Giants’ Jung Hoo Lee, Bryce Eldridge land on IL; Marcelo Mayer activated

Outfielder Jung Hoo Lee, the last man standing from the San Francisco Giants‘ Opening Day lineup, landed on the injured list with a groin contusion Monday, while rookie first baseman Bryce Eldridge went on the seven-day concussion IL. 

That means the Giants will shatter the franchise record for players used in a season, with 70. Up came outfielder Bo Davidson, ranked the Giants’ No. 5 prospect by Baseball America and No. 8 by MLB Pipeline. Davidson, 24, was in the lineup against Minnesota on Monday, making his big-league debut, playing right and batting third. 

Marcelo Mayer, acquired from Boston for reliever Erik Miller at the Aug. 3 deadline, came off the IL after missing time with a forearm stress reaction and then a foot injury. The 23-year-old, long one of the sport’s top prospects, was at DH for his Giants debut, batting cleanup. 

Davidson was in big-league spring training, unlike many of the other Giants’ young players, and manager Tony Vitello was impressed. 

“Arguably the most impressive BP out of everybody,” Vitello said.

Davidson hit .290 with 29 homers combined at two levels this year, and earlier in the day, he was named to the Eastern League All-Star team. He’s getting an early chance to get on the radar for next season, “Just showing them what I can do and giving them the best I can every game until the season’s over,” Davidson said, “and just showing them who Bo is.”

And what exactly is that? 

“You’ll see,” he said.

Davidson might have arrived a week or two earlier had he not fouled a ball off his foot; he’s fine now, he said. He was expecting his mother, Donna; his brother, Shakym; his girlfriend Tiera and his daughter Oaklynn at Monday’s game. 

Mayer will be eased in a bit after no rehab games, so starting at DH and then mixing in some infield spots. He’s a shortstop but can play all over. 

Technically, Eldridge could return before the end of the season but it’s highly unlikely; the Giants want to be extra careful after he hit his head on a low archway at the team hotel in Los Angeles. 

Shortstop Willy Adames, on the IL with a forearm strain, was doing on-field work Monday, taking grounders and swinging a bat, but he, too, is unlikely to come off the IL. 

Left-hander Philip Abner was designated for assignment to make room for Davidson on the 40-man roster. 

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This article originally published at Giants’ Jung Hoo Lee, Bryce Eldridge land on IL; Marcelo Mayer activated.