consulted. Dr. Tim McAdams, the team doctor for the 49ers, saw Bumgarner and his test results were sent to Dr. James Andrews, the most famous name in the field, and Dr. Neal ElAttrache, who performed Will Smith's Tommy John surgery. All of the doctors agreed that Bumgarner does not need surgery. "That's nice to hear," Groeschner said. "It's nice when everyone is in agreement. Now we'll put a plan in place and work on the rehab and get him back. Bum is a very conscientious person. We feel good about the fact that if we re going to ask him to do something (to rehab), he s going to do it. The Giants are confident Bumgarner will attack the rehab process. He has been diligent in the opening days about icing and getting treatment. They also are confident that the injury will not hamper his unique delivery, although more will be known as he gets closer to throwing. In the meantime, Ty Blach will take his second turn in Bumgarner's spot on Sunday. NBC Sports Bay Area Down On The Farm: Q&A With San Jose Giants 1b/3b Jonah Arenado Dalton Johnson The Giants know Rockies star third baseman Nolan Arenado all too well. In 76 games, Arenado has a.308 batting average against the Giants with 20 home runs, his most off any team in all of the majors.

15 Playing in Advanced Single-A, the Giants have their own Arenado. Brother Jonah Arenado plays first and third base for the San Jose Giants and hit 19 home runs in Before the younger brother went 2-for-4 against the Rancho Cucamonga Quakes on Thursday night, NBC Sports Bay Area spoke over the phone with Arenado. Below is the full transcript where we talk his hitting approach, frustrations with the Lakers, trash talk with Nolan in ping pong and much more. Dalton Johnson: You guys are now three weeks in, but I want to actually go back to Opening Day real quick. I know you guys ultimately lost, but it was a 16-inning game. Was that the longest game you ve ever played in? Jonah Arenado: No, the longest game I ever played in was 17 innings. DJ: Really?! Wow! When was that? JA: I played 17 innings in Lakewood. I was playing for Augusta at the time. We were playing in New Jersey. So we went 17 innings, but we didn t even get to finish the game. The fog got so extreme that we had to just cancel the game. DJ: The fog? That s just crazy. So you were out in Augusta for the GreenJackets? JA: Yeah. DJ: I was actually out in Savannah for college ball. I m not sure if you guys ever played against the Sand Gnats. JA: Yeah we were there the last year they had that stadium. DJ: Grayson Stadium. That was a really fun park. But a 16 or 17-inning game, I m going to guess that the dugout has to get a little weird at some point, right? JA: Yeah you're just getting like... it gets kind of monotonous you know. It s kind of like okay, when are we gonna score or when are they gonna score. And obviously you don t want to lose the game, but you just want something to happen. DJ: What are you guys bringing out the rally caps or doing anything different? JA: No, no rally caps, but there s times where a couple innings go by and someone will come into the dugout and try get jacked up or excite everyone. When it doesn t work, it s like alright here we go again. DJ: Off the field, I think you re a Southern California guy and this is your second year out in Northern California in San Jose. Obviously you guys are always busy, but do you ever get to go out and check the Bay Area scenery at all? JA: I ve been to Santa Cruz and the beach over there. I ve been to San Francisco. I went to San Francisco on an off day last year to watch the Giants-Rockies game. But besides that, no I rarely ever get to go out

16 to San Francisco or anything like that. DJ: Off day, or you a golf guy or more of a relax guy? What are you trying to do on an off day? JA: I m just trying to relax. Maybe hang out by the pool, just relax and hang out. Go to the beach. And if you do get to relax, I m not trying to do anything that s like a workout. DJ: Are there any places in San Jose where if someone s coming from out town, you say, Hey, this is where you need to go. San Jose, where would you go for one day? JA: Oh, San Jose... DJ: Just go to a game? Tell them to go to a San Jose Giants game? JA: Yeah, yeah go to a San Jose Giants game and if not, Santa Cruz is 30 minutes down the road. I d go to Santa Cruz. Santa Cruz is nice. DJ: And then on the field, you re someone who hits for power. You hit 19 bombs last year. With the way different people are starting to look at the swing now, are you someone that s actually trying to swing for the fences a little bit? Are you trying to hit a home run? What s your approach? JA: No, I feel like the more I try to hit a home run, the more I don t. When I go in thinking line drive to the middle or stay through the middle, I feel a lot better. I know last year I didn t start off well, and I m not starting off well this year either, but I know if I think like I have to drive this ball or I have to hit a home run then that never happens. Try to stay simple, try to stay short is usually when things start working out. DJ: Well there s all these different advanced analytics and you can track everything now. Are you someone that actually looks into something like launch angle or exit velocity? Or is it more see ball, hit ball? JA: I don t like thinking about those 40-degree angles. Hitting is hard enough. To think about all that stuff is too much. But I know that a lot of people, that s the new thing. Launch angle and try to lift the ball, and that s all great. It s whatever works for that person. I know Donaldson preaches it and he loves talking about it, but that s him. That s what works for him. I know for me, trying to lift the ball doesn t work. When I try to lift the ball, I usually pop up. So when I m trying to hit a hard line drive, that s when I usually can drive that ball. DJ: Yeah it seems like when you re practicing, you re on the tee or getting front toss or whatever, that s when you can kind of work on those things. But I couldn t really imagine taking that over to the game. Once it s game time, it s get a pitch, be aggressive, hit it hard. Are you just trying to make things, like you said, as simple as possible once it s go time? JA: Yeah, when I m in the game I m just trying to be as ready as I can for that fastball. Just see it and hit it. There s nothing more to it, honestly. Obviously, when you re struggling you start trying to fix things. When I m going well, it s never thinking about what this guy is gonna throw or make sure your foot is doing this. No, I never think about that. I think about see the ball and hit it as hard as I can.

17 DJ: In the minor leagues, are these tracking systems as prominent or is that more available the higher you go? JA: I think it s more available for the big leaguers. It s hard to watch our swings on video because sometimes our games aren t taped. We watch our home games because they are streamed, but besides that it s hard to get all that stuff done. DJ: Can that almost be an advantage at the same time though? When you re younger I think if you look too far into then you might press or try to do too much. If you re just figuring things out on your own, that might even be a little better. Am I right or wrong there? JA: I think you re both wrong and right. There s times when you think too much and sometimes you think it s your swing and it s really not your swing, it s your approach. I think that s when it can hurt you. When you re looking at it on video, but that was never really the problem, so then you re changing a swing that was actually working, but your approach was what s messed up so now you re changing your swing and your approach. So that can hurt you. But it can also help you because if there is something mechanically wrong, you can fix it. If you can t watch it, then how are you gonna know? When you re in the box, you feel completely different. You never feel like that s your swing. When you re in the box, everything is different. When you see it on film, you see I m dropping my hands, but in the box I m telling myself to stay on top of the ball so you don t think you re dropping your hands, but you re still dropping your hands, you know what I mean? DJ: It s almost like a best of two evils. JA: Yeah, yeah. DJ: Back on the field, clearly you re obviously from a very athletic family. For you, was it just baseball all the time? JA: My older brother played soccer, my oldest brother played basketball too and Nolan just played baseball. He played soccer for a little, but then went with just baseball. For me, I played basketball also. Basketball is my favorite sport. DJ: Oh, really? JA: Yeah, it was. Basketball is just so much fun. You go out and shoot down the street by your house and technically that s practicing, you know what I mean? DJ: Oh yeah. Baseball obviously you can go hit off the tee, but basketball, I mean I shot for 20 minutes at the gym today and you feel great. JA: Yeah, you can work on so many different things. If you re hitting like crap that day, then it s really hard to fix it that day. Basketball, if you re shooting and keep shooting, eventually it s going to go in. DJ: So, who s your team? JA: Oh, the Lakers. Unfortunately, yeah.

18 DJ: Are you feeling good about the rebuild or how are you feeling about all that? JA: I don t know, man. Magic Johnson s in there, so I hope he s the answer. But they need to get a superstar. The Lakers are my team, they have always been my team, but the players on the team are bothering me lately. DJ: I m sure you and your brother Nolan and all of your brothers competed against each other all the time growing up. Whether it be shooting hoops or playing video games or anything else, what was the one thing, especially with Nolan, where you knew you could beat him no matter what? JA: Oh man, that s tough. It s really hard to beat him. Him losing to me is like death, but he ll do anything he can to not lose to me because he knows if I win I ll talk. I ll just keep talking about it. It s hard to say. There s days in ping pong, I m not gonna say I m a better ping pong player, but we re both pretty competitive. If I beat him in ping pong, I mean, it s over. He s distraught and then he ll just want to rematch me until he can beat me. DJ: If you beat him, you said you re a talker. What s your go-to angle when it comes to trash talk? JA: I just never let him forget it. If I beat him in ping pong that series or that day, you better believe all day I m gonna wear it out. DJ: Were you guys video game guys at all or more outside? JA: We played video games here and there. Mostly it was outdoors. Wiffle ball was always big with me and my family. We still play to this day. We still play wiffle ball all the time. DJ: Wiffle ball, you re in the backyard 1-on-1. Who wins between you and Nolan and if you have one pitch, what are you throwing him? JA: Throwing him? I m throwing fastball at his face. DJ: Fastball at his face?!? JA: I m just kidding, just kidding. DJ: That might be the only way the Giants can slow him down. JA: I ll throw some chin music and then try to throw a little changeup away. DJ: I got you there, I got you. One last question. Video game wise, if EA Sports could bring back college baseball or college football, what are you picking? JA: Baseball. DJ: That was the go-to right there. JA: I forgot, but there was a college baseball game. I forgot which one it was that we played all the time, but it was one of the best games we ever played.

19 DJ: I remember they had Texas on the cover or something like that JA: Exactly! That s exactly the one. DJ: They have to bring it back. JA: That game is the best. Santa Rosa Press Democrat Giants beat Padres 4-3; Bumgarner out until late July Gideon Rubin SAN FRANCISCO Rookie Christian Arroyo homered, Brandon Belt had three hits including a double and the San Francisco Giants beat the San Diego Padres 4-3 on Friday night. Arroyo, playing in his fifth game since being called up on Monday, homered for the second time in three games leading off the bottom of the eighth inning off Ryan Butcher (1-1). Joe Panik made a diving over-the-shoulder catch on Yangervis Solarte s popup in short center field for the first out in the top of the ninth as Mark Melancon pitched a scoreless inning for his fifth save. Derek Law (3-0) worked a scoreless eighth. Giants starter Jeff Samardzija had lost all four of his previous starts and took the National League s worst ERA into Friday. He had a 3-0 lead and hadn t allowed a hit going into the top of the fifth before serving up a two-run home run to Ryan Schimpf, who homered for a third consecutive day. Schimpf was 1 for 28 before starting the homer streak on Wednesday. His sixth home run cleared the 399-foot sign in center field, landing in AT&T Park s vegetable garden. Luis Perdomo allowed three runs (one earned) on six hits in six innings in his second start since coming off the disabled list with a shoulder injury. BUMGARNER OUT UNTIL AFTER ALL-STAR BREAK Giants ace Madison Bumgarner, who suffered a separated shoulder in a dirt-biking accident earlier this month, was diagnosed with a Grade 2 AC joint sprain and is expected to be out until after the All-Star break, the team said on Friday. Bumgarner started rehab on Friday focused on improving his range of motion, Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. Bumgarner is 0-3 with a 3.00 ERA in four starts this season. TRAINER S ROOM

20 Padres: RHP Jarred Cosart on Saturday will throw his second bullpen session since going on the disabled list with a hamstring injury earlier this month, manager Andy Green said. After we get past that, we ll make a plan for what we re going to do with him, Green said. Giants: SS Brandon Crawford had an MRI for a groin injury before Friday s game, Bochy said. Crawford came off the bereavement list for the death of his sister-in-law on Friday and is expected be out another day or two, Bochy said. CF Denard Span underwent an MRI that came out clean and is ready to start baseball activities, Bochy said. Span is on the disabled list with a shoulder injury he suffered crashing into a wall in Colorado on April 22. 3B Aaron Hill, out with a right forearm strain, threw from 75 feet and took batting practice on Friday. UP NEXT Padres RHP Jhoulys Chacin (2-3, 5.90 ERA) hopes to bounce back after giving seven runs in his last start against Arizona. Giants RHP Matt Cain (2-0, 2.42) pitched six shutout innings of two-hit ball in his last start against the Dodgers and has allowed two runs over 18 runs in his last three starts. Sacramento Bee Rookie Arroyo powers Giants to 4-3 win over Padres Gideon Rubin SAN FRANCISCO-- Christian Arroyo hasn't even needed a full week to make a big difference for the San Francisco Giants. Arroyo hit a tiebreaking solo homer in the eighth inning, his second shot in three games, to lift the San Francisco Giants over the San Diego Padres 4-3 on Friday night. Arroyo, playing in his fifth game since being called up Monday, homered off Ryan Butcher (1-1) to start the inning. The Giants had lost four straight and six of their previous seven games when they called up the 21-yearold from Triple-A Sacramento. "He's got pop," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said. "He's not a guy that's trying to hit home runs, he's just trying to put a good swing on it but he drives the ball, as you saw tonight.... I think he's going to get more power as he gets older." Brandon Belt had three hits, including a double, and Joe Panik made a diving over-the-shoulder catch on Yangervis Solarte's popup in short center field for the first out in the ninth as Mark Melancon pitched a scoreless inning for his fifth save.

21 "Fortunately I was playing out on the grass a couple of steps," Panik said. "I knew once he hit it was going to be in a no-man's land so I just put my head and went after it, give it everything you've got, fortunately the ball stayed in the glove." Derek Law (3-0) worked a scoreless eighth. Giants starter Jeff Samardzija had lost all four of his previous starts and took the National League's worst ERA into Friday. He had a 3-0 lead and hadn't allowed a hit going into the fifth before serving up a tworun home run to Ryan Schimpf, who homered for a third straight day. Schimpf was 1 for 28 before starting the homer streak Wednesday. His sixth home run cleared the 399- foot sign in center field, landing in AT&T Park's vegetable garden. "I'm not thinking about it to be honest with you," Schimpf said. "I had a rough stretch early on but I don't think you can go about chasing an average." Luis Perdomo allowed three runs (one earned) on six hits in six innings in his second start since coming off the disabled list with a shoulder injury. TRAINER'S ROOM Padres: RHP Jarred Cosart on Saturday will throw his second bullpen session since going on the disabled list with a hamstring injury earlier this month, manager Andy Green said. "After we get past that, we'll make a plan for what we're going to do with him," Green said. Giants: LHP Madison Bumgarner, who separated his left shoulder in a dirt-biking accident earlier this month, was diagnosed with a Grade 2 AC joint sprain and is expected to be out until after the All-Star break, the team said Friday. Bumgarner started rehab on Friday focused on improving his range of motion, Giants manager Bruce Bochy said.... SS Brandon Crawford had an MRI for a groin injury before Friday's game. Crawford came off the bereavement list for the death of his sister-in-law on Friday and is expected be out another day or two.... CF Denard Span underwent an MRI that "came out clean" and is ready to start baseball activities. Span is on the disabled list with a shoulder injury he suffered crashing into a wall in Colorado on April B Aaron Hill, out with a right forearm strain, threw from 75 feet and took batting practice on Friday. UP NEXT Padres RHP Jhoulys Chacin (2-3, 5.90 ERA) hopes to bounce back after giving seven runs in his last start against Arizona. Giants RHP Matt Cain (2-0, 2.42) pitched six shutout innings of two-hit ball in his last start against the Dodgers and has allowed two runs over 18 runs in his last three starts. ESPN Rookie Arroyo powers Giants to 4-3 win over Padres Associated Press SAN FRANCISCO -- Christian Arroyo hasn't even needed a full week to make a big difference for the San Francisco Giants.