Aubrey Huff aggravates right knee injury, foiling return

PHILADELPHIA -- First baseman Aubrey Huff has aggravated his sprained right knee and will return to San Francisco for an MRI to determine the extent of the setback, Giants manager Bruce Bochy said Friday.

Huff's MRI revealed patellar tendinitis in his troublesome right knee, the Giants announced Saturday.

Bochy confirmed that the Giants were seriously considering activating Huff from the disabled list on Monday, as general manager Brian Sabean said during a television interview on Comcast SportsNet Bay Area. Obviously, Huff's latest injury foils that plan.

Giants management has grown increasingly impatient with first baseman Brandon Belt, who entered Friday hitting .244 with four home runs and 31 RBIs in 79 games and was batting .164 (9-for-55) in his previous 20 games. Huff hit .155 in 32 games earlier this season for the Giants, but Bochy indicated that the 12-year veteran would have provided an alternative to Belt.

"We wanted that option to help out Brandon," Bochy said.

Bochy said that Huff, batting .154 (2-for-13) in four games with Triple-A Fresno, would have spent this weekend playing first base for Class A San Jose to prepare him for rejoining the Giants.

"He hadn't had that many at-bats or time at first base," Bochy said of Huff, who also had hit .250 (4-for-16) with a homer in five games for San Jose.

Huff reinjured himself early in Fresno's 10-9 loss Thursday at Las Vegas. He originally hurt himself as he tried to vault the dugout railing to join the on-field celebration following Matt Cain's perfect game against Houston on June 13. Huff last appeared in a game for the Giants on June 10.


(mlb.com)