SAN FRANCISCO -- Despite an MRI exam confirming that Eduardo Núñez pulled his right hamstring, Giants manager Bruce Bochy appeared hopeful about his third baseman's status on Tuesday, stating that Nunez could be back in the starting lineup for the club's final series of the season, a three-game set against the Dodgers starting on Friday.
But the manager wasn't as optimistic before the Giants' matchup with the Rockies on Wednesday.
"He's going to be questionable this weekend," Bochy said. "Each day, I'll get better information of where he's at. I'm hoping he's going to be able to go. I just think it's going to be questionable, based on where he's at with that hamstring."
Nunez was injured while sliding into second base during the Giants' 4-3 loss to the Padres on Sunday. He said he hasn't tested his hamstring since, and that the plan for now is to simply rest.
With Nunez's status uncertain, San Francisco found a quick solution to its depleted infield, acquiring infielder Gordon Beckham from the Atlanta Braves on Tuesday. Beckham will not be available for the Giants if they make the postseason because the deadline has passed.
"[It was] definitely a shock," Beckham said when asked about his reaction to the news that he'd been traded. He also described walking into the dugout during the Giants' most recent game at AT&T Park as "a little awkward."
"They were probably like, 'What the heck is this guy doing here?" Beckham said. But Beckham is hardly a new face to a number of players on the Giants. He played with Jeff Samardzija and Jake Peavy while with the Chicago White Sox, in addition to playing with Buster Posey at the Cape Cod League. Beckham and Posey were also selected just three picks apart in the 2008 Major League Draft and have stayed connected throughout their respective careers.
"Me and Buster have always kept up," said Beckham. "He always said I should be out here, and I'm excited to be out here. I think it's a good fit."
Beckham said that he hasn't talked to Bochy about what his role will be with the club for the rest of the week. He appears to have a good idea, though.
"I don't think they brought me over here to be a savior," Beckham said. "I'm obviously a right-handed bat, we've got some lefties in the infield with Nunez out right now. The goal for me is to take away some lefty-on-lefty matchups for those guys right now. Other than that, I just show up."