SAN FRANCISCO -- One day after watching rookie
Houser exited Tuesday night’s 3-1 win over the Reds after experiencing right flexor tightness in the top of the second inning at Oracle Park. Houser started shaking and flexing his right arm after striking out Matt McClain swinging on a 94.5 mph fastball and continued to look uncomfortable after throwing another 93.6 mph heater to Héctor Rodríguez, drawing a mound visit from catcher Drew Cavanaugh.\n\nAssistant athletic trainer Ryo Watanabe and manager Tony Vitello also emerged from the dugout to check on Houser, who subsequently walked off the field after throwing only 26 pitches over 1 2/3 scoreless innings. \n\nHouser said he dealt with a similar issue in 2022, when he missed close to two months with a right flexor strain. He’ll undergo an MRI exam on Wednesday, but he sounded optimistic about his outlook following the game. \n\n“I was trying to gut through it and get through it,” Houser said. “It’s been barking a little bit. But it kind of got to the point where I was just feeling it every time. We wanted to play it safe. Hopefully, everything is good and it’s just a minor setback.”
Right-hander
Whisenhunt was scheduled to meet with team doctors on Tuesday evening to determine his next steps, though he seems likely to join fellow young starters
“I think it was kind of expected for him and for everybody else,” Vitello said ahead of the game. “Whether it's a surprise or no matter how you get there, it's not good to be there. But I think Whiz has a good mindset right now, relatively good spirits. Everybody's kind of gone out of their way up there to let him know they care about him. \n\n“We’re going to have to forge ahead once he figures out what the plan is. I think more than likely -- whether it's extra conversations or a second look or getting with his agency -- maybe things will clear up a little bit more. But obviously, surgery is recommended. It’s probably going to be needed, and then he'll start his climb back.”
The Giants also put out a concerning update on shortstop
Whisenhunt suffered the elbow injury in the third inning of the Giants’ 5-0 win over the Reds on Monday. He said he started to feel discomfort on the final two pitches of his outing, prompting the Giants to remove him from the game after 2 2/3 innings.\n\nWhisenhunt, 25, went 3-4 with a 6.49 ERA over eight starts this year, but he felt everything was starting to click before he got hurt on Monday, which made the setback even more frustrating. \n\n“I felt really good until the last batter I faced,” Whisenhunt said. “Everything was kind of coming together. The body was moving the way it’s supposed to. Just all the work that I’d been doing, I felt like it had finally translated.”
San Francisco recalled right-hander