For the San Francisco Giants, the situation has gone from bad to worse as they are staring at the very real possibility of their first 90-loss season since 2017. Having played 11 games so far in the second half, they have managed only four wins and now sit 16 games below .500. As if those troubles weren’t enough, they now have 12 players on the injured list. But wait, there’s more. Harrison Bader, who was already on the IL, has suffered another setback.

“Harrison Bader’s scooter crash adds farcical twist to Giants’ nightmare season,” read the X update from New York Post Sports. 

Bader was already on the IL with plantar fasciitis in his left foot and had an appointment scheduled with a foot and ankle specialist on Monday. But before he could even make it to Indianapolis, he suffered another injury to the same foot. The 32-year-old was riding his scooter on Sunday night when he was involved in an accident that has now altered his plans to return to the field. 

Harrison Bader signed a two-year, $20.5 million deal with the Giants this January. After jumping between clubs for the last few years, he probably expected a more stable career ahead. Instead, the Gold Glove winner suffered a tweaked left hamstring during the last week of Spring Training. 

Although he tried to play through the discomfort, he had to ultimately settle for an IL stint. He made a return to the roster about a month later, only to suffer another setback. The Giants placed him on the IL again with left plantar fasciitis on May 30. It also took a toll on his performance, as the center fielder has a .170 batting average and .557 OPS from 30 games.

The Giants said that Bader will undergo an MRI on Tuesday, after which they will determine his expected timeline for a return. Additionally, he has returned to San Francisco to see team orthopedist Dr. Ken Akizuki. Amid these developments, Tony Vitello also voiced his thoughts on the matter.

“It’s going to delay the recovery process for him. But even before it, you’re looking at a pretty frustrating long runway,” he said.

The manager also mentioned reaching out to Bader as soon as he came to know about the accident. 

“My only concern with him when we talked was, ‘Are you OK?’” the manager added. “He didn’t provide a lot of details to me, and [I’ll] let the medical staff and the front office sort that stuff out.”

Notably, this isn’t Harrison Bader’s first rodeo with a scooter. Back in 2014, the University of Florida had suspended him from all team activities after a late-night crash. This time, however, the consequences are much greater. 

Giants’ injury crisis keeps getting worse

Bader is hardly the only recent setback for SF. In fact, Casey Schmitt was the latest addition to the list. He suffered a meniscus tear in his left knee, and SF placed him on the IL on July 28. The 27-year-old was batting at .271 with a .784 OPS and 55 RBIs before the MRI revealed his injury. Schmitt is just behind Rafael Devers with 21 home runs, making his absence all the more critical for the team. 

Starter Trevor McDonald also suffered a huge setback just a week ago. A moderate right UCL sprain means he will require Tommy John surgery, and the right-hander has no hope of returning to the main roster before late 2027. 

Jonah Cox also suffered a left oblique strain earlier this month. The schedule says he will start his rehab on Wednesday, and if it goes well, he should be back by mid-August. 

While that is good news, the Giants also have players like Hayden Birdsong, José Buttó, Rowan Wick, and Randy Rodríguez who are less likely to return this season. To top that, they are currently fourth in the NL West with a 45-62 record. The San Francisco Giants have a -60 run differential, and they are 10.5 games behind the last National League Wild Card spot. 

It’s not like they had a great chance of making the playoffs but Harrison Bader’s latest injury only added to their woes.