SAN FRANCISCO -- Outfielder Hunter Pence underwent an MRI exam on Friday that revealed inflammation in his sore right foot, but manager Gabe Kapler said the Giants do not view the injury as a major cause for concern at the moment.

Pence, 37, has been facing live pitching over the first week of Summer Camp, but the foot ailment has prevented him from running the bases and playing defense thus far.

“It's very mild, and it's just precautionary,” Pence said. “I'm trying to get it so that I'm going to be 100 percent when it comes time to get going so I don't go backwards. I was progressing every day. It happened right before we started camp. It was one of those things from training. These things can happen. Just wanted to get ahead of it so it doesn't continue to get worse.”

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Despite the foot discomfort, Pence said he’s encouraged by the way he and the entire team have been handling the accelerated ramp-up to the Giants’ season opener against the Dodgers on July 23.

“It definitely is a rare and unique circumstance,” Pence said. “Honestly, I feel very confident. I feel really good with my swing. ... I think timing will come quickly. My main concern is just making sure that I'm 100 percent healthy so that I can actually do the things I want to do. That's all I'm trying to do, is get healthy.”

Pence, who is coming off an All-Star campaign with the Rangers in 2019, was expected to form a platoon with the left-handed-hitting Alex Dickerson in left field this season, but the arrival of the universal designated hitter should make it easier for the Giants to manage his workload and keep him healthy throughout the abbreviated 2020 season,

“I personally don't mind DHing at all,” Pence said. “I love hitting. I love contributing wherever. If they want me to play defense, I’ll play defense. Whatever I can do to contribute is kind of my goal.”

Observations from Friday’s simulated game

After two days of modified live batting practice, the Giants staged their first simulated game of Summer Camp on Friday at Oracle Park. The club played 3 1/2 innings during their afternoon workout, with Johnny Cueto and left-hander Conner Menez starting and pitching two innings apiece. Trevor Oaks followed with another pair of innings, while Tyler Cyr made a one-inning relief appearance.

The Giants played a full defense behind their pitchers and pumped crowd noise to attempt to re-create a game-like atmosphere in the empty ballpark.

Here are a few observations from Friday’s action:

• Cueto looked sharp, facing 11 batters and allowing only two hits, a single to Donovan Solano and an opposite-field double to top prospect Joey Bart. The 34-year-old veteran induced eight ground balls, including a 6-4-3 double play from Pence in the first inning.

“He gave up some hard contact to Joey Bart, but for the most part, ground ball after ground ball,” Kapler said. “That was a good encapsulation of Johnny’s outing. Poised and building up strength in his arm and his legs.”

• Evan Longoria emerged as the standout offensive performer, crushing a two-run home run to center field off Menez in the first inning and lining a hard-hit single off Oaks in the top of the fourth.

“He’s obviously a very skilled hitter with power and plate discipline,” Kapler said. “But what we’ve seen here early in camp is very encouraging. He’s really driving the ball to the middle of the field. The ball is coming off the bat hot; everybody is talking about it.”

• Versatility continues to be a running theme at Giants camp. Austin Slater saw action at first base, second base and center field during Friday’s game. The Giants also had outfielder Joe McCarthy log reps at first base. McCarthy has made 129 appearances at first base in the Minors, but he has not played the position in a regular-season game since 2018. Kapler mentioned that Dickerson could see time at first as well.

“I don’t really think there’s much outside the norm as it relates to continuing to create as much positional flexibility as possible,” Kapler said. “Because we’re going to start with a 30-man roster, which means that we’re going to have at least one extra position player, it pays for people to expand their capabilities.”