SF Giants update: Crawford ramps up activity, Johnson cleared to play, Wood talks rehab start

MLB: San Francisco Giants shortstop Brandon Crawford remains hopeful he could return next week

SAN FRANCISCO – With the San Francisco Giants needing to stay within earshot of the National League West lead, shortstop Brandon Crawford said he remains hopeful he’ll be available to play next week after he becomes eligible to come off the injured list.

Crawford exited last Saturday’s game in Mexico City against the San Diego Padres with right calf tightness, and an ensuing MRI revealed what was a close to a Grade 2 strain.

Crawford has been hitting and briefly did some field work Friday before the Giants hosted the Milwaukee Brewers in the first of a three-game set at Oracle Park. Crawford, per the team, is slated to begin a running progression over the weekend.

“Initially, I didn’t think it would be that much of a strain just based on how I felt — and how I felt after past strains, where I either played through it or maybe gave it a couple of days,” Crawford said. “That’s kind of how it felt to me, but we got the MRI and it came back almost a Grade 2.

“So, it’s definitely there, but we’re going to be testing it a little bit more with running and some agility stuff.”

Thairo Estrada played shortstop in all five games that Crawford has so far missed, including Friday’s. In his last four games before Friday, Estrada helped turn three double plays and had nine assists without an error. Estrada has played 12 games at shortstop this season.

The Giants (13-17) entered Friday five games back of the NL West-leading Los Angeles Dodgers and were 4-4 without Crawford in the lineup.

Crawford is eligible to come off the IL on May 11 when the Giants begin a four-game series in Arizona against the Diamondbacks.

“I’ve been hitting and throwing, and I typically don’t have any issues there,” Crawford said. “But I feel like the agility and the running, I’ll feel it a little bit. But it’s a matter of how much I’m feeling it and how much it’s grabbing, and we’ll be able to go from there.”

CLEARED TO RETURN: Giants manager Gabe Kapler said outfielder Bryce Johnson, who has been out since April 12 with a concussion, has been cleared to play, although there are no immediate plans for his reinstatement to the big-league roster.

Johnson was hurt last month when he leaped to grab a Freddie Freeman fly ball in center field before he made hard contact against the wall. Kapler said Johnson will need some reps, likely in Sacramento, before he can return to San Francisco.

WOOD PROGRESSING: Left-hander Alex Wood, out since April 18 with a left hamstring strain, threw a bullpen session Friday. If Wood came out of that feeling OK, he said he’ll start Sunday for Sacramento, with an eye on re-joining the Giants rotation sometime next week.

Wood felt good after he threw 38 pitches in a simulated game earlier this week in Houston.

“I’ve never done anything like this before, so I didn’t know what to expect,” Wood said of rehabbing a hamstring strain. “But I’ve been progressing nicely. I still feel it a little bit in a dead sprint, but pitching feels totally normal and good. I think I’ll be ready to rock Sunday and then after that, by next week, I’ll be back to 100 percent.”

YAZ UPDATE: Outfielder Mike Yastrzemski (left hamstring strain) has started to play catch but is not running or hitting just yet, and it remains unclear whether he’ll be able to play once he’s eligible to come off the IL next week.

Yastrzemski was hurt last Sunday in Mexico City as he tried to run down a fly ball in center field and was diagnosed with a Grade 1 strain following an MRI.

“I feel a little bit better each day,” Yastrzemski said. “I’m still a little sore. but trying to work through that and build the strength back up. Hopefully, we’ll get progressing here soon.”

KAPLER ON RUF: Darin Ruf played two games earlier this week in Triple-A Sacramento but Kapler said there are no immediate plans to add him to San Francisco’s active roster. In games on Tuesday and Thursday against Las Vegas, Ruf, who went on the IL on April 24 with right wrist inflammation, went 1-for-7 with two walks and three strikeouts.

“As soon as he feels fully healthy, we’ll decide if there’s a spot for him on our roster,” Kapler said. “We could make other plans, but right now, we are where we are.”