(Kelley L Cox-US PRESSWIRE)
Xavier Nady, who had just taken over in left field for the San Francisco Giants, finally got his new uniform number.
That’s not to say he’ll be in left field anytime soon to show it off.
Nady strained his left hamstring running for a seventh-inning double by Aaron Hill in the Giants’ 6-2 loss to the Diamondbacks. It’s possible Nady could miss some time, and manager Bruce Bochy already said he could use Brandon Belt or Ryan Theriot in left.
Gregor Blanco, who originally replaced suspended Melky Cabrera in left field, has been in a strikeout funk.
Bochy said of the Nady news, “This is a blow for us. He’s been swinging the bat well.”
Nady’s slow process of becoming the Giants’ left fielder began when he signed with the team in early August. He regained his stroke with Triple-A Fresno, got promoted last week among the Giants’ September call-ups and played five games, going 4-for-12.
Then got hurt.
He’ll have an MRI on Thursday to check the severity of the injury.
Nady, who grew up in nearby Salinas, Calif., and played college ball at Cal, was hurt when the Giants were close to playing their rival, the Dodgers, in a weekend series.
“I felt like I let a lot of people down,” said Nady, wearing 12 and no longer 68.
