SF Giants’ Lee rolls ankle in World Baseball Classic but shouldn’t miss games
SCOTTSDALE, Arizona — Right fielder Jung Hoo Lee rolled his ankle on Thursday in Team Korea’s 11-4 victory over Team Czechia to open pool play in the World Baseball Classic, but manager Tony Vitello said the injury shouldn’t prevent him from participating in games.
“Nothing I believe that’s going to take him out of game action,” Vitello said.
The Giants have already had one World Baseball Classic-related injury this week when left-hander Reiver Sanmartin injured his right hip flexor in Team Colombia’s exhibition against the Pittsburgh Pirates on Tuesday, forcing him to pull out of the tournament. Sanmartin received an MRI, but his timeline remains unclear.
Team Korea’s next game of pool play is against Shohei Ohtani and Team Japan at the Tokyo Dome on Saturday at 2 a.m. PST. Lee, the captain of Team Korea, went 2-for-4 with a walk and a run scored against Team Czechia.
San Francisco’s front office will be holding its breath on Friday evening when Logan Webb starts for Team USA against Team Brazil to open pool play. Assuming Team USA advances as expected, Webb is lined up to pitch in the quarterfinals.
In Scottsdale, first baseman Rafael Devers is progressing well from his left hamstring injury and could be back in the lineup early next week. Devers hasn’t appeared in a Cactus League game since Feb. 26 and is hitless in eight at-bats this spring.
“I don’t think it’ll be too long before he’ll be out there, but we’d rather be two days too slow than two days too early,” Vitello said.