Major League Baseball

Affeldt lost for year after freak injury

Published Sep. 9, 2011 1:00 a.m. ET

share

facebookxredditlink

foxsports

Giants lefty reliever Jeremy Affeldt is done for the season after sustaining a deep cut in his right hand while using a knife to separate frozen burger patties during Thursday's off day.

He needed surgery and suffered nerve damage in his pinkie. As if things couldn't get much worse for the reeling Giants, now this bizarre injury.

Manager Bruce Bochy on Friday called it an ''unfortunate accident.'' Affeldt went 3-2 with a 2.63 ERA and three saves in 67 outings this season. He is now in a cast.

''He was outside in the backyard barbecuing. He lacerated himself pretty good,'' Bochy said before the Giants opened a weekend series with the rival Los Angeles Dodgers. ''It was a paring knife. He was trying to separate some frozen burgers and it slipped. It went pretty deep in his hand. ... It went to the bone. He lost feeling in his pinkie.''

''Crazy,'' outfielder Cody Ross said.

Affeldt had given up only three earned runs over his last 22 1/3 innings and his 1.21 ERA since the All-Star break was seventh-lowest among NL relievers with a minimum of 20 innings. The pitcher wasn't at the ballpark and didn't immediately return a phone message or text.

Injured lefty Barry Zito, meanwhile, could be activated from the disabled list soon to ''help out anywhere'' for the struggling World Series champions, Bochy said. Zito, who was away from the team Friday for personal reasons, has been sidelined with a recurring foot and ankle injury.

Another injured left-hander, Jonathan Sanchez, will not throw at all this weekend as he continues to experience swelling in his sprained left ankle after his sessions. Bochy wasn't clear on when Sanchez might play catch or get off a mound again.

Injured closer Brian Wilson, last year's majors saves leader, threw 25 pitches in a bullpen. He is scheduled to rest for a couple of days and likely throw again from the mound Monday.

''He threw fairly well and was letting it go,'' Bochy said.

It could be that Wilson only returns this season if San Francisco is in the division chase and ''if we think he's fully recovered,'' Bochy said. The Giants began Friday trailing the first-place Diamondbacks by 7 1/2 games in the NL West.

Bochy also noted that the All-Star closer wants to pitch and might want to get in at least one game before the offseason.

Outfielder Nate Schierholtz, nursing a fracture in his right foot, traveled to Denver to see foot specialist, Dr. Tom Clanton. Bochy said he would continue to wear a walking boot for at least another week and might not play again in 2011.

''That's up in the air,'' Bochy said. ''If it's going to be two weeks, it's going to be real close.''

share

Get more from Major League Baseball Follow your favorites to get information about games, news and more

in this topic

Major League Baseball