DENVER -- The Giants described center fielder Denard Span's playing status as day to day Sunday, less than 24 hours after he sustained a mild sprain of his right shoulder while making a running catch.
Though Span avoided the 10-day disabled list for now, manager Bruce Bochy won't be content to spend much more time wondering about his availability. Due to the ballclub's lack of outfield depth, the Giants might wait only a day or two before placing Span on the DL, unless his health improves.
"We may have to discuss that with him," Bochy said.
The Giants have scant options in the outfield, at least with their current active roster. Gorkys Hernandez, batting .088 entering Sunday, becomes the starting center fielder. Everyday right fielder Hunter Pence, who's attempting to play through a bruised left knee, is the backup center fielder.
Left fielder Chris Marrero, whose perceived potential against left-handed pitching enabled him to made the team as a non-roster invitee to Spring Training, is batting .176 (3-for-17) against lefties and .135 overall. Otherwise, he, not first baseman Brandon Belt, would have been in left field for Sunday's series finale against Colorado and southpaw Kyle Freeland.
Span, who collided with the center-field wall after racing to snare a long Charlie Blackmon drive Saturday, observed that he hurt the same area, the sternoclavicular joint, while diving for a ball in 2012. He was sidelined for three weeks on that occasion; this time, Bochy won't wait nearly that long before raiding the Minor Leagues for a replacement.
Span said that he still has enough range of motion to be able to take off his shirt. But his shoulder and collarbone hurt. Span said that left fielder Jarrett Parker, who broke his right clavicle when he ran into AT&T Park's left-field wall on April 15, crossed his mind as he returned to the dugout.
"I realized I wasn't in as much pain as it seemed like he was," Span said. "I was able to walk off [under] my own power. But it definitely felt like somebody was jabbing me in that area."