Date | News | Comment |
Apr 6 2024 | Speaking on the "JD Bunkis Podcast" on March 29, Belt revealed that he hasn't received many calls from teams interested in signing him for the 2024 season, Andrew Baggarly of The Athletic reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt noted that he had a far easier time fielding interest following the 2022 season when he was limited to just 78 games due to issues in his right knee. He signed a one-year, $9.3 million contract with the Blue Jays in January of 2023 and went on to slash .254/.369/.490 with 19 home runs and 43 RBI over 404 plate appearances while appearing in 103 games last season. Baggarly notes that the Mets have been the only team to offer Belt a guaranteed contract -- though it was almost entirely incentive-based -- and that other teams considered him a fallback option. |
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Feb 27 2024 | Belt said he isn't retiring and will "definitely" play in 2024, Alex Pavlovic of The Athletic reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The 35-year-old spent last season in Toronto and served as the club's primary designated hitter, and he enjoyed a resurgence in 103 games with an .859 OPS and 19 home runs. Belt made just 29 appearances at first base and isn't likely to play the field much more than that going forward given his age and injury history. There's still some competition in the free-agent DH market with veteran J.D. Martinez also unsigned early in spring training. |
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Oct 4 2023 | Belt is starting at designated hitter and batting second Wednesday in Game 2 of the AL Wild Card Series against the Twins, Keegan Matheson of MLB.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The Blue Jays are rolling out the same lineup that they featured in Game 1 as they try to stave off elimination. That includes Belt in the two spot, which is where he hit in his final three starts of the regular season. For what it's worth, Belt is 0-for-8 with a 3:1 K:BB in nine career plate appearances versus Twins starter Sonny Gray. |
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Oct 2 2023 | Belt went 2-for-5 with a solo home run in Sunday's 12-8 loss to the Rays. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt's eighth inning home run was his third long ball over his last four games. Since May 4, the 35-year-old leads the Blue Jays with a .934 OPS and closes out the regular season with a strong slash line of .254/.369/.490 with 19 homers, 43 RBI, 53 runs and a 61:141 BB:K in 404 plate appearances. He'll figure to be in the lineup Tuesday when the Blue Jays open up the playoffs against Pablo Lopez and the Twins. |
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Sep 30 2023 | Belt will sit Saturday against the Rays. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt has homered on back-to-back days but will nonetheless head to the bench, potentially because the Blue Jays fear the Rays could turn to a lefty after opener Shawn Armstrong. George Springer will rest his legs as the designated hitter, with Cavan Biggio starting in right field. |
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Sep 28 2023 | Belt went 1-for-4 with a three-run home run in Thursday's 6-0 win over the Yankees. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: After missing two weeks with a back injury, it only took Belt three games to launch a home run, this time plating Daulton Varsho and George Springer on a three-run shot off Zach McAllister in the sixth inning. Through 100 games, Belt is slashing .252/.371/.477 with 17 home runs and an ugly 34.8 percent strikeout rate. |
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Sep 26 2023 | Belt (back) was reinstated from the 10-day injured list Tuesday, Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet.ca reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The veteran slugger landed on the shelf Sept. 12 with back spasms just after missing the previous eight games due to an illness, but he's now ready to rejoin the Blue Jays for the final stretch of the regular season. Belt had a strong start to the second half with a .971 OPS in his first 30 games coming out of the All-Star break, but he was mired in a 3-for-18 slump prior to his move to the injured list. |
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Sep 19 2023 | Belt (back) began a hitting progression Tuesday, Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Manager John Schneider noted that Belt may be able to play in a rehab game with Triple-A Buffalo before the minor-league season ends, but it will depend on how quickly Belt is able to recover. The 35-year-old landed on the injured list Sept. 12 due to back spasms and should still be able to make it back to Toronto's lineup before the end of the season. |
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Sep 12 2023 | Toronto placed Belt on the 10-day injured list Tuesday with lumbar spine muscle spasms. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt exited Monday's game against the Rangers with back spasms and it's serious enough that the Blue Jays will give him at least 10 days to get right. Spencer Horwitz is essentially taking on all of Belt's duties and is hitting cleanup Tuesday against Max Scherzer. |
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Sep 11 2023 | Belt was removed from Monday's game against the Rangers due to lower back muscle spasms. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt will be considered day-to-day until further notice. Spencer Horwitz stepped into the DH spot in Belt's place. |
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Sep 10 2023 | Belt (illness) is out of the lineup again Sunday versus the Royals. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt hasn't appeared in a game since Sept. 2, first due to back trouble and then because of an illness. Granted, he probably would have sat Sunday either way with left-hander Cole Ragans toeing the slab for Kansas City. Bo Bichette will take a turn in the DH role as Ernie Clement starts at shortstop. |
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Sep 9 2023 | Belt (illness) remains out of the lineup Saturday against the Royals. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt hasn't played in a week, first due to back issues and then due to a stomach virus. It's not clear exactly when he'll return to the field, but the Blue Jays haven't seen the need to place him on the injured list. Spencer Horwitz will be Saturday's designated hitter. |
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Sep 8 2023 | Belt (illness) isn't in the Blue Jays' lineup Friday against the Royals. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Friday will mark the fifth straight game Belt has missed, as he continues to fight off a stomach virus. Davis Schneider will replace Belt as Toronto's DH. |
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Sep 6 2023 | Belt (illness) is not in the lineup for Wednesday's game in Oakland, Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt probably wouldn't have started this one, anyway, with lefty JP Sears taking the ball for the Athletics. He's been banged up recently, though, first with a back issue and more recently a stomach virus. Belt is with the team Wednesday but not expected to be available off the bench, per Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet.ca. The Blue Jays are off Thursday, so Belt will aim to to be back in action Friday when Toronto returns home. |
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Sep 5 2023 | Belt (illness) isn't in the Blue Jays' lineup Tuesday against the Athletics. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: A stomach virus kept Belt out of Monday's lineup, and the issue seems to still be bothering him ahead of Tuesday's contest. George Springer will serve as Toronto's DH while Belt recovers, allowing Cavan Biggio to start in right field and bat sixth. |
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Sep 4 2023 | Belt is being kept away from the Blue Jays on Monday because of a stomach virus, Shi Davidi of Sportsnet.ca reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt has missed time with a back issue recently, but it would appear the stomach virus is the main reason for his absence from the lineup for a second straight day. Consider him day-to-day. Vladimir Guerrero is at designated hitter and Spencer Horwitz is playing first base Monday. |
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Sep 3 2023 | The Blue Jays scratched Belt from the lineup ahead of Sunday's game against the Rockies due to lower-back tightness. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Just 10 minutes before Sunday's 3:10 p.m. ET opening pitch, the Blue Jays opted to hold Belt out of the lineup while he continues to deal with the back issues that first cropped up this past Tuesday. After missing three days, Belt returned to the lineup for the first two games of the series in Colorado, going 2-for-5 with a solo home run, a walk and two additional runs. Spencer Horwitz was added to the lineup as a replacement for Belt and will start at first base and bat fifth Sunday. |
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Sep 1 2023 | Belt (back) is serving as the Blue Jays' designated hitter and batting cleanup Friday at Colorado. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt missed the final two games of the Jays' previous series against the Nationals due to nagging back trouble, but he's good to go Friday versus the Rockies. The 35-year-old has registered an .834 OPS with 15 home runs through 94 games this season for Toronto, and he's a career .317/.375/.563 hitter at Coors Field. |
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Aug 30 2023 | Belt (back) is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Nationals, but manager John Schneider didn't rule out Belt being available as a pinch hitter, Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet.ca reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Given that back troubles are nothing new for Belt, the Blue Jays will most likely stay away from him if they can help it. The 35-year-old is optimistic that he'll be able to avoid the 10-day injured list and return to the lineup in short order, and he should benefit from the Blue Jays having off Thursday before opening a three-game series in Colorado on Friday. |
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Aug 29 2023 | Blue Jays manager John Schneider said Belt wasn't available Tuesday against Washington after experiencing lower back spasms, Rob Longley of the Toronto Sun reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt was left out of the Jays' lineup Tuesday due to left-hander MacKenzie Gore serving as Washington's starter, but back spasms prevented him from entering as a pinch hitter/runner. Belt's status for Wednesday's contest is unclear, but an update on his status will presumably come before the game. |
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Aug 26 2023 | Belt will sit against lefty Logan Allen and the Guardians on Saturday. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt has started against just five southpaws all season, so it's no surprise to see him hit the bench here. Bo Bichette will rest his legs as the designated hitter, with Santiago Espinal starting at shortstop. |
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Aug 25 2023 | Belt went 1-for-3 with a solo home run in Thursday's loss to Baltimore. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt now has four homers in his last four games. Since the start of August, he's gone 20-for-63 (.317) with seven long balls and a 1.148 OPS. Overall, it's been an impressive bounce-back campaign from the veteran first-baseman in his first year with Toronto. Belt's now slashing .256/.372/.478 with 15 homers, 46 runs scored and 37 RBI across 360 plate appearances. |
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Aug 23 2023 | Belt went 1-for-4 with a two-run homer in Tuesday's 6-3 victory over the Orioles. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt led off the 10th inning with a two-run shot off Mike Baumann, putting the Blue Jays ahead 5-3 in an eventual three-run win. The homer was Belt's third in his last two games. Since the start of August, he's batting .321 (18-for-56) with six home runs and a 1.155 OPS across 16 games. Overall, Belt's slash line is up to a solid .255/.372/.473 with 14 homers, 45 runs scored and 36 RBI in 352 plate appearances this season. |
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Aug 20 2023 | Belt went 2-for-5 with two homers, three RBI and two runs scored in Sunday's win over the Reds. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt blasted a two-run home run in the third inning off Reds starter Hunter Greene, then got to him again by belting a solo shot in the fourth. It was the second multi-homer game of the season for Belt, who's up to 13 home runs in his inaugural season with the Blue Jays. Following a slow start in the power department, the long-time former Giant now has nine dingers since the calendar flipped to July. |
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Aug 19 2023 | Belt will sit Saturday against the Reds. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: As expected, Belt will hit the bench with a lefty (Brandon Williamson) on the mound for the opposition. He has just 32 plate appearances against southpaws this year, making just five starts. Davis Schneider will serve as the designated hitter. |
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Aug 12 2023 | Belt will sit Saturday against the Cubs. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The Cubs are sending out lefty Justin Steele, so it's no surprise to see Belt hit the bench. He's started just five times against a southpaw all season. George Springer will rest his legs as the designated hitter Saturday, with Cavan Biggio stepping into Springer's usual spot in right field. |
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Aug 9 2023 | Belt is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Guardians. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: He'll head to the bench Wednesday with lefty Logan Allen on the hill for Cleveland. Danny Jansen will get a day off from behind the plate and replace Belt as the Blue Jays' designated hitter. |
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Aug 6 2023 | Belt went 2-for-4 with a walk, a home run and two RBI in Saturday's 5-4 win over the Red Sox. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: He got the Jays on the board with a third-inning solo shot off Nick Pivetta over the Green Monster in left-center field. Belt has three multi-hit performances in his last four games, rapping out two doubles and two homers among his six hits, and since the All-Star break he's slashing .263/.368/.544 in 68 plate appearances with four of his 10 long balls on the season. He still sees little action against left-handed pitching, although he did collect an RBI single Saturday off Brennan Bernardino, but Belt is finally beginning to give Toronto a consistent DH option against righties -- the job he was signed to do in the offseason. |
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Aug 4 2023 | Belt is absent from the lineup Friday against the Red Sox. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Alejandro Kirk will serve as the Blue Jays' designated hitter and Danny Jansen will do the catching with left-hander James Paxton on the bump for Boston. Belt continues to sit against most southpaws. |
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Aug 2 2023 | Belt went 2-for-4 with a double and a solo home run in Tuesday's 13-3 loss to the Orioles. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Not much went right for the Blue Jays in this one, but Belt supplied their final bit of offense by taking Kyle Bradish deep in the third inning. The veteran first baseman is slashing .209/.341/.478 since the beginning of July, launching five of his nine homers on the year in 19 games over that stretch. |
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Jul 30 2023 | Belt is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Angels. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The Angels are bringing another lefty (Tyler Anderson) to the hill for the series finale, so the lefty-hitting Belt will remain on the bench for the second day in a row. With Belt on the bench, Alejandro Kirk will serve as Toronto's designated hitter. |
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Jul 29 2023 | Belt isn't starting Saturday against the Angels. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Southpaw Reid Detmers will start on the mound for Los Angeles, meaning Belt will remain in the dugout for the start of Saturday's game. Danny Jansen will instead serve as Toronto's DH while Alejandro Kirk starts behind the plate and bats seventh. |
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Jul 24 2023 | Belt went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Sunday's win over the Mariners. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The veteran slugger turned on a Bryan Woo fastball in the sixth inning and got it just over the fence in right field for his eighth homer of the season. Belt had a tough start to his Toronto tenure, but he's now gone yard in back-to-back games and is batting an encouraging .292 (7-for-24) in seven games since the All-Star break. |
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Jul 23 2023 | Belt went 1-for-4 with a walk, a two-run home run and a second run scored in Saturday's 9-8 loss to the Mariners. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: He took Logan Gilbert deep in the fifth inning, a rare display of power from the 35-year-old this season, In 19 games since his late June return from a hamstring injury, Belt is slashing .222/.359/.413 with three of his seven homers and seven of his 23 RBI on the year. |
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Jul 16 2023 | Belt isn't in Toronto's lineup Sunday against Arizona. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Left-hander Tommy Henry will start on the mound for the D-backs on Sunday, so Belt will stay put in the Jays' dugout. Alejandro Kirk will step in as Toronto's DH and bat seventh. |
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Jul 9 2023 | Belt is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Tigers. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The lefty-hitting Belt will bow out of the starting nine in the series finale with a southpaw (Tarik Skubal) on the bump for Detroit. With Belt on the bench, the Blue Jays will have room in the lineup for both of their catchers (Danny Jansen and Alejandro Kirk), as Jansen will draw the start at designated hitter. |
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Jul 2 2023 | Belt went 2-for-4 with two solo homers in Sunday's 5-4 loss to the Red Sox. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt took advantage of a less than 100 percent version of Garrett Whitlock, taking him yard in Whitlock's only inning of work after being removed from the start with an elbow injury. Belt found the grandstands once again in the sixth inning, this time launching a solo home run off Nick Pivetta. The multi-homer effort was his first of the campaign and boosted his season total to six long balls through 215 plate appearances. The lefty is slashing .267/.374/.473 against right-handed pitching and has hit all six of his homers off righties. |
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Jun 30 2023 | Belt is not in the lineup Friday versus the Red Sox. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Alejandro Kirk will fill the DH role and bat fifth as the Blue Jays face off against left-hander James Paxton. Belt has gone 3-for-18 (.167) with zero extra-base hit in very limited action this year against southpaws. |
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Jun 25 2023 | Belt is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Athletics. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt went 3-for-11 with an RBI and a run in three games since returning from the injured list Wednesday, and he'll head to the bench for Sunday's series finale versus Oakland. George Springer will rest his legs as the designated hitter while Cavan Biggio receives a start in right field. |
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Jun 21 2023 | Belt (hamstring) was reinstated from the 10-day injured list and will start Wednesday and bat third in the Blue Jays' series finale with the Marlins, Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet.ca reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt is back in the lineup after missing the minimum 10 days while on the IL with a hamstring injury. The 35-year-old has produced a .296 average with two home runs, four doubles, four RBI and four runs scored over eight games in June. In order to open a roster spot for Belt, Spencer Horwitz was optioned to Triple-A Buffalo in a corresponding move. |
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Jun 20 2023 | Belt (hamstring) ran the bases Tuesday without issue, Arden Zwelling of Sportsnet.ca reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt also hit off a high-velocity pitching machine and drew a positive review from Blue Jays manager John Schneider. He could be activated from the injured list as early as Wednesday, though that move might be delayed until Friday with Thursday being a scheduled team off day. Belt has been on the shelf since June 13, retroactive to June 10, because of a left hamstring strain. |
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Jun 13 2023 | The Blue Jays placed Belt on the 10-day injured list Tuesday with left hamstring inflammation, Mitch Bannon of SI.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt participated in running drills ahead of Tuesday's game against Baltimore, but he apparently wasn't able to show the team he's well enough to avoid an IL stint. Belt will now be sidelined for the next 10 days at minimum, and Ernie Clement will return from Triple-A Buffalo to fill his roster spot. |
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Jun 11 2023 | Belt (hamstring) underwent an MRI on Sunday that revealed inflammation, Mitch Bannon of SI.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt sat out Sunday against the Twins after exiting Saturday's loss with left hamstring tightness, but the issue doesn't appear to be a significant concern. Manager John Schneider said after Sunday's matchup that Belt remains day-to-day for now. He'll have at least one day to rest before Tuesday's series opener in Baltimore. |
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Jun 10 2023 | Belt left Saturday's game against the Twins due to left hamstring tightness. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The oft-injured veteran managed to make it more than two months into the season without incident and has been a productive part of the Toronto lineup, slashing .263/.378/.434 through 48 games. Whether or not his latest injury is serious enough to require a trip to the injured list remains to be seen. If it does, Alejandro Kirk could spend more time at designated hitter, especially with Danny Jansen (groin) closing in on a return. |
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Jun 5 2023 | Belt is not in the lineup for Monday's game against the Astros, Mike Wilner of the Toronto Star reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: George Springer is getting a day at designated hitter, which means Belt will begin this one on the bench. Cavan Biggio will patrol right field. |
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Jun 4 2023 | Belt went 1-for-5 with a two-run homer in Sunday's victory over the Mets. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: After striking out in his first three at-bats, Belt came through with a two-run shot off Dominic Leone in the seventh inning to give the Blue Jays a 6-4 lead. It's Belt's third homer of the season and his first since May 10. While he hasn't hit for much power, Belt's been swinging the bat well after a cold start to the season -- he's batting .342 (25-for-73) over his last 25 games. The veteran first baseman is now slashing .259/.379/.415 with 14 RBI and 16 runs scored through 161 plate appearances this season. |
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Jun 2 2023 | Belt (illness) is back in the lineup Friday against the Mets. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt will fill the DH role for the Blue Jays and bat cleanup after missing a couple of games due to a stomach bug. He's shown a lot more life offensively over the last handful of weeks, slashing .333/.470/.470 in May after a brutal opening month. |
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Jun 1 2023 | Belt (illness) remains out of the lineup for Thursday's contest versus the Brewers. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt is dealing with a stomach bug and will miss a second straight start. Cavan Biggio will handle first base while Vladimir Guerrero slides into the designated hitter spot. |
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May 31 2023 | Belt (illness) is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Brewers. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: After he was removed from Tuesday's 7-2 win with a stomach ailment, Belt will get at least one day off to fully recover. With Belt on the bench, George Springer will handle designated-hitter duties for Toronto. |
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May 30 2023 | Belt was removed in the eighth inning of Tuesday's game against the Brewers with a stomach issue, Mitch Bannon of SI.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The Blue Jays have had several players deal with stomach issues in 2023, and unfortunately Belt is the latest. The left-handed hitting veteran should be considered day-to-day at this point. |
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May 24 2023 | Belt is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Rays. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The lefty-hitting Belt will retreat to the bench while the Rays bring ace southpaw Shane McClanahan to the mound Wednesday. George Springer will get a day out of the outfield and will replace Belt as the Blue Jays' designated hitter. |
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May 22 2023 | Belt is not in the starting lineup Monday against the Rays. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt will get a breather after he went 4-for-13 with two doubles, a run scored, six walks and six strikeouts while starting each of the last five contests. Danny Jansen will replace him at designated hitter and bat eighth in the series opener with Tampa Bay. |
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May 16 2023 | Belt is not in the Blue Jays' lineup for Tuesday's game versus the Yankees, Mike Wilner of the Toronto Star reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: George Springer is getting a start at designated hitter and Cavan Biggio is in right field. Belt is heating up this month but will take a seat Tuesday after starting each of the last eight contests. |
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May 10 2023 | Belt will serve as Toronto's designated hitter and No. 6 batter in Wednesday's game in Philadelphia. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt sat out against two of the four right-handed pitchers the Blue Jays faced in Boston last week, but he now finds himself in the starting nine versus a righty for the fourth day in a row. Though he benefited from Vladimir Guerrero being sidelined with a wrist injury for two of those games, Belt has earned back a strong-side platoon role by going 5-for-10 with three doubles, three walks, five runs and two RBI. Expect the lefty-hitting Belt to remain out of the lineup when the Blue Jays face southpaws, however. |
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May 8 2023 | Belt went 3-for-4 with a walk, a double and a run scored in Sunday's win over the Pirates. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Getting the start at first base in place of Vladimir Guerrero (wrist) and batting fifth, Belt put together his second straight multi-hit performance as he finally begins to look comfortable in a Blue Jays uniform. Over his last 10 games, the former Giant is batting .313 (10-for-32) with four doubles and a homer, although he also has 14 strikeouts during that stretch. If Guerrero's wrist continues to bother him, Belt figures to pick up more playing time in the short term, but at the very least he seems to be re-establishing himself as Toronto's top option at DH against right-handed pitching. |
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May 3 2023 | Belt is out of the lineup Wednesday against the Red Sox. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The lefty-hitting Belt has now sat out two straight matchups against right-handed starting pitchers and three of the last four games overall. He's 0-for-12 with seven strikeouts in his last four games and is sitting on a .509 OPS for the season. Matt Chapman will be the designated hitter and Santiago Espinal will play third base Wednesday. |
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Apr 30 2023 | Belt is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Mariners. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt is 0-for-9 with two walks and four strikeouts in his past three games and will head to the bench Sunday with southpaw Marco Gonzales pitching for Seattle. Alejandro Kirk will rest his legs as the designated hitter while Danny Jansen works behind the plate. |
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Apr 4 2023 | Belt isn't in the Blue Jays' lineup for Tuesday's game against the Royals. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: After starting the season just 1-for-11 at the plate through three games, Belt will take a seat Friday for the second time in three days. George Springer will take over as Toronto's designated hitter, opening up right field for Whit Merrifield and allowing Santiago Espinal to get reps at second base, batting eighth. |
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Apr 2 2023 | Belt is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Cardinals. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt batted sixth as Toronto's designated hitter in the first two games of the season, but he'll head to the bench Sunday with lefty Jordan Montgomery pitching for St. Louis. Alejandro Kirk will rest his legs as the designated hitter while Danny Jansen starts behind the plate. |
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Mar 26 2023 | The Blue Jays scratched Belt (illness) from the lineup ahead of Sunday's Grapefruit League game against the Yankees, Ben Nicholson-Smith of Sportsnet.ca reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Toronto's initial lineup listed Belt as its starting first baseman and No. 3 batter, but he'll ultimately take a seat for the second day in a row while he aims to recover from a stomach bug. Provided his symptoms continue to steadily improve in the next few days, Belt should be included on the Blue Jays' Opening Day roster. He's projected to serve as the Blue Jays' primary designated hitter and cleanup batter versus right-handed pitching to begin the season. |
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Mar 25 2023 | Belt is dealing with a stomach illness and won't play Saturday's game against the Tigers, Kaitlyn McGrath of The Athletic reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Health concerns are a significant worry for Belt this year, but a minor illness is something the Blue Jays can definitely live with. The veteran appears set to be the primary designated hitter and cleanup man against righties this season for as long as he can stay on the field. |
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Mar 11 2023 | Belt (knee) will serve as the designated hitter and bat third in Saturday's Grapefruit League game against the Orioles. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The veteran will don a Blue Jays uniform for the first time after 12 years with the Giants. Belt, who underwent right knee surgery last September, has been brought along slowly in camp thus far. If healthy, Belt should serve as the primary DH against right-handed pitching, ceding occasional starts to Alejandro Kirk and Danny Jansen among others. |
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Mar 10 2023 | Belt (knee) took live batting practice Friday in Blue Jays camp, Rob Longley of the Toronto Sun reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt has yet to appear in a Grapefruit League game this spring as he completes his recovery from September knee surgery, but the restraints could come off as soon as this weekend. The 34-year-old joined the Jays on a one-year, $9.3 million contract in January and is fully expected to be a regular option at DH by Opening Day. |
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Mar 2 2023 | Manager John Schneider said Thursday that Belt (knee) is about a week away from making his Grapefruit League debut, Keegan Matheson of MLB.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt is considered fully recovered from last September's knee surgery but is still being eased into things this spring. The Blue Jays don't believe he needs many Grapefruit League at-bats to prepare for the season, so he remains on track for Opening Day. |
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Feb 25 2023 | Belt has yet to participate in a full workout with the rest of the Blue Jays as he gets eased into spring training, Kaitlyn McGrath of The Athletic reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The veteran first baseman is fully healthy after undergoing knee surgery in September, but the organization isn't in a rush to get him up to speed. Instead, Belt has been hitting in the batting cage and doing some running and fielding work on his own through the early part of camp. "My goal is to be ready for day one of the regular season and not day one of games in spring training," Belt said Friday. "We thought that the best thing to do was just to get here, make sure I'm ready to get in games. Once I get in games, I don't need that long to get ready. Maybe just a couple of weeks." The 34-year-old is expected to be Toronto's primary DH this season while occasionally spelling Vladimir Guerrero at first base, and if he can stay mostly healthy, Belt could rebound in a big way from last season's career-low .676 OPS. |
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Jan 11 2023 | Belt noted Wednesday that he feels back to full health after undergoing surgery in September on his right knee, and he anticipates seeing most of his starts with the Blue Jays as a designated hitter during the upcoming season, Scott Mitchell of TSN.ca reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt, who signed a one-year, $9.3 million deal with Toronto earlier this week, admitted that his exact role isn't solidified just yet, but he suggested that he expects to play DH in most games while occasionally spelling Vladimir Guerrero at first base. The arrangement should help Belt from a durability standpoint, given that chronic knee issues along with an assortment of other injuries have cost him extensive time throughout his career. When he was available for the Giants last season, Belt posted a career-worst 96 wRC+ in 298 plate appearances, but the Blue Jays are hoping that improved health coming off surgery along with a superior collection of bats around him can help the 34-year-old bounce back. |
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Jan 9 2023 | Belt (knee) agreed to a one-year, $9.3 million contract with the Blue Jays on Monday, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt had conversations about returning to San Francisco during the offseason, but he'll ultimately end up wearing a new uniform in 2023. Slusser notes that Belt has completed his physical, and he's also returned to health following a September knee surgery. This is a key addition for the Blue Jays with Belt looking to serve as a left-handed bat off the bench. He figures to slot in at the DH spot when Alejandro Kirk is behind the dish or at first base when Vladimir Guerrero needs a day off. |
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Sep 14 2022 | Belt said Wednesday that his right knee is feeling great after he underwent surgery earlier this month, and he's optimistic about his ability to continue playing in 2023, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports. "I know I have a lot left in me and that's what I want to show everybody," Belt said. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Due to the chronic problems Belt has had with the knee in recent years, there had been some thought that retirement could be in the cards for the 34-year-old, but his positive response to surgery has seemingly left him prepared to continue his career. Belt still has several hurdles to clear in his recovery from surgery, but the expectation is that he'll have a relatively normal offseason following a two-month rehab process. Belt, who hit .213 with eight home runs and 23 RBI in 78 games before being shut down for good in late August, will be a free agent this offseason and is unlikely to command more than a one-year deal on the open market, given his age and injury history. |
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Sep 4 2022 | The Giants transferred Belt (knee) from the 10-day injured list to the 60-day IL on Sunday, Maria I. Guardado of MLB.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The transaction comes after Belt underwent season-ending surgery Saturday to address chronic inflammation in his right knee. With the surgery going according to plan, Belt is expected to spend the next two months rehabbing before potentially resuming baseball activities prior to end of 2022. With Belt's move to the 60-day IL, the Giants were able to free up a spot on the 40-man roster for infielder/outfielder Jose Rojas, whom the team claimed off waivers from the Angels. |
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Sep 3 2022 | Belt's knee surgery went as planned Saturday, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt has dealt with chronic knee issues throughout the year and eventually elected to undergo season-ending surgery. The procedure went well, and he's expected to rehab for approximately two months, giving him time to be ready for next season. He'll be a free agent this winter, and the market for a 34-year-old coming off a down season and a significant surgery may not be robust. He's now missed at least 50 games in four of the last five full seasons, so any team taking a chance on him can't count on having him available all year. |
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Sep 2 2022 | Belt will undergo season-ending knee surgery Saturday, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: After receiving a second opinion on his right knee, Belt decided to undergo yet another knee procedure, ending his season. In 2022, Belt slashed .213/.326/.350 -- by far the worst numbers of his career -- and played in just 78 games. The 34-year-old veteran said he would like to continue playing, though at the end of the day it depends on how his knee recovers. |
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Aug 30 2022 | Belt received a second opinion on his right knee Tuesday and was recommended surgery, and he'll take the next 24 hours to weigh his options before deciding whether to undergo the procedure, Evan Webeck of The San Jose Mercury News reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The 34-year-old is battling chronic inflammation in his right knee and underwent an MRI on Friday, which didn't reveal any additional damage, but he was still recommended to undergo surgery when further evaluated. Belt has already had the knee drained three times this season, and a procedure would likely end his 2022 campaign. The veteran first baseman has been limited to 78 games this year due to injuries and has a career-worst .676 OPS. |
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Aug 29 2022 | Belt will get a second opinion on his injured knee Tuesday, John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: An MRI taken Friday on Belt's injured knee came back negative, but he apparently needs another look. The team figures to release another update on his status after the results of his latest exam are read. |
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Aug 26 2022 | Belt (knee) underwent an MRI on Friday that didn't reveal any additional damage, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt has dealt with chronic knee issues this year and was ultimately placed on the injured list with right knee inflammation Wednesday. While he isn't dealing with any structural damage, the Giants plan to give the 34-year-old as much time as he needs to recover in order to prevent a more significant injury. |
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Aug 25 2022 | Belt will undergo an MRI on his inflamed right knee Friday, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: According to Danny Emerman of KNBR.com, Belt's right knee injury has been described as a chronic concern that could threaten the longevity of his career. Belt has required multiple surgeries on the knee during his 12-year career and has already had the knee drained three times this season alone. For the time being, the Giants are hoping the MRI will reveal nothing concerning, keeping the door open for Belt to play again in 2022 if his knee responds well to rest. While Belt is out of action, Wilmer Flores will likely serve as the Giants' primary option at first base. |
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Aug 24 2022 | Belt was placed on the 10-day injured list with right knee inflammation Wednesday. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt has been bothered by his knee issue for most of the year, and he was scratched from Tuesday's lineup against the Tigers after the injury flared up. He was slated to miss a second consecutive game Wednesday and will ultimately be held out for at least a week and a half after being diagnosed with inflammation. J.D. Davis and Wilmer Flores should see additional playing time at first base in Belt's absence, while Bryce Johnson was recalled from Triple-A Sacramento on Wednesday. |
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Aug 23 2022 | Belt was removed from the lineup for Tuesday's game in Detroit after experiencing a flareup of a knee injury, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The Giants don't view the knee issue as a major concern, and Belt will be considered day-to-day for the time being. With Belt on the bench Tuesday, Wilmer Flores will cover first base and Thairo Estrada will enter the starting nine to play second base. |
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Aug 21 2022 | Belt is not in Sunday's lineup against the Rockies, Evan Webeck of The San Jose Mercury News reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt will sit with lefty Kyle Freeland on the mound. J.D. Davis takes over at first base and will hit third. |
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Aug 14 2022 | Belt (thumb) is in the lineup for Sunday's game against the Pirates. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt sat out Saturday with a sore thumb, but that will be the extent of his absence. He will play first base and hit cleanup for the Giants on Sunday. |
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Aug 13 2022 | Belt isn't starting Saturday against the Pirates due to thumb soreness, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt has gone hitless in 10 at-bats over his last three games, and it's possible that he was hindered by his thumb injury. Manager Gabe Kapler didn't sound too concerned about the issue prior to Saturday's matchup, so Belt should be considered day-to-day for now. |
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Aug 8 2022 | Belt is not in the lineup for Monday's game against the Padres, according to Jeff Sanders of The San Diego Union-Tribune. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt is hitting just .216 since the All-Star break and the Giants are facing lefty Blake Snell on Monday, so manager Gabe Kapler decided to give Belt the night off. Wilmer Flores will start at first base in Belt's place. |
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Aug 4 2022 | Belt is out of the lineup for Thursday's game against the Dodgers. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The lefty-hitting Belt will head to the bench for the day game after a night game while the Dodgers bring a southpaw (Clayton Kershaw) to the hill. The righty-hitting David Villar will spell Belt at first base. |
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Aug 1 2022 | Belt is not in the lineup for Monday's game against the Dodgers. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt rarely starts against left-handed pitchers, so it should come as little surprise that he is sitting out Monday with southpaw Andrew Heaney on the bump for the Dodgers. Darin Ruf will start at first base in Belt's place. |
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Jul 28 2022 | Belt isn't starting Thursday's game against the Cubs, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Although Belt has started three games against left-handed pitchers following the All-Star break, he'll get a breather with southpaw Justin Steele on the mound Thursday. Darin Ruf is starting at first base and batting second. |
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Jul 24 2022 | Belt is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Dodgers, Maria I. Guardado of MLB.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt started the first three games out of the All-Star break -- including two against left-handed pitchers -- but he'll head to the bench Sunday with southpaw Clayton Kershaw taking the mound. Darin Ruf will handle first base in Sunday's series finale. |
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Jul 17 2022 | Belt went 2-for-4 with a two-run home run and an additional RBI in a 9-5 victory against the Brewers on Sunday. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt began on the bench Sunday with lefty Aaron Ashby on the mound and entered in the second inning once Ashby had departed. The 34-year-old delivered an RBI-single in the second and tacked on two-run homer in the sixth off bulk pitcher Jason Alexander. Belt has been scorching of late -- batting 10-for-20 with two doubles and two homers over his last six games -- and concludes the first half with a .243/.355/.426 line, eight home runs, 22 runs and 19 RBI in 52 games. |
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Jul 16 2022 | Belt isn't in the lineup Saturday against the Brewers. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt started the last three games but will head to the bench with left-hander Eric Lauer on the mound Saturday. Darin Ruf is taking over at first base and batting third. |
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Jul 13 2022 | Belt went 2-for-4 with a solo home run and two RBI on Wednesday against the Diamondbacks. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt took Zac Gallen yard in the seventh inning to record his seventh homer of the season. Across his last four games, Belt has gone 8-for-11 with two homers, two doubles, three RBI and four runs scored. For the season, he owns a .239/.354/.415 line in 189 plate appearances. |
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Jul 12 2022 | Belt is out of the lineup for Tuesday's game versus the Diamondbacks, Maria I. Guardado of MLB.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt returned from a one-game absence Monday and went 3-for-3 with a double, but he'll return to the bench Tuesday since southpaw Dallas Keuchel is on the mound for Arizona. Darin Ruf will start at first base in his place. |
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Jul 11 2022 | Belt (knee) went 3-for-3 with a double in Monday's 4-3 loss to the Diamondbacks. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt missed Sunday's game with knee tenderness, but it was never expected to be a long-term absence. The first baseman was perfect at the plate Monday in his second straight multi-hit effort before he was lifted for pinch hitter Austin Slater in the eighth inning. Belt has gone 6-for-7 across his last three games. He's still batting a mediocre .232, but he's posted a .745 OPS with six home runs, five doubles, 15 RBI, 19 runs scored and a stolen bases in 48 contests. Belt should continue to play regularly versus right-handed pitchers, but he's often been on the bench against southpaws. |
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Jul 10 2022 | Belt (knee) is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Padres, Maria I. Guardado of MLB.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt, who already spent time on the injured list earlier this season with right knee inflammation, is dealing with renewed tenderness in his knee. He'll be on the bench for the second game in a row, but the Giants remain hopeful that his injury isn't anything that will keep him out through the All-Star break. Even if the knee issue hadn't cropped up in Saturday's 3-1 win, the lefty-hitting Belt may have been due to receive Sunday's game off anyway with southpaw MacKenzie Gore taking the hill for San Diego. |
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Jul 9 2022 | Belt exited Saturday's game against the Padres with knee tenderness, John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt exited after sprinting down the first base line on an infield single. The exit was seemingly precautionary, as manager Gabe Kapler told reporters after the game that he hopes Belt will be in Sunday's lineup. |
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Jul 8 2022 | Belt went hit a two-run home run in his only at-bat during Friday's 6-3 loss to the Padres. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt brought the Giants within three runs with his ninth-inning blast. The first baseman had gone 0-for-10 across his last five games, and he hasn't posted a multi-hit effort since June 21. The 34-year-old appears to have slipped into the strong side of a platoon at first base. He has a .208/.331/.362 slash line, six homers, 15 RBI, 18 runs scored and a stolen base through 178 plate appearances. Wilmer Flores or Darin Ruf should be expected to draw starts at first base against southpaws, though Belt can usually be counted on for a pinch hitting appearance once a right-handed pitcher is on the hill. |
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Jul 5 2022 | Belt is out of the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Diamondbacks, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Tyler Gilbert is the second consecutive left-hander starter sent out by Arizona, and Belt will take a seat for the second straight day as a result. The veteran first baseman is 2-for-25 with an RBI, two walks and 11 strikeouts across his past nine games. |
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Jul 4 2022 | Belt is not in the lineup for Monday's game against the Diamondbacks. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt is stuck in a 4-for-34 (.118) slump and the Giants are facing lefty Madison Bumgarner on Monday, so he will get a day to clear his head. Wilmer Flores will start at first base for the Giants. |
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Jun 28 2022 | Belt is out of the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Tigers, Amy Gutierrez of the Giants' official site reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt is 5-for-26 in 11 games since returning from the injured list June 14, and he'll take a seat Tuesday with lefty Tarik Skubal pitching for Detroit. Darin Ruf will start at first base for San Francisco. |
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Jun 25 2022 | Belt isn't in the lineup Saturday against the Reds, Maria I. Guardado of MLB.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt has started against just three left-handed pitchers this season, and he'll take a seat with southpaw Mike Minor on the mound for Cincinnati on Saturday. Darin Ruf is starting at first base and batting cleanup. |
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Jun 23 2022 | Belt is not in the starting lineup for Thursday's matchup with Atlanta. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt will get a breather Thursday after he went 2-for-9 with a run scored and six strikeouts in the first two games of the series. Darin Ruf will get the start at first base and bat third in the series finale. |
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Jun 20 2022 | Belt will sit Monday against Atlanta, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Since his return from a knee injury last week, Belt has started against three righties while sitting against three lefties. He hits the bench here as the Giants load up on right-handers against southpaw Max Fried. Darin Ruf will take over at first base. |
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Jun 18 2022 | Belt isn't in the lineup for Saturday's game against Pittsburgh, Maria I. Guardado of MLB.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt went 3-for-6 with a solo home run, a double, two walks and a strikeout over the last three games but will retreat to the bench with left-hander Jose Quintana on the mound for the Pirates on Saturday. Wilmer Flores is starting at first base and batting second. |
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Jun 15 2022 | Belt went 1-for-3 with a solo home run and a walk Wednesday against the Royals. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt made his first start since May 21 after being sidelined by a knee injury. He went yard in his second plate appearance to lead off the fourth inning and record his fifth homer of the season. Belt has a .341 wOBA and 122 wRC+ across 125 plate appearances on the campaign. |
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Jun 14 2022 | Belt (knee) was activated from the 10-day injured list but isn't in the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Royals, Maria I. Guardado of MLB.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt has been sidelined for more than three weeks due to inflammation in his right knee, but he'll rejoin the active roster ahead of Tuesday's matchup with Kansas City. The 34-year-old isn't starting with lefty Kris Bubic pitching for the Royals, but the first baseman should start Wednesday against righty Jonathan Heasley. |
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Jun 13 2022 | Belt (knee) could be activated from the 10-day injured list during San Francisco's three-game series with Kansas City, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt is feeling strong, per Pavlovic, though the team has yet to set a firm date for his activation. The Giants appear to be taking it day-by-day with the first baseman. |
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Jun 11 2022 | Belt (knee) probably won't return from the 10-day injured list Sunday, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt hasn't been announced as suffering a setback, but manager Gabe Kapler indicated it could still be a few days before he's back. As long as the first baseman is sidelined, there should be more playing time available for Darin Ruf. It's questionable if Belt will return during next week's series versus the Royals -- nothing definitive has been determined on how much longer Belt is out. |
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Jun 7 2022 | Blet (knee) hopes to ramp up his running program over the next few days before returning from the 10-day injured list, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The 34-year-old received a cortisone injection May 22 after landing on the injured list with right knee inflammation, but he began his running program last week and appears to be nearing his return to the active roster. Belt doesn't believe he'll require a minor-league rehab assignment before being activated, so he could be back with the Giants relatively quickly if he can avoid any setbacks. |
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Jun 3 2022 | Belt (knee) will begin a running progression Friday, Evan Webeck of The San Jose Mercury News reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt resumed hitting in a batting cage Monday, and he'll be able to begin running to close out the week. However, it's not yet clear when he'll return to game action or whether he'll require a rehab assignment prior to rejoining the Giants. |
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May 30 2022 | Belt (knee) hit in a batting cage Monday, Maria I. Guardado of MLB.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt hasn't played in 12 days due to right knee inflammation. He's already eligible to return from the injured list, but his return isn't imminent. He remains in San Francisco to continue his recovery while his teammates are away on a 10-game road trip. It's unclear if he'll need a rehab assignment before returning to the active roster. |
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May 27 2022 | Belt (knee) isn't expected to be ready to return from the injured list when first eligible Sunday, Evan Webeck of The San Jose Mercury News reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt received a cortisone shot and had his knee drained last weekend, and he remains in San Francisco to rehab while the team embarks on a 10-game road trip. Whether or not he'll join the team at some point during the trip remains to be seen. |
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May 22 2022 | Belt received a cortisone shot and had his knee drained Sunday, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt was unavailable for the Giants' weekend series against the Padres and has landed on the injured list for the second time this season. However, he's optimistic that he'll be able to return after spending the minimum of 10 days on the IL. Darin Ruf and Wilmer Flores should see additional time at first base while Belt is sidelined. |
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May 21 2022 | Belt was scratched from the lineup for Saturday's game against the Padres due to right knee discomfort, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt had his right knee drained Friday, and he'll ultimately be held out of the lineup for a second straight game. It's not yet clear whether he'll be available off the bench Saturday, but he should tentatively be considered day-to-day. Wilmer Flores was added to the lineup as the designated hitter. |
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May 20 2022 | Belt isn't starting Friday against the Padres, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt started in the last eight matchups but will get a breather after he went 1-for-17 with a run, a walk and seven strikeouts over the last four games. Wilmer Flores will shift to first base while Thairo Estrada enters the lineup at the keystone. |
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May 11 2022 | Belt went 2-for-3 with a walk, an RBI and a stolen base in Wednesday's 7-1 win over the Rockies. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt has now gone 3-for-8 in two games since he returned from neck stiffness. The first baseman also showed off a little speed with his first stolen base of the year. He hasn't attempted more than seven steals in any of the last six years, so he shouldn't be expected to contribute much in that area. The 34-year-old is slashing .253/.387/.467 with four home runs, 11 RBI and 12 runs scored through 92 plate appearances. |
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May 10 2022 | Belt (neck) is starting at first base and batting second Tuesday against the Rockies, Amy Gutierrez of the Giants' official site reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt was listed in the lineup each of the past two days before ultimately being scratched with neck stiffness, and he's once again in the starting nine. Assuming the 34-year-old actually plays Tuesday, it will be only his second appearance since being activated off the COVID-19 injured list Saturday. |
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May 9 2022 | Belt is no longer in the starting lineup for Monday's game against the Rockies due to neck stiffness, Maria I. Guardado of MLB.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: This is the second day in a row Belt has been scratched from the starting nine, as he's still dealing with a neck issue. Darin Ruf draws the start at first base and will bat fifth in Belt's place. |
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May 8 2022 | Belt (neck) is no longer listed in the starting lineup for Sunday's game versus the Cardinals, Maria I. Guardado of MLB.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt was originally penciled in to start at first base Sunday, but he'll instead be sidelined with the neck stiffness that led to his early exit Saturday. He should be considered day-to-day for now, while Darin Ruf starts at first base in his place. For what it's worth, Belt told Steve Kroner of the San Francisco Chronicle that he doesn't believe the neck issue will keep him on the bench beyond Sunday's game. |
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May 7 2022 | Belt exited Saturday's game against the Cardinals due to neck stiffness, John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt exited the game in the eighth inning after a swing. It's unclear how serious the injury is at this time, so he should be considered day-to-day. Belt was activated from the COVID-19 injured list prior to Saturday's game, and he went 0-for-1 with three walks and two runs scored prior to his exit. |
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Apr 25 2022 | Belt went 2-for-5 with an RBI triple, a walk and a run scored in Sunday's 12-3 win over the Nationals. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt showed off a little unexpected speed with his second-inning three-bagger to knock in the Giants' fourth run. He hasn't had more than three triples in any of the last five seasons. The first baseman snapped an 0-for-11 funk from his previous three games with this multi-hit performance, his first since April 16. Belt is slashing .236/.373/.509 with four home runs, nine RBI and nine runs scored in 67 plate appearances. |
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Apr 20 2022 | Belt went 1-for-3 with a solo home run and a walk Wednesday in a 5-2 victory against the Mets. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt registered the only long ball of the contest when he went deep to right field in the second inning. The homer was his fourth of the campaign, tied for fifth in the league. He's coming off a 2021 season during which he slugged a career-high 29 homers in only 325 at-bats. |
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Apr 17 2022 | Belt went 1-for-5 with a two-run home run in Sunday's 8-1 win over the Guardians. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt gave the Giants some extra insurance when he homered off Guardians reliever Anthony Castro in the seventh inning. This was Belt's third long ball in just seven games this season. The first baseman went yard a career-high 29 times last year, and it appears his power surge has carried over. He's slashing .345/.441/.609 with seven RBI and six runs scored through 34 plate appearances in 2022. |
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Apr 13 2022 | Belt is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Padres, Evan Webeck of The San Jose Mercury News reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: With a lefty (Sean Manaea) on the hill for Padres and the Giants playing a day game after a night game, manager Gabe Kapler opted to extend a breather to the lefty-hitting Belt. Wilmer Flores will fill in at first base for Belt, who has gone 7-for-16 with two home runs, a double and three walks through his first four games. |
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Apr 12 2022 | Belt went 2-for-4 with a two-run home run, an additional run and a walk in a 13-2 win over San Diego on Tuesday. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt kicked off the scoring with a two-run shot off opposing starter Yu Darvish in the first inning, added a single and run in the second and walked in the fifth. The veteran first baseman has been locked in early and is now slashing .438/.526/.875 with two home runs and three multi-hit games through four games on the young season. |
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Apr 11 2022 | Belt went 3-for-4 with a double and a walk in Monday's 4-2 loss to the Padres. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt and Brandon Crawford were the only Giants to record multiple hits in the contest. Through three games, Belt is 5-for-12 with a home run, a double, one RBI and two runs scored. He was hampered by knee inflammation in spring training, but it hasn't been much of an issue for the first baseman once the games started to count. He should continue to play regularly versus right-handed pitchers, though he may be on the bench occasionally versus southpaws. |
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Apr 10 2022 | Belt is not in the lineup Sunday against the Marlins, Andrew Baggarly of The Athletic reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Left-hander Trevor Rogers is starting Sunday for Miami, so Belt will head to the bench for the first time this season. Darin Ruf will start at first base in his place while Wilmer Flores serves as the designated hitter. |
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Apr 8 2022 | Belt went 2-for-4 with a walk, a solo home run and a second run scored in Friday's 6-5 extra-inning win over the Marlins. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: It was an impressive performance from the veteran first baseman in the Giants' opener, highlighted by an eighth-inning blast off lefty reliever Richard Bleier. Belt posted career-best power numbers last year with 29 homers and a .597 SLG, and he's picked up right where he left off to begin 2022. |
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Apr 4 2022 | Belt (knee) will serve as the Giants' designated hitter and will bat second in Monday's Cactus League game against the Athletics. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt started at first base and went 0-for-2 in his spring debut Saturday against the Dodgers, but the Giants will have him fill a non-defensive role in the lineup for his second start of the Cactus League season. The Giants plan to keep Belt in the starting nine Tuesday before deciding whether he's fit to be part of the Opening Day roster, or if he'll require a brief IL stint to begin the season. Darin Ruf would likely absorb most of the at-bats at first base if Belt is sidelined for the start of the campaign. |
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Apr 3 2022 | Belt (knee) struck out swinging in his two plate appearances Saturday and said it may take a few weeks for him to find his rhythm at the plate, Evan Webeck of the San Jose Mercury News reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: He will have played at most three exhibitions games before Opening Day, and Belt hopes to play both Monday and Tuesday before determining his status for Opening Day. Belt only played in four spring training games last year and still set a career high with 29 home runs in 97 games, but he admitted that he's not where he'd like to be yet at the dish. The Giants are shorthanded, as LaMonte Wade and Evan Longoria are set to open the year on the injured list, so Darin Ruf, Wilmer Flores and Austin Slater could be set for more regular playing time early in the year. |
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Mar 31 2022 | Belt (knee) could make his spring debut Monday, John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Knee inflammation has slowed Belt throughout camp, but the Giants still have some optimism that he'll be ready for Opening Day. If he's able to avoid the injured list, he'll still likely see a reduced workload over the first week or so of the season, as he'll have played in a maximum of two spring training games. |
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Mar 30 2022 | Belt (knee) will run the bases Wednesday and could make his Cactus League debut sometime this weekend, Maria I. Guardado of MLB.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt has been dealing with knee inflammation recently but has participated fully in workouts despite being held out of game action. Manager Gabe Kapler has remained optimistic that the 33-year-old will be ready for Opening Day, and it would certainly be encouraging if he was able to make his Cactus League debut this weekend. |
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Mar 29 2022 | Giants manager Gabe Kapler said Tuesday that Belt (knee) remains on track to be ready for Opening Day "for now," Andrew Baggarly of The Athletic reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt has dealt with knee inflammation this spring and hasn't gotten into a Cactus League game, but he's been able to participate fully in workouts. He won't get to face much live pitching unless he returns to game action soon, but the Giants seem fairly confident in his readiness nonetheless. Injuries will remain a concern for the veteran throughout the year, as he's played 112 or fewer games in three of the last four full seasons, but he's a good bet to produce strong numbers when healthy. He homered 29 times in 97 games last season while slashing .274/.378/.597. |
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Mar 26 2022 | Belt (knee) is participating in full baseball workouts and will be re-evaluated for spring training action within a week, Evan Webeck of The San Jose Mercury Newsreports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt missed just over a month with a knee injury in the middle of the 2021 campaign, though it's unclear if this is a related issue. He has yet to appear in any spring training contests. The Giants have not made any determination about his availability for Opening Day. |
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Nov 17 2021 | Belt (thumb) accepted his one-year, $18.4 million qualifying offer Wednesday, Joel Sherman of the New York Post reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt spent the first 11 seasons of his career in San Francisco, and he'll remain with the Giants for at least one more year after accepting his qualifying offer. The 33-year-old missed time with various injuries in 2021, but it's unlikely that the fractured left thumb he suffered late in the season will affect his availability this spring. Belt appeared in 97 games last season and slashed .274/.378/.597 with 29 homers, 65 runs, 59 RBI and three stolen bases. |
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Nov 7 2021 | The Giants extended a qualifying offer to Belt (thumb) on Sunday, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt missed the final week of the 2021 campaign with a thumb injury, but it's unlikely that the issue will impact his availability for spring training in 2022. The 33-year-old will have 10 days to decide whether to accept the offer from San Francisco. |
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Oct 12 2021 | Belt (thumb) was fielding grounders prior to Game 4 of the NLDS against the Dodgers on Tuesday, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Manager Gabe Kapler previously said it'd be a "dream scenario" for the veteran first baseman to be ready for the NLCS, and the fact he's participating in baseball activities this week should leave that door open. If Belt can progress to swinging a bat and facing live pitching within the next couple days, he could be included on the roster for the NLCS, which would begin Saturday should the Giants advance. |
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Oct 5 2021 | Manager Gabe Kapler said Tuesday it's "the dream scenario" for Belt (thumb) to be ready in time for the National League Championship Series, Andrew Baggarly of The Athletic reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt landed on the injured list last week after suffering a fractured left thumb, and he'll be sidelined for at least the NLDS. It was reported the injury is expected to require about four weeks to heal, though the team is still holding out hope the 33-year-old will return ahead of that timeline. Darin Ruf and LaMonte Wade should see action at first base in the meantime for the Giants. |
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Sep 28 2021 | Belt (thumb) was placed on the 10-day injured list Tuesday, retroactive to Sept. 27. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The 33-year-old was diagnosed with a fractured left thumb Monday, and it's not much of a surprise to see him making his way to the injured list. Belt hasn't been given an official timeline for his return and will be reevaluated week-to-week, though according to Andrew Baggarly of The Athletic, it's expected to take about four weeks for the fracture to heal. |
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Sep 27 2021 | Belt has been diagnosed with a fractured left thumb, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt had to leave Sunday's matchup against the Rockies after being drilled by a fastball on the hand, and X-rays failed to bring good news. The timing on Belt's injury couldn't be worse for San Francisco with the postseason right around the corner. He'll meet with team doctors over the next few days to determine the next steps in his recovery and a timetable for a return, per Maria I. Guardado of MLB.com. According to Andrew Baggarly of The Athletic, Belt is expected to be moved to the 10-day injured list for the remainder of the regular season, though a return during the playoffs has not yet been ruled out. |
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Sep 26 2021 | Belt left Sunday's game against the Rockies after getting hit in the left thumb by a pitch, Andrew Baggarly of The Athletic reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt initially remained in the game to run the bases but was replaced by Wilmer Flores when the Giants took the field. The severity of the injury is not yet clear, but Belt will get at least one day to rest, as the Giants have a scheduled off day Monday. |
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Sep 24 2021 | Belt went 2-for-5 with a solo home run in a 7-2 victory versus the Rockies on Friday. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt's sixth-inning, 424-foot shot to right field broke a 2-2 tie to give the Giants a lead they did not relinquish. It was the veteran's 27th homer of the campaign, well above his previous career-high mark of 18. Belt has been hot of the plate of late, batting .373 (22-for-59) with six homers, 13 RBI and 17 runs over his past 15 games. |
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Sep 19 2021 | Belt is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against Atlanta, Amy Gutierrez of the Giants' official site reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The lefty-hitting Belt will ride the bench in the series finale with southpaw Max Fried on the hill for Atlanta. Wilmer Flores fills in for Belt at first base. |
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Sep 18 2021 | Belt went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run and a walk in Friday's 6-5 extra-innings win over Atlanta. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The first baseman made his biggest contribution early, hitting a game-tying blast in the first inning. Belt has put together an impressive September so far, slashing .328/.426/.707 with six homers, 13 RBI, 15 runs scored and four doubles in his last 14 games. His .582 slugging percentage for the year is just nine points shy of his career-best mark from 51 games last season, and his 26 long balls are by far the most in a campaign for the 33-year-old. |
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Sep 16 2021 | Belt went 2-for-5 with a solo home run and an additional run scored in Wednesday's loss to the Padres. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt's seventh-inning solo shot brought San Francisco to within two runs on the scoreboard, but it was the final tally the Giants were able to muster in the contest. The long ball was Belt's 25th of the campaign, extending his career-best single-season mark. He has gone deep in five of his past eight contests and is slashing .429/.487/.971 with five homers, 11 RBI and 12 runs over that stretch. |
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Sep 14 2021 | Belt went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run in Monday's 9-1 win over San Diego. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The first baseman is locked in at the plate with a six-game hitting streak. In that span, Belt has gone 11-for-25 (.440) with four homers, nine RBI, nine runs scored and three doubles. The 33-year-old sports a .258/.364/.573 slash line with 24 long balls, 50 RBI, 53 runs scored and three stolen bases in 327 plate appearances overall. |
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Sep 12 2021 | Belt will hit the bench Sunday against the Cubs. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The Giants will load up on righties against southpaw Justin Steele. Wilmer Flores (hamstring) returns from the injured list to start at first base. |
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Sep 11 2021 | Belt went 2-for-4 with a homer, a double, a walk, two runs scored and three RBI in Saturday's 15-4 win over the Cubs. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: A day after proclaiming himself team captain by taping a "C" onto his jersey, Belt kept the good vibes going Saturday with a three-run homer off Zach Davies that broke the game open in the second inning. The 33-year-old is currently riding a five-game hit streak that has seen him go 10-for-21 with three homers and seven RBI. |
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Sep 8 2021 | Belt went 3-for-5 with a pair of runs scored in Wednesday's 7-4 win over Colorado. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: All three of Belt's hits were singles, but he scored on a sixth-inning Brandon Crawford home run and a ninth-inning Evan Longoria double. Through his last 12 games, Belt has recorded four multi-hit efforts while going 16-for-50 (.320) in that span. He's up to a .250/.353/.537 slash line with 21 homers, 43 RBI, 48 runs scored and three stolen bases through 312 plate appearances overall. |
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Sep 6 2021 | Belt isn't starting Monday's game against the Rockies, Kerry Crowley of The San Jose Mercury News reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt went 3-for-19 with a homer, three runs and four walks across the last five games, but he'll get a breather Monday. Darin Ruf will start at first base and lead off. |
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Sep 5 2021 | Belt went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in a 6-4 triumph against the Dodgers on Sunday. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt opened the game's scoring with a 420-foot long ball off Los Angeles starter Walker Buehler in the first inning though he failed to be productive in his other at-bats. It was the lefty's fourth home run in his last 10 games as he continues to build on a new career high while posting his highest slugging of any full season at .535. |
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Sep 1 2021 | Belt went 1-for-5 with a solo home run in a loss to the Brewers on Tuesday. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The first baseman endured a mostly frustrating game, leaving three men on base and striking out twice in five at-bats. However, he atoned by swatting a solo homer to center field in the sixth inning for his team's first run. Belt has been picking things up at the plate of late, slashing .381/.409/.857 with three homers and four RBI over his past five games. |
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Aug 29 2021 | Belt (personal) was activated from the bereavement list and will start at first base Sunday against Atlanta, Kerry Crowley of The San Jose Mercury News reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt stepped away from the team for the past few days following the death of his grandmother, but he's back in the lineup as expected for Sunday's series finale. The 33-year-old is slashing .211/.308/.649 with eight home runs, 12 RBI and 10 runs through 17 games in August. |
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Aug 26 2021 | Belt was placed on the bereavement list Thursday, Andrew Baggarly of The Athletic reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt will step away from the team for a few days following the death of his grandmother earlier this week. He's expected to rejoin the team Sunday in Atlanta and be available for the series finale. |
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Aug 25 2021 | Belt will likely go on the bereavement list Friday, Maria I. Guardado of MLB.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt will miss all of the weekend series in Atlanta and possibly a few more games beyond that. The bereavement list's maximum stay is seven games, so he'll return no later than Friday, Sept. 3 against the Dodgers. |
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Aug 24 2021 | Belt went 4-for-5 with two home runs and three RBI on Tuesday against the Mets. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt tallied hits in each of his first three at-bats, two of which went for home runs. He now has 19 long balls on the season, with eight having come since he was activated from the injured list Aug. 5. Despite the power surge, he's hitting just .226 in that span with only four hits that didn't clear the fence. Overall, Belt is hitting .247/.355/.556 across 262 plate appearances for the season. |
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Aug 21 2021 | Belt went 1-for-3 with a solo home run, a walk and a hit by pitch in Saturday's 6-5 win over Oakland. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The first baseman went initiated a back-to-back homers sequence with Darin Ruf in the seventh inning that pulled San Francisco within a run. Belt has cooled off dramatically after he was red-hot in his return from a six-week stint on the injured list. Over his last 10 games, the 33-year-old has gone just 3-for-31 with two homers, two RBI, three runs scored and a double. The cold stretch has dropped his season slash line to .238/.352/.533 across 253 plate appearances. |
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Aug 17 2021 | Belt went 1-for-2 with a solo home run as the Giants defeated the Mets, 7-5 on Monday. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt batted for reliever Tony Watson and ignited a three-run inning that provided valuable insurance with his 422-foot bomb to center. It was the veteran first baseman's fifth home run in 10 games this month since returning from injury, though he has just two additional hits that haven't left the yard. |
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Aug 16 2021 | Belt will sit against lefty Rich Hill and the Mets on Monday, Amy Gutierrez of the Giants' official site reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt has started against every righty while sitting against every lefty since his return from the injured list in early August. Wilmer Flores will be the first baseman in his absence. |
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Aug 14 2021 | Belt will sit Saturday against Colorado, Amy Gutierrez of the Giants' official site reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt has homered four times in seven games since returning from a knee injury. He'll get the day off against lefty Kyle Freeland, with Wilmer Flores starting at first base. |
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Aug 13 2021 | Belt isn't starting Friday's game against the Rockies, Maria I. Guardado of MLB.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt has gone hitless with a walk and three strikeouts in his last seven at-bats, and he'll get a breather with left-hander Austin Gomber on the mound Friday. Darin Ruf will start at first base and bat fourth. |
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Aug 8 2021 | Belt hit a two-run home run in his only at-bat during Sunday's 5-4 win over Milwaukee. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: After starting three straight games, Belt was out of the lineup for rest Sunday. He entered as pinch hitter for Jose Alvarez in the seventh inning, and Belt delivered his fourth homer in his last 10 at-bats, which was also a game-tying blast. The 33-year-old recent surge has lifted his slash line to .262/.370/.568 across 216 plate appearances. He's up to 15 homers, 35 RBI, 35 runs scored and three stolen bases in 59 games. |
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Aug 7 2021 | Belt went 2-for-5 with a pair of home runs, three RBI and three runs scored Saturday against the Brewers. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt went yard off of Brandon Woodruff in the fourth inning and Sal Romano in the 11th, the latter a two-run shot that gave the Giants an 8-5 cushion. The 33-year-old Belt has been scorching the ball since returning from the injured list, going 4-for-12 with three homers, five RBI and a pair of walks in three games. He's now hitting .258/.367/.549 with 13 homers and 33 RBI in 215 plate appearances this season. |
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Aug 6 2021 | Belt went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Friday's 2-1 extra-inning loss to Milwaukee. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The first baseman has hit safely in both games since he returned from the injured list, and the hitting streak is up to 11 games dating back to before his knee injury. Belt's homer Friday accounted for San Francisco's lone run in the contest. He's up to 12 long balls, 30 RBI, 31 runs scored and three stolen bases while posting an .883 OPS through 209 plate appearances. |
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Aug 5 2021 | Belt (knee) went 1-for-3 with an RBI single and a walk in Thursday's 5-4 extra-inning win over Arizona. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: After missing roughly six weeks with a knee injury, Belt returned to the lineup Thursday. The first baseman provided an RBI single in San Francisco's four-run rally in the ninth inning before he was lifted for pinch runner Steven Duggar. Belt's personal hitting streak was extended to 10 games -- he was red-hot before the injury, and he'll look to regain that form over the final two months of the season. Overall, the 33-year-old is slashing .254/.366/.509 with 11 home runs, 29 RBI, 30 runs scored and three stolen bases through 205 plate appearances. |
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Jul 31 2021 | Belt (knee) should return within a week or 10 days, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt was having a strong season at the plate, slashing .253/.363/.512, before suffering a knee injury in late June. He's made a pair of rehab appearances already but needs a few more before he's considered ready to return. |
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Jul 27 2021 | Belt (knee) will report to Triple-A Sacramento on Thursday to begin a rehab assignment, Andrew Baggarly of The Athletic reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt has been on the shelf over a month while recovering from an inflamed right knee, and he's set to begin the final stage of his rehab work this week, The veteran first baseman is expected to require four or five games in the minors to get back up to speed, so he should rejoin the Giants early next week if all goes well. |
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Jul 22 2021 | Belt (knee) will start running the bases over the weekend, Amy Gutierrez of the Giants' official site reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt resumed light baseball activity early in July and is set to begin the next step toward his return. After the diagnosis, he opted to avoid surgery in an effort to return to the field faster, though there is still no timetable for his activation off the injured list. |
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Jul 5 2021 | Belt (knee) will resume light baseball activity Monday, Mark W. Sanchez of KNBR 680 San Francisco reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt has been managing right knee inflammation for just under two weeks, but he's dealing with minimal structural damage to his knee and will undergo a rehab process rather than having surgery. While rehab should have a shorter recovery timetable than he'd have if he elected for surgery, a better idea of a return date likely won't be known until the 33-year-old is able to ramp up his activity level. |
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Jul 1 2021 | Belt (knee) is opting to rehab his knee rather than undergo surgery, Andrew Baggarly of The Athletic reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: This news was expected after it was determined that Belt suffered only minimal structural damage to his knee. He received the opinion of three doctors, all of whom agreed that rehab was a viable option. There's no current timeline for his return. |
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Jun 28 2021 | Belt is dealing with minimal structural damage in his right knee but is expected to avoid surgery, John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt has already sought a second opinion, and he's expected to receive yet another opinion Wednesday from Dr. McAdams of Stanford, per Andrew Baggarly of The Athletic. The team expects that he'll be able to rehab instead go under the knife, but a final decision has yet to be made by the first baseman. |
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Jun 26 2021 | Belt will travel to Los Angeles and Stanford in search of a second opinion on his knee injury, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt has been banged up by minor issues throughout the season and hit the injured list for the second time this year Friday with what's being called right knee inflammation for now. A clearer picture of the severity of the issue and his expected return date should emerge after he gets the additional opinion. |
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Jun 25 2021 | Belt was placed on the 10-day injured list with right knee inflammation Friday, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt was removed from Wednesday's game due to a right knee injury, and he's dealing with inflammation. It's not yet clear when he'll be able to return, but manager Gabe Kapler said that the first baseman could require surgery and will miss more than the minimum of 10 days, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports. Wilmer Flores and Darin Ruf could see additional time at first base in Belt's absence, while LaMonte Wade was recalled from Triple-A Sacramento in a corresponding move. |
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Jun 24 2021 | The Giants are still waiting for MRI results on Belt's right knee, but there's a "really good chance" that he will be placed on the injured list, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The actual severity of Belt's injury remains unknown and should be clarified when the MRI results return. The team remains optimistic that the injury will be short term, though Belt's right knee was surgically repaired in 2018. He will likely be sidelined until at least early July. |
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Jun 23 2021 | Belt's departure from Wednesday's game against the Angels was due to a right knee injury, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The veteran will undergo an MRI on Thursday to determine the nature and severity of the injury. Darin Ruf figures to get the majority of the reps at first base during Belt's absence, however long that may be. |
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Jun 19 2021 | Belt went 1-for-3 with a walk, a solo home run and a stolen base in Saturday's 13-6 loss to the Phillies. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: His third-inning blast off Aaron Nola was Belt's third homer in the last four days and 11th of the year, while the steal was his third. The veteran first baseman has hit safely in six straight games, batting .478 (11-for-23) over that stretch to push his slash line on the season to .255/.372/.535. |
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Jun 17 2021 | Belt went 2-for-4 with a three-run home run, a triple and a walk in Wednesday's win over the Diamondbacks. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt recorded his third straight multi-hit contest and it seems his 0-for-16 slump earlier this month is a thing of the past. The slugging first baseman also ended a streak of 16 straight games without a homer with his three-run shot off Ryan Buchter in the fifth inning. Belt is hitting .323 with a 1.093 OPS across nine games this month following a stint on the injured list. |
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Jun 16 2021 | Belt went 3-for-3 with a triple, a double, a walk and three runs scored in Tuesday's 9-8 win over Arizona. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt came up a home run short of the cycle in San Francisco's comeback win. The first baseman went 0-for-12 in last weekend's series versus Washington, but he's now 5-for-7 in two games against Arizona. Four of those hits have gone for extra bases. The 33-year-old is slashing .241/.365/.475 with eight home runs, 22 RBI, 24 runs scored and two stolen bases through 170 plate appearances overall. |
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Jun 8 2021 | Belt (oblique) went 3-for-4 with a walk and three runs scored in Tuesday's 9-4 win over Texas. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt spent just under two weeks on the injured list. He was productive in his return, notching his first multi-hit game since May 8. The first baseman is slashing .246/.366/.483 with eight home runs, 21 RBI, 21 runs scored and two stolen bases in 142 plate appearances. He is likely to resume a near-everyday role going forward, although it wouldn't be surprising to see the 33-year-old receive maintenance days at times. |
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Jun 6 2021 | Manager Gabe Kapler said Sunday that Belt (oblique) will likely be activated from the injured list during the Giants' upcoming five-game road trip that begins Tuesday in Texas, Mark W. Sanchez of KNBR 680 San Francisco reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: San Francisco was dealt a massive blow Sunday when Evan Longoria (shoulder) was placed on the IL with an injury that will likely sideline him 4-to-6 weeks, but the impending return of Belt cushions the loss of Longoria to some degree. Kapler said that Belt has resumed fielding ground balls and running the bases, activities that presumably represent the final hurdles he'll need to clear in his recovery from a left oblique strain. Since the Giants will have the designated hitter available for their two-game set in Texas, they would have the luxury of easing Belt back into the mix in a non-defensive role if they choose to activate him Tuesday. |
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Jun 5 2021 | Belt (oblique) isn't starting Saturday's game against the Cubs, Mark W. Sanchez of KNBR 680 San Francisco reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt took batting practice Thursday and could return to action for Sunday's series finale, but he'll remain out of the lineup Saturday. LaMonte Wade will start at first base and lead off. |
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Jun 3 2021 | Belt (oblique) will take batting practice Thursday and could return from the injured list this weekend, Amy Gutierrez of the Giants' official site reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The 33-year-old was expected to miss 10-to-14 days with the oblique strain and is eligible to be activated this weekend, and it appears he's on schedule in his recovery. Wilmer Flores should continue seeing time at first base until Belt can return. |
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May 26 2021 | Belt was placed on the 10-day injured list Wednesday with a mild left oblique strain, Maria I. Guardado of MLB.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt is expected to miss 10-14 days with the oblique injury. The first baseman has struggled with a .228 average this season, but his defense and veteran presence will certainly be missed while he recovers. Jason Vosler was recalled to fill Belt's spot on the active roster. |
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May 25 2021 | Belt was removed from Tuesday's game against the Diamondbacks with an apparent side injury, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The 33-year-old missed time with side tightness last week and returned to action over the weekend against the Dodgers, but he's apparently not past the injury as he was seen grimacing during swings before being removed Tuesday. Belt previously missed six consecutive games due to the issue, so a trip to the injured list could be on the table to give him some time to get healthy. |
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May 23 2021 | Belt is not in the lineup Sunday against the Dodgers, Maria I. Guardado of MLB.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt is 2-for-8 with a double and four strikeouts through the first two games of the series, and he'll take a seat for Sunday's finale with Julio Urias on the mound for the Dodgers. Darin Ruf will start at first base and bat cleanup in his place. |
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May 21 2021 | Belt (side) is starting at first base and hitting fourth Friday against the Dodgers, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: He hasn't played since May 15 but is back in there for the first game of the series against the division-rival Dodgers. Four of Belt's last nine hits have left the yard and he is hitting .310 over that 10-game stretch. |
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May 20 2021 | Belt (side) remains on the bench for Thursday's game against the Reds, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt will sit for the sixth straight game as he works through side tightness. Darin Ruf remains the first baseman in his absence. |
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May 19 2021 | Belt (side) isn't starting Wednesday's game against the Reds, Mark W. Sanchez of KNBR 680 San Francisco reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt will be on the bench for a fifth straight game as he continues to deal with side tightness. Darin Ruf will start at first base and bat third. |
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May 18 2021 | Belt (side) will remain on the bench Tuesday against the Reds, Maria I. Guardado of MLB.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt hits the bench for the fourth game in a row and the fifth time in six games as he continues to deal with side tightness. An MRI came back clean Monday, but he'll miss at least one more start. Darin Ruf remains the first baseman in his absence. |
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May 17 2021 | Belt (side) isn't starting Monday's game against the Reds, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt will be out of the lineup for a third straight game as he continues to battle side tightness. He underwent an MRI on Monday that came back clean, and he's considered day-to-day, Kerry Crowley of The San Jose Mercury News reports. Darin Ruf will start at first base and bat fourth. |
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May 16 2021 | Belt was scratched from Sunday's lineup at Pittsburgh with side tightness, Maria I. Guardado of MLB.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The 33-year-old has been battling side tightness through the week and won't start Sunday after originally being included in the lineup. Darin Ruf will step in at first base while Belt should be considered day-to-day. |
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May 15 2021 | Belt will sit Saturday against the Pirates, Mark W. Sanchez of KNBR 680 San Francisco reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt sits for the second time in three days. His absence Thursday was due to left side tightness, but he returned to reach base twice Friday. Saturday's day off may simply be a routine one, as the Giants are going with a righty-heavy lineup against southpaw Tyler Anderson. Wilmer Flores will get the nod at first base. |
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May 14 2021 | Belt (side) is back in the lineup for Friday's game against the Pirates, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Left side tightness forced Belt to leave Tuesday's game against the Rangers and kept him out of the lineup Thursday, but he's ready to go again now. He's hit a strong .273/.396/.614 with five homers over his last 13 games. |
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May 13 2021 | Belt was scratched from Thursday's lineup against the Pirates due to left side tightness, Maria I. Guardado of MLB.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt exited Tuesday's game with the side tightness and was initially expected to return Thursday. However, LaMonte Wade will now shift to first base while Steven Duggar enters the lineup in center field. |
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May 11 2021 | Belt, who was dealing with "mild" left side tightness, exited Tuesday's game as a precaution, Maria I. Guardado of MLB.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The veteran first baseman appears to have avoided a serious injury. He should be considered day-to-day going forward. |
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May 10 2021 | Belt went 1-for-3 with a walk and a solo home run in Monday's 3-1 win over the Rangers. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt broke a scoreless tie with his solo blast in the fourth inning. He's launched four homers with nine RBI over the last nine games. The 6-foot-3 lefty owns an .869 OPS through 116 plate appearances. |
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May 8 2021 | Belt went 2-for-2 with a home run, an additional run scored and a walk in Saturday's win over the Padres. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt reached base in his three plate appearances and snapped a short two-game hitless streak with a strong performance that included his seventh homer of the campaign. The first baseman is hitting .291 during the current month while homering three times over his last five contests. |
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May 4 2021 | Belt went 4-for-7 with two home runs, two walks, seven RBI and one additional run scored during Tuesday's doubleheader at Colorado. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The 33-year-old started off strong with an RBI single and grand slam in a 10-run first inning during the matinee, and he also belted a two-run shot in the opening frame of the nightcap. Belt was 4-for-26 with 13 strikeouts over his previous seven games, but he busted out of the slump in an enormous way during Tuesday's twin bill. |
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Apr 28 2021 | Belt went 2-for-5 with a solo home run and three runs scored Tuesday against the Rockies. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt has had a shaky start to the season, but he did manage to put together his second multi-hit effort in his last four starts. The highlight was his fourth home run of the season, which was a solo blast in the fifth inning. Belt is now hitting .217/.333/.467 with 10 runs scored and nine RBI across 72 plate appearances for the campaign. |
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Apr 24 2021 | Belt went 1-for-1 with three walks, a stolen base and a RBI in Friday's 5-3 win over the Marlins. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt walked in each of his first three at-bats of the evening before ripping an RBI single to center in the seventh and then eventually stealing second. The stolen base was a rarity for the 33-year-old and it was encouraging to see Belt finding ways to get on base, as he's now slashing .205/.352/.455 with three home runs, seven RBI, six runs scored and a respectable 10:16 BB:K. |
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Apr 23 2021 | Belt (quadriceps) is starting Friday's game against the Marlins, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt wasn't in the lineup for the last two games due to a right quadriceps strain. However, he'll play first base and bat fourth against Miami on Friday. Belt is hitting .186 with three home runs and six RBI to begin the season. |
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Apr 22 2021 | Belt (quadriceps) isn't starting Thursday's game against the Marlins, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt left Tuesday's game with right quadriceps soreness and will remain out of the lineup for a second consecutive game. Wilmer Flores will start at first base and bat second Thursday. |
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Apr 21 2021 | Belt (quadriceps) isn't starting Wednesday's game against the Phillies. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt exited Tuesday's game due to right quadriceps soreness but is feeling better Wednesday and could be available off the bench if needed. However, Wilmer Flores will start at first base Wednesday, batting sixth. |
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Apr 20 2021 | Belt was removed from Tuesday's win over the Phillies with tightness in his right quadriceps, Kerry Crowley of The San Jose Mercury News reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The 33-year-old went 0-for-4 with one run, one walk and two strikeouts before being lifted during the latter stages of the contest. Belt will be reevaluated Wednesday morning and could receive the day off, especially since the series finale is a day game. |
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Apr 17 2021 | Belt went 2-for-5 with a home run and two RBI in Saturday's 7-6 loss to the Marlins. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt ruined Sandy Alcantara's shutout with a leadoff home run in the seventh inning. This was Belt's second homer this season and his first two-hit game. The veteran finds himself in a platoon, sitting against most lefties. He is batting only .194 in his first 14 games. |
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Apr 16 2021 | Belt will sit against lefty Daniel Castano and the Marlins on Friday, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt started against the first southpaw the Giants faced, though that may have been a special Opening Day exemption for the veteran. He's now found himself sitting against each of the next six lefties to take the hill against his team. Wilmer Flores will be the first baseman Friday. |
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Apr 12 2021 | Belt isn't starting Monday's game against the Reds, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt will take a seat for the second time in the last four games with southpaw Wade Miley taking the mound for the Reds on Monday. Wilmer Flores will take over at first base, batting fifth. |
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Apr 11 2021 | Belt went 1-for-2 with a solo homer and pair of walks in Sunday's win over the Rockies. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The 32-year-old knocked in the final run against German Marquez, a solo shot in the sixth inning. Belt is off to a sluggish start following his career year in 2020 where he slashed .309/.425/.591. |
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Apr 9 2021 | Belt is not in the lineup for Friday's game against the Rockies, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt has yet to start consecutive games this season and will stick on the bench Friday with southpaw Austin Gomber pitching for Colorado. Darin Ruf will start at first base and bat cleanup for the Giants in his place. |
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Apr 7 2021 | Belt is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Padres, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: With a tough southpaw in Blake Snell on the bump for San Diego, the lefty-hitting Belt will bow out of the starting nine for the series finale. Wilmer Flores will make his second start of the series at first base in place of Belt. |
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Apr 5 2021 | Belt will hit the bench against lefty Adrian Morejon and the Padres on Monday, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt started against a southpaw on Opening Day but has now found himself on the bench against the last two lefties the Giants have faced. Wilmer Flores starts ahead of him at first base. |
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Apr 2 2021 | Belt is not in Friday's lineup against the Mariners, Maria I. Guardado of MLB.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: He got the start Thursday against a lefty, but will head to the bench with another lefty (Yusei Kikuchi) on the mound. Belt went 1-for-4 with a walk and an RBI in the opener. Wilmer Flores will start at first base and bat sixth. |
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Mar 25 2021 | Belt (heel) felt good after making his first start of spring training Thursday, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt debuted in spring training as a pinch-hitter Wednesday, but made his first start at first base Thursday. While he admitted he's not quite at full strength, he felt good in the field and is hoping to be ready for the start of the season. |
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Mar 24 2021 | Belt (heel/illness) is scheduled to make his Cactus League debut Wednesday against the Padres as a pinch hitter, Kerry Crowley of The San Jose Mercury News reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The 32-year-old has been playing catch-up throughout camp after undergoing heel surgery in October and then coming down with COVID-19 in January and mononucleosis in February, but he's set to make his spring debut Wednesday. There's only eight days before Opening Day, so Belt is running out of time to play the field in a spring game before the start of the season. A short trip to the injured list to open the campaign wouldn't be surprising, though the Giants have yet to indicate whether he's expected to be ready for the season opener. |
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Mar 19 2021 | Belt (heel) will run the bases Sunday and could get into game action by the end of next week, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt underwent surgery to remove a bone spur from his right heel in October and then saw his recovery delayed first by COVID-19 in January and then by mononucleosis in February. He hasn't been officially ruled out for Opening Day, but the projected timeline would have him getting into game action with potentially less than a week until the regular season begins. A short stay on the injured list wouldn't be a surprise and could open up starts for Wilmer Flores, Darin Ruf or Austin Slater. |
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Mar 14 2021 | Belt (heel) is playing first base in a simulated game Sunday, Kerry Crowley of The San Jose Mercury News reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: It's been slow going in camp for the 32-year-old after dealing with COVID-19 in January and mononucleosis in February, but he appears to be nearing his Cactus League debut for the Giants. Belt still has a couple weeks to prepare for Opening Day, but his conditioning may not be up to par after recovering from a pair of long-term ailments. He had a .309/.425/.591 slash line with nine home runs, 13 doubles, 30 RBI and 30 walks in 51 games during 2020. |
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Mar 13 2021 | Belt (heel) battled COVID-19 in January and mononucleosis in February, Kerry Crowley of The San Jose Mercury News reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt at least feels good in his recovery from October heel surgery, but it's been a brutal winter for the veteran first baseman. He hasn't been ruled out for Opening Day, but he's yet to get into game action this spring, so he appears to be running out of time. Even if he does make the Opening Day roster, he'll likely need frequent rest to start the season, as his conditioning presumably isn't where he'd want it to be after battling a pair of long-term illnesses. At-bats could be freed up early in the season for some combination of Wilmer Flores, Darin Ruf or Austin Slater. |
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Mar 8 2021 | Belt (heel) is not yet ready for game action but will continue taking part in baseball activities for the next few days, John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt underwent surgery to remove a bone spur from his right heel in October, placing his readiness for Opening Day in some doubt. He was further slowed by an illness early in camp, though he seems to be past that now. There's still seemingly time for him to get up to speed by the start of the regular season, but he'll need to get into game action fairly soon if that's to happen. |
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Mar 4 2021 | Belt (heel/illness) played catch and swung in the cage Thursday, Kerry Crowley of The San Jose Mercury News reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt is recovering from a non-COVID illness and October heel surgery, but he's been able to participate in baseball activities in recent days. The Giants are still pushing him to be ready in time for Opening Day, but it's not yet clear whether his delay early in spring training will impact his availability. |
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Mar 1 2021 | Belt (heel) is dealing with a non-COVID illness, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt felt better Monday than he had in recent days but is still lacking energy. He's also spending the spring recovering from October heel surgery. That procedure was already expected to make his readiness for Opening Day uncertain, and losing a few days to illness certainly doesn't help in that regard. If he does wind up making a trip to the injured list to start the season, infield at-bats could open up for Wilmer Flores, Darin Ruf or Donovan Solano. |
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Feb 4 2021 | Belt (heel) may not be ready for Opening Day, Kerry Crowley of The San Jose Mercury News reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt underwent heel surgery in October, and Giants president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi said Thursday that it wasn't a certainty that he would be ready for Opening Day. If he'd be forced to miss time to begin the season, Tommy La Stella should shift to first base. Belt appeared in 51 games for the Giants last year and posted a career-best .309/.425/.591 slash line with nine home runs and 30 RBI. |
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Oct 13 2020 | Belt underwent surgery to have a bone spur removed from his right heel, Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The 32-year-old battled an injury in a similar spot during summer camp, but it's now been rectified heading into the 2021 campaign. The injury wasn't overly impactful on Belt's performance during the shortened season, as he had a career-best .309/.425/.591 slash line with nine homers in 51 games. The team didn't offer a recovery timeline, but the veteran first baseman will have nearly four months to get back to full strength before the start of spring training. |
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Sep 27 2020 | Belt went 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI in Saturday's loss against San Diego. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt started another hitting streak and has hit safely in seven of the Giants' last eight games. Despite enduring a slow start to the season, Belt will end the 2020 campaign as one of San Francisco's top offensive threats. He enters the final game of the year hitting .315 with a 1.032 OPS, each of which are career-best marks for the 32-year-old veteran. |
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Sep 22 2020 | Belt is not in the lineup Tuesday against the Rockies, Maria I. Guardado of MLB.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt is 4-for-28 in his last nine games and will head to the bench with southpaw Kyle Freeland pitching for Colorado. Wilmer Flores covers first base while Austin Slater serves as the designated hitter Tuesday. |
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Sep 19 2020 | Belt will sit against lefty Jesus Luzardo and the Athletics on Saturday, Maria I. Guardado of MLB.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt has started on occasion against lefties this season but typically finds himself on the bench, starting just seven times in 21 opportunities. Wilmer Flores will be the first baseman in his absence. |
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Sep 17 2020 | Belt is not in the lineup Thursday against the Mariners, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt will take a seat Thursday versus Seattle southpaw Nick Margevicius after starting seven straight games. Wilmer Flores shifts to first base while Austin Slater starts in right field in the series finale. |
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Sep 16 2020 | Belt went 2-for-5 with a two-run home run in Wednesday's 9-3 win over the Mariners. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt extended the Giants' lead to 4-0 with his homer off Ljay Newsome in the third inning. The homer ended a 0-for-12 skid for Belt, who now has eight round-trippers on the year. The first baseman has added 24 RBI, 20 runs scored and a .305/.401/.602 slash line in 40 games. |
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Sep 9 2020 | Belt went 2-for-4 with two RBI in Tuesday's win over the Mariners. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt recorded hits in 10 of his final 14 games in August, and he doesn't have plans to slow down with the calendar flipping to September. The veteran first baseman has already produced three multi-hit performances in seven September games and is slashing .444/.565/.944 with two homers and six RBI across that span. |
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Sep 6 2020 | Belt is not in Sunday's lineup against the Diamondbacks. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt will take a seat with southpaw Alex Young on the mound for Arizona. Wilmer Flores will take over duties at first base and bat fifth in his place. |
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Sep 5 2020 | Belt went 2-for-4 with a solo home run, a double, two total RBI and a walk in Friday's loss against Arizona. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt smashed his sixth long ball of the season off reliever Hector Rondon, and that ended a streak of seven games without a homer for the veteran first baseman. Belt has been seeing the ball extremely well of late and is hitting .531 with a 1.709 OPS, three homers, eight RBI, nine runs scored and a 7:6 BB:K across his last 10 games. |
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Sep 2 2020 | Belt is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Rockies. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: After notching three hits in Tuesday's 23-5 romp to boost his season average to .337, Belt will take a seat in the series finale with a lefty (Kyle Freeland) on the bump for Colorado. Wilmer Flores will spell Belt at first base and bat cleanup. |
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Aug 26 2020 | Belt went 4-for-5 with two home runs, a double, five total RBI and a walk in Tuesday's win over the Dodgers. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt got off to a slow start this season and was hitting .128 with a .458 OPS by August 15th, but he seems to have turned a corner since then. Across his past nine games, the veteran has gone 16-for-28 (.571) with four homers, 10 RBI, a 4:4 BB:K and a .625 on-base percentage, so it's safe to say his struggles are on the rearview. Belt has also produced multi-hit games in each of his last three outings. |
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Aug 21 2020 | Belt is not in the lineup Friday against Arizona, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The 32-year-old will take a seat with left-hander Robbie Ray pitching for the Diamondbacks in the series opener after going 1-for-3 with a run and two walks Thursday. Wilmer Flores starts at first base Friday, while Austin Slater serves as the designated hitter. |
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Aug 19 2020 | Belt is not in the starting lineup Wednesday against the Angels, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: As per usual, Belt will retreat to the bench with a left-hander in Patrick Sandoval toeing the rubber for the opposition. Wilmer Flores is covering first base in his place Wednesday, with Austin Slater starting at DH. |
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Aug 16 2020 | Belt went 3-for-4 with a solo homer in Sunday's 15-3 loss to Oakland. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt's second-inning homer was his first since Aug. 5 and second of the season. The 32-year-old lefty is still slashing just .186/.271/.349 in 48 plate appearances this season. |
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Aug 14 2020 | Belt is not in the lineup Friday against the Athletics. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt went 1-for-15 over the past four games and will head to the bench with southpaw Jesus Luzardo starting for the A's. Wilmer Flores receives the start at first base for San Francisco. |
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Aug 8 2020 | Belt will sit Saturday against southpaw Clayton Kershaw and the Dodgers, Maria I. Guardado of MLB.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt has started against just one of the seven lefties the Giants have faced this season. Wilmer Flores will start at first base in his absence. |
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Aug 6 2020 | Belt is out of the lineup for Thursday's game against the Rockies. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt will take a seat with the Giants facing a left-handed starting pitcher (Kyle Freeland) in a day game after a night game. Belt was able to take advantage while starting in the first three games of the series at Coors Field, going 4-for-12 with a home run, a double, two runs and three RBI. |
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Aug 5 2020 | Belt went 2-for-4 with a three-run home run and an additional run scored in Wednesday's 4-3 win over the Rockies. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: His first long ball of the year was a big one, as it turned a two-run deficit into a one-run lead for San Francisco. Belt missed the start of the season with an Achilles injury and it looks like he may be a strict platoon player at this point -- sharing time with Wilmer Flores -- but he is seeing the ball well through five games (five walks, two extra-base hits) and is locked into the heart of the order against righties. |
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Aug 2 2020 | Belt is not in the lineup for Sunday's matchup with the Rangers, Maria I. Guardado of MLB.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt returned from the injured list Thursday and will sit against left-hander Kolby Allard after going 1-for-5 with five walks in his first two games back. Wilmer Flores will start at first base and bat second for the Giants. |
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Jul 31 2020 | Belt is not in the lineup against lefty Mike Minor and the Rangers on Friday, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: It's unclear whether Belt's absence Friday is due to the fact that the Giants are facing a southpaw or the fact that he only just returned from an Achilles injury Thursday. Whatever the reason, Wilmer Flores will slide over to first base in his absence. |
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Jul 30 2020 | Belt (Achilles) went 0-for-2 with three walks in Thursday's 12-7 extra-inning loss to the Padres. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt showed patience at the plate in his season debut, which was delayed a week as he recovered from an Achilles injury for most of summer camp. The first baseman struck out in his other two plate appearances. In 2019, Belt his .234 with 17 homers and 57 RBI in 156 games, a down year for the career .261 hitter. |
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Jul 25 2020 | Belt (Achilles) is expected to return from the injured list Thursday, Maria I. Guardado of MLB.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt has been battling an Achilles injury since early in camp. His placement on the injured list was backdated to July 20, so he'll be eligible to return a week into the season. |
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Jul 20 2020 | Manager Gabe Kapler said Monday that Belt (heel) won't be ready for Opening Day, John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt had been dealing with right heel pain throughout camp, and Kapler confirmed Monday that the 32-year-old will begin the season on the injured list as he continues to recover. While he'll miss the first several games of the regular season, it remains to be seen exactly how much time he'll miss as a result of the injury. With Belt and Evan Longoria (oblique) sidelined, Wilmer Flores and Pablo Sandoval (elbow) could see an uptick in playing time to begin the year. |
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Jul 14 2020 | Manager Gabe Kapler said Tuesday he isn't "100 percent sure" Belt (heel) will be ready for Opening Day, Maria I. Guardado of MLB.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The veteran first baseman was out of his walking boot Tuesday and took some swings in the batting cage, but his status for the season opener next week remains up in the air. The exhibition contests against the A's next Monday and Tuesday could end up being Belt's final chance to prove his game readiness if he can't return to intrasquad action this week. |
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Jul 8 2020 | Belt is sidelined by right heel pain and will be re-evaluated in 5-to-7 days, Maria I. Guardado of MLB.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: It's unclear how the veteran first baseman picked up the injury, but it's not a great development in the early stages of camp. Belt is sporting a walking boot, per Kerry Crowley of The San Jose Mercury News, and his availability for Opening Day figures to hinge on how well he feels when re-evaluated next week. |
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Mar 25 2020 | Belt slashed .280/.321/.560 with two home runs and one stolen base through 10 games before spring training was suspended. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The veteran first baseman has historically been a strong performer in the Cactus League, and that trend continued in 2020. Belt had a career-worst 99 wRC+ in 2019 but is poised for another season starting at first base for the Giants. |
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Sep 28 2019 | Belt will sit against lefty Hyun-Jin Ryu and the Dodgers on Saturday. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt has struggled at the plate for most of September, hitting just .228/.299/.405. Austin Slater gets the nod at first base in his absence. |
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Sep 26 2019 | Belt is not in the lineup Thursday against the Rockies. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt will head to the bench for Thursday's series finale with left-hander Kyle Freeland starting for the Rockies. In his place, Austin Slater is starting at first base and hitting second. |
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Sep 22 2019 | Belt is not in the lineup for Sunday's game against the Braves, according to Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The Giants will take on left-hander Dallas Keuchel on Sunday, so as has been the case all month, Belt will not be in the lineup with a southpaw on the mound for the opponent. Austin Slater will get the start at first base in Belt's place. |
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Sep 21 2019 | Belt is not in the lineup for Saturday's game against the Braves, Maria I. Guardado of MLB.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: While Belt has not been a strict platoon player this season -- he has made 28 starts against lefties -- lately manager Bruce Bochy has been turning elsewhere when the Giants face a southpaw. Austin Slater gets the nod at first base in this one. |
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Sep 19 2019 | Belt is not in Thursday's lineup against the Red Sox. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt has been swinging a hot bat, going 14-for-39 (.359) with one home run, a triple and six doubles over his last 10 games. Aramis Garcia is starting at first base and hitting ninth. |
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Sep 18 2019 | Belt went 1-for-6 with a solo home run and a walk in Tuesday's 7-6 victory over the Red Sox. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt got the Giants' offense rolling with his 17th home run of the year in the first inning of a game that would last 15 frames. The 31-year-old overcame his injury woes this season (146 games played), but that has been negated by career lows in batting average (.236) and slugging percentage (.411). That said, Belt has put together a nice little hot streak over his last 10 contests, slashing .342/.405/.632 with seven extra-base hits as he tries to finish the 2019 campaign on a strong note. |
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Sep 13 2019 | Belt went 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles in Friday's 1-0 win over the Marlins. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The three-hit night, his second in his last five games, accounted for a third of the hits for the Giants in the contest. Belt has gone 8-for-19 with four doubles and a triple in his last five games, raising his season line to .235/.340/.405 in 142 games. He's added 16 homers, 56 RBI and 71 runs scored. |
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Sep 10 2019 | Belt went 3-for-4 with a double and a pair of RBI in Monday's 6-4 loss to Pittsburgh. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: This was Belt's second three-hit performance over his last 10 starts. The first baseman has looked a little more like his former self over that span, slashing .263/.349/.526 with six extra-base hits. Belt will have to get hotter than this to restore faith in fantasy owners after spurning them with a .231/.341/.397 slash line overall this season. |
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Sep 8 2019 | Belt is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Dodgers, Maria I. Guardado of MLB.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt will sit for the second time in the three-game series with the Dodgers bringing a southpaw (Julio Urias) to the hill for the finale. With Belt on the bench, Austin Slater will pick up the start at first base. |
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Sep 6 2019 | Belt will be on the bench Friday against the Dodgers, Maria I. Guardado of MLB.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt will sit against lefty Clayton Kershaw. Aramis Garcia will start at first base. |
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Sep 1 2019 | Belt is out of the lineup for Sunday's game versus the Padres, Maria I. Guardado | of MLB.com reports. |
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Aug 30 2019 | Belt went 3-for-5 with a two-run home run, an RBI double, and three runs scored | in Friday's 8-3 win over the Padres. |
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Aug 28 2019 | Belt went 2-for-4 with a double, an RBI, a stolen base and a run scored in Tuesday's | 3-2 loss to the Diamondbacks. |
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Aug 17 2019 | Belt went 2-for-5 with a grand slam, six total RBI and a run scored in Saturday's | 11-6 win over the Diamondbacks. |
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Aug 16 2019 | Belt went 2-for-4 with a home run and a walk in Friday's 10-9 win over the Diamondbacks. | |
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Aug 15 2019 | Belt is starting at first base and hitting eighth Thursday against the Diamondbacks, | Maria I. Guardado of MLB.com reports. |
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Aug 13 2019 | Belt isn't in the starting lineup for Tuesday's game against the Athletics. | |
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Aug 9 2019 | Belt isn't in the starting lineup for Friday's game against the Phillies. | |
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Aug 7 2019 | Belt is not starting Wednesday against the Nationals. | |
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Jul 31 2019 | Belt hit a solo home run in his lone plate appearance off the bench in Tuesday's | 4-2 loss to the Phillies. |
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Jul 30 2019 | Belt isn't in the starting lineup for Tuesday's game against the Phillies, Alex | Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports. |
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Jul 28 2019 | Belt is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Padres, Andrew Baggarly | of The Athletic reports. |
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Jul 21 2019 | Belt is not in the lineup<\/a> Sunday against the Mets. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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Jul 16 2019 | Belt went a combined 2-for-6 with two walks, an RBI and a pair of runs scored in Monday's doubleheader against the Rockies. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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Jul 14 2019 | Belt went 2-for-4 with a solo homer, two runs scored and a walk in Sunday's 8-3 win over Milwaukee. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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Jul 13 2019 | Belt went 2-for-5 with a stolen base and a run scored in Friday's 10-7 win over Milwaukee. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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Jul 3 2019 | Belt went 3-for-6 with a run scored in Tuesday's 10-4 win over San Diego. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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Jul 1 2019 | Belt went 1-for-3 with a pair of walks and two runs scored in Sunday's 10-4 win over Arizona. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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Jun 28 2019 | Belt will hit leadoff in Friday's game against the Diamondbacks, according to Kerry Crowley of The San Jose Mercury News<\/a>. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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Jun 27 2019 | Belt went 1-for-3 with a home run and a walk in Thursday's loss to the Diamondbacks. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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Jun 26 2019 | Belt is starting at first base and hitting leadoff Wednesday against the Rockies, Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle<\/a> reports. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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Jun 24 2019 | Belt is not in the lineup Monday against the Rockies, Andrew Baggarly of The Athletic<\/a> reports. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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Jun 16 2019 | Belt went 1-for-4 with a walk, an RBI and a run scored in Saturday's 8-7 win over the Brewers. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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Jun 13 2019 | Belt (neck) returned to the lineup and went 1-for-2 with a pair of walks in Wednesday's 4-2 win over the Padres. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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Jun 12 2019 | Belt (neck) is starting at first base and hitting second Wednesday against the Padres, Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle<\/a> reports. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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Jun 11 2019 | Belt (illness) was held out of Tuesday's lineup due to neck soreness, Kerry Crowley of The San Jose Mercury News<\/a> reports. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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Jun 11 2019 | Belt (illness) isn't in the starting lineup for Tuesday's game against the Padres, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area<\/a> reports. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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Jun 9 2019 | Belt was scratched from the lineup ahead of Sunday's game against the Dodgers with a stomach illness, Amy Gutierrez of NBC Sports Bay Area<\/a> reports. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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Jun 6 2019 | Belt went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run in a 7-3 loss to the Mets on Thursday. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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Jun 2 2019 | Belt went 1-for-3 with a pair of walks and a run scored in Sunday's 8-1 win over the Orioles. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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May 31 2019 | Belt started in left field and went 1-for-2 with a pair of walks and a run scored in Thursday's 3-1 win over the Marlins. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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May 29 2019 | Belt went 1-for-4 with a home run, two RBI and a stolen base in Wednesday's 4-2 loss to the Marlins. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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May 24 2019 | Belt isn't in Friday's starting lineup against the Diamondbacks, Maria I. Guardado of MLB.com<\/a> reports. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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May 22 2019 | Belt is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Braves, Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle<\/a> reports. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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May 19 2019 | Belt is out of the lineup for Sunday's game at Arizona, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area<\/a> reports. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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May 18 2019 | Belt went 2-for-5 with a solo home run in an 8-5 win over the Diamondbacks on Saturday. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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May 18 2019 | Belt went 2-for-5 with a solo home run in Saturday's 8-5 win over the Diamondbacks. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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May 17 2019 | Belt (knee) is starting at first base and batting fourth Friday against the Diamondbacks, Andrew Baggarly of The Athletic<\/a> reports. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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May 15 2019 | Belt is not in the lineup Wednesday against the Blue Jays, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area<\/a> reports. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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May 15 2019 | Belt is dealing with renewed discomfort in his knee, Amy Gutierrez of NBC Sports Bay Area<\/a> reports. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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May 14 2019 | Belt (knee) is starting at first base and batting fourth Tuesday against the Blue Jays, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area<\/a> reports. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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May 12 2019 | Belt (knee) went 0-for-1 with a strikeout in his lone plate appearance in Saturday's 5-4 loss to the Reds. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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May 12 2019 | Belt is out of the lineup for Sunday's game against the Reds, Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle<\/a> reports. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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May 12 2019 | Belt (knee) hit a two-run home run in a pinch-hit appearance Sunday against the Reds. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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May 11 2019 | Belt (knee) is on the bench Saturday against the Reds, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area<\/a> reports. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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May 11 2019 | Belt (knee) was lifted from Friday's loss to the Reds after experiencing soreness in his right knee while running out a ground ball in the eighth inning, Hank Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle<\/a> reports. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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May 11 2019 | Belt had an MRI on his sore knee which showed no significant injury, and he's available off the bench Saturday against the Reds, Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle<\/a> reports. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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May 9 2019 | Belt is out of the lineup for Thursday's game against the Rockies, Andrew Baggarly of The Athletic<\/a> reports. | Subscribe now<\/a> to instantly reveal our take on this news. |
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Jul 21 2018 | Belt went 1-for-4 with a solo home run Saturday against the Athletics. | Belt took Trevor Cahill deep in the fourth inning for his 14th home run of the season. Before the game, he was activated from the paternity list, though he only missed Friday's game before returning. This has been Belt's most productive season from a power standpoint, but this was his first home run since June 28 and only his third since May 20. |
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Jul 21 2018 | Belt was activated from the paternity list Saturday and will bat second and play first base against Oakland, Kerry Crowley of The San Jose Mercury News reports. | Belt ended up missing just one game on paternity leave. The first baseman has gone 0-for-15 in his last four games. Ryder Jones, called up to replace Belt on Friday, was sent back to the minors in a corresponding move. |
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Jul 20 2018 | Belt was moved to the paternity list ahead of Friday's matchup against Oakland, Kerry Crowley of The San Jose Mercury News reports. | Belt could miss a few days while on the paternity list, although the Giants are hopeful he'll return in time for Saturday's matchup. Ryder Jones was recalled from Triple-a Sacramento in a corresponding move. |
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Jul 14 2018 | Belt was ejected from Saturday's game for arguing balls and strikes, Andrew Baggarly of The Athletic Bay Area reports. | Belt was tossed while heading back on the field to play defense after berating a check-swing appeal that didn't go his way previously. He went 0-for-3 and was replaced at first base by Pablo Sandoval. |
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Jul 9 2018 | Belt went 2-for-3 with a pair of walks, a double, an RBI and a pair of runs scored in Sunday's 13-8 victory over St. Louis. | Belt reached base four times after tallying three hits in Saturday's loss, upping his season slash line to .300/.393/.509 through 75 games. The 30-year-old's career-best marks weren't enough to earn him a starting spot in the upcoming All-Star Game, but he is one of the five last-chance finalists who can be voted into the mid-summer classic. Belt is certainly performing like an All-Star for his fantasy owners this season, making him one of the better draft-day values at first base based on where he was being taken at the beginning of the year. |
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Jul 7 2018 | Belt went 3-for-4 with a double and two RBI in Saturday's 3-2 loss to the Cardinals. | The Giants only managed eight hits on the day, and Belt provided their only extra-base hit. The first baseman's now hitting .324 (12-for-37) over his last 10 games with a homer and six RBI, pushing his slash line on the season back up to .296/.387/.504. |
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Jul 1 2018 | Belt went 2-for-3 with three walks, a double and two RBI on Sunday against the Diamondbacks. | Belt walked a season-high three times and has now earned a walk in four consecutive games, raising his on-base percentage to .393 for the season. After slumping initially after coming off the disabled list, Belt has now recorded 14 hits in 55 at-bats since June 16 and has two mult-hit performances in his past four games. |
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Jul 1 2018 | Belt went 2-for-3 with three walks, a double and two RBI on Sunday against the Padres. | Belt walked a season-high three times and has now earned a walk in four consecutive games, raising his on-base percentage to .393 for the season. After slumping initially after coming off the disabled list, Belt has now recorded 14 hits in 55 at-bats since June 16 and has two mult-hit performances in his past four games. |
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Jun 28 2018 | Belt went 2-for-4 with a two-run home run in Thursday's 9-8 loss to Colorado. | Belt hit his first long ball since June 17 and he's been in a big slump since his brief DL stint earlier this month. The 30-year-old first baseman is hitting just .239 in June, lowering his season slash line to .295/.385/.523. Still, all three of those percentages would be career highs for Belt, and it looks like he should top his career mark of 18 home runs as well. |
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Jun 22 2018 | Belt is out of the lineup against San Diego on Friday, John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle reports. | Belt will retreat to the bench following six straight starts. In his place, Buster Posey will man first base while Nick Hundley gets the start behind the plate. |
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Jun 20 2018 | Belt went 3-for-4 with a double, an RBI and a run scored in Wednesday's win over the Marlins. | Belt mashed a ground rule double to knot up the score in what turned out to be a five-run sixth inning. The 30-year-old is now 5-for-19 with a homer and four RBI in five games since returning from the disabled list to bring his slash line to .305/.401/.543 on the year. |
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Jun 17 2018 | Belt went 1-for-3 with a two-run home run and two runs scored Sunday against the Dodgers. | Belt took left-hander Caleb Ferguson deep in the third inning for his 12th home run of the season. It was his first hit since returning from the disabled list (appendicitis) and only his second home run off a left-handed pitcher this season. Belt has shown a surprising ability to hit for power through 199 at-bats this season, slugging nearly 100 points better than his career average and 70 points better than his career-best mark. |
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Jun 16 2018 | The Giants activated Belt (appendicitis) from the 10-day disabled list Saturday, Chris Haft of MLB.com reports. | Belt makes his return to the Giants on Saturday as expected, and should slot back in as the team's everyday first baseman. The 30-year-old hit the disabled list June 2 after getting his appendix removed and was initially expected to miss three weeks, but losing Evan Longoria to a fractured hand earlier this week may have prompted a quicker return. |
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Jun 15 2018 | Belt (appendicitis) will be activated Saturday, Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle reports. | Belt insists he is fully recovered from his appendectomy, but the Giants will activate Pierce Johnson instead to keep their bullpen fresh. Belt owns a .307/.403/.547 batting line and will be in the lineup daily upon his return. |
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Jun 14 2018 | Belt (appendicitis) could return as early as Friday, John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle reports. | Manager Bruce Bochy recently stated that Belt would return during the Giants' upcoming homestand, which begins Monday and runs through June 28. However, with Evan Longoria set to miss extended time after suffering a fractured fifth metacarpal during Thursday's game, the Giants may choose to bring Belt back sooner than originally planned. Nothing has been confirmed at this point, and the Giants may still choose to play it safe and stick with their plan to send the first baseman on a rehab assignment before bringing him back. |
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Jun 13 2018 | Manager Bruce Bochy said he expects Belt (appendicitis) to return during the Giants' upcoming homestand, which begins Monday and runs through June 28, Kerry Crowley of The San Jose Mercury News reports. | There was hope that Belt would be cleared to return from the disabled list over the weekend, but that's no longer in play. The first baseman is expected to head out on a brief minor-league rehab assignment once he's ready to start playing games. He's been out since undergoing an appendectomy June 2. |
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Jun 12 2018 | Belt (appendicitis) will participate in a full batting practice Wednesday, the Mercury News reports. | Manager Bruce Bochy hinted that it's possible Belt could be activated from the disabled list this weekend, perhaps after a brief minor-league rehab assignment. Belt was originally projected to miss three weeks after undergoing an appendectomy June 2. He currently leads the Giants in home runs with 11 and has been a top-10 fantasy first baseman to date despite the missed time. |
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Jun 10 2018 | Belt (appendicitis) will begin taking swings Monday, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports. | Belt has been out since June 2 after undergoing an appendicitis. If he's able to take swings without any pain, it's reasonable to expect him to rejoin the Giants shortly thereafter. We should hopefully receive an update on his condition following Monday's workout. |
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Jun 7 2018 | Belt (appendicitis) will report to the Giants' spring training facility in Florida to continue his rehab, Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle reports. | Belt will work out in Florida for about a week before being reevaluated, and barring any setbacks, the first baseman could be cleared to rejoin the Giants in Los Angeles on June 15. The 30-year-old was hitting .307/.403/.547 with 11 homers and 31 RBI prior to undergoing surgery to have his appendix removed at the beginning of June. |
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Jun 2 2018 | Belt was taken to the hospital after Friday's game and evaluated for appendicitis, Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle reports. | Belt posted a photo of himself in a hospital bed on Twitter Saturday morning, which would seem to indicate an appendectomy was necessary, although there has been no confirmation on that front yet. If he did have to have his appendix removed, Belt will likely land on the DL for a short stint. He reportedly complained of stomach pains Friday, but he thought he could play through the issue initially. |
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Jun 2 2018 | The Giants announced Belt had his appendix removed Saturday morning, Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle reports. | Belt exited Friday's game against the Phillies with a stomach illness that was eventually diagnosed as appendicitis after a trip to the hospital. The veteran first baseman will return home Saturday afternoon and is likely slated for a short trip on the disabled list. The 29-year-old would be eligible to return for the June 12 game against the Marlins if he indeed lands on the DL in the next few days. |
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Jun 2 2018 | Belt (appendicitis) was placed on the 10-day disabled list Saturday, Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle reports. | This move was simply procedural, as Belt was expected to be out for a little while after undergoing surgery to have his appendix removed Friday night. The slugging first baseman is eligible to return from the DL on June 12, and it sounds like he won't be forced to miss too much more time than that, barring any unforeseen circumstances. Pablo Sandoval stands to gain the most playing time at first base while Belt is sidelined. The club activated Alen Hanson (hamstring) in a corresponding move. |
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Jun 2 2018 | Belt (appendicitis) is expected to miss three weeks, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports. | Belt was placed on the 10-day disabled list earlier Saturday after undergoing surgery to have his appendix removed. While it was originally thought that the first baseman wouldn't be forced to spend much longer than the 10-day minimum on the shelf, the Giants are now giving him a three-week baseline for his return. In the meantime, Pablo Sandoval and Buster Posey are expected to fill in for Belt at first base. |
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Jun 1 2018 | Belt left Friday's game against the Phillies early due to a stomach illness, Amy Gutierrez of NBC Sports Bay Area reports. | Belt was replaced at first base by Pablo Sandoval after going 0-for-1. He'll be considered day-to-day moving forward, with the severity of the illness unknown. |
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May 20 2018 | Belt went 2-for-4 with a three-run home run and two runs in the Giants' 9-5 victory over the Rockies on Sunday. | Belt has been one of the league's hottest hitters of late as he's now left the yard five times in his last seven games to bring his home run-total on the year to 11, already just seven shy of the number he posted in his injury-shortened campaign of last season. His slash line now sits at a ridiculous .313/.413/.594 through 160 at-bats and while expecting him to maintain that 1.006 OPS over the course of the entire year might not be realistic, Belt certainly looks like he's primed for a career-best campaign at the plate at age 30. This explosive effort also means that he can safely be considered over the knee issue that kept him out of the lineup on Friday. |
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May 19 2018 | Belt (knee) entered Friday's loss to the Rockies in the seventh inning and struck out in his only plate appearance. | The red-hot Belt was held out of the starting lineup after experiencing knee soreness following Thursday's contest, but he was healthy enough to enter Friday's game in a key situation. While he was unable to extend his homer streak to five games, the fact that he stayed in the game to play left field indicates that his minor knee ailment shouldn't be an issue going forward. |
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May 18 2018 | Belt (knee) is not in the lineup for Friday's game against the Rockies, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports. | Manager Bruce Bochy indicated he was likely to give Belt the day off Friday after it was revealed the veteran first baseman was dealing with knee soreness, but he was still going to feel things out in batting practice. The 30-year-old will get an additional day to rest up before being evaluated again Saturday, with Buster Posey taking over at first base for the Giants on Friday. |
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May 18 2018 | Manager Bruce Bochy said that Belt is dealing with knee soreness following Thursday's loss to the Rockies, Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle reports. | The knee issue must have surfaced after the game, as Belt seemed fine during the contest, going 2-for-5 with his 10th home run and fourth in as many games. Bochy said he was planning on giving his first baseman the day off Friday in order to rest the knee, but he said he will see how the slugger feels during batting practice. The club's willingness to let Belt feel things out indicates that the injury may not be too serious. |
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May 16 2018 | Belt went 1-for-3 with a solo home run and a walk in Tuesday's win over the Reds. | Belt knocked a ball into the water off starter Tyler Mahle, helping to spark a four-run fourth inning. The first baseman has recorded eight hits in his last four games, bringing his slash line to .298/.405/.546 with 18 extra-base hits. Belt's .405 on-base percentage ranks fourth in the majors among first basemen. |
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May 16 2018 | Belt went 2-for-5 with a solo home run in Wednesday's loss to the Reds. | Belt has now gone yard in three straight games, and his nine home runs on the season already put him halfway toward matching last year's career-high 18. He's also slashing .301/.405/.562 -- all of which would be personal bests -- and looks poised to have his best season yet at age 30. |
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May 13 2018 | Belt started in left field and went 3-for-5 with a pair of doubles and a run scored in Sunday's 5-0 win over the Pirates. | It was Belt's third start in the outfield over the Giants' previous five games, as manager Bruce Bochy looks for a creative way to fill the offensive void in left field. The veteran first baseman logged 16 games (10 starts) in the outfield last year, so he is no stranger to this lineup configuration. The 30-year-old is slashing .286/.396/.496 through 37 games this season, and gaining outfield eligibility (assuming he does at some point this year) can only help his steady value. |
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Apr 29 2018 | Belt went 1-for-2 with a pair of walks, a run scored and an RBI in Sunday's win over the Dodgers. | Belt has been swinging a hot bat all year, and he's now reached base safely in 12 straight. The lefty sports a terrific 1.011 OPS to go along with a .313 average, and his six homers already have him well on his way to topping last year's career-best 18. |
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Apr 25 2018 | Belt went 1-for-3 with a two-run homer and a walk in Tuesday's win over the visiting Nationals. | The homers keep coming for the first baseman. That's now five home runs in the last six games, with eight RBI in that span. Belt has brought his slash line up to .292/.418/.691, with 12 RBI and 10 runs scored in 19 games. He'll look to keep the hot bat going during the home stand, with the Dodgers and Padres heading to town next. |
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Apr 22 2018 | Belt went 3-for-5 with a home run, one RBI and two runs scored Sunday in the win over the Angels. | Belt has blasted a home run in back-to-back games and is slugging .576 in 17 games this season. It's unclear whether he'll be able to continue this recent power surge, but he figures to see plenty of opportunities to do so moving forward. The Giants take on the Nationals in a three-game set starting Monday. |
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Apr 21 2018 | Belt went 1-for-3 with a two-run home run Saturday against the Angels. | Belt took start Garrett Richards deep in the second inning to record his fourth home run of the season. His current .519 slugging percentage is a relative surge in power and is the result of him pulling the ball in the air at a higher rate in the early going. It remains to be seen if this something he can carry forward, but if it is, he may be a surprising source of power. |
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Apr 20 2018 | Belt is out of the lineup Friday against the Angels, Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle reports. | With southpaw Andrew Heaney taking the hill for Los Angeles, Belt will head to the bench for a night off. Buster Posey will move to first base to replace him, allowing Nick Hundley to log a start behind the dish. |
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Apr 19 2018 | Belt went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in the Giants' 3-1 defeat to the Diamondbacks on Thursday. | Belt was the only Giant to get to Zack Greinke with his second-inning solo blast representing his team's only run of the contest. After a relatively quiet start to the season, it was Belt's second straight game with a long ball and he's now got a solid .255/.361/.471 slash line that he'll look to build on going forward. |
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Apr 19 2018 | Belt went 1-for-4 with a two-run home run in Wednesday's extra-inning win over Arizona. | Belt came through in the clutch, taking Diamondbacks' closer, Brad Boxberger, deep in the top of the 10th inning to give the Giants enough of a cushion to come away with the victory. The 30-year-old has been as advertised early on, providing excellent on-base skills (.368 on-base percentage) to go along with modest power (two homers in 47 at-bats). |
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Apr 14 2018 | Belt is not in the lineup Saturday against the Padres, John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle reports. | The day off will be Belt's fourth in the team's opening 14 games, leaving him on pace to start 116 times. It appears that the Giants want to give Buster Posey a fair amount of time at first base, as he'll start there for the third time this season Saturday. Belt is hitting well so far this year, with a .270/.400/.405 line through 45 plate appearances. A good deal of that early success is BABIP-related, though, as his BABIP sits at an unsustainable .429. |
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Apr 11 2018 | Belt is out of the lineup against Arizona on Wednesday, Jody Jackson of Fox Sports Arizona reports. | Belt will get the day off after going 1-for-8 with five strikeouts during the first two games of this series. Buster Posey will slide over to first base while Nick Hundley draws a start behind the plate for Wednesday's contest. |
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Apr 8 2018 | Belt is not in the lineup for Sunday's game against the Dodgers, Amy Gutierrez of NBC Sports Bay Area reports. | Belt will open the game on the bench for the third time in the past five games as the Giants draw a matchup with lefty Clayton Kershaw and the Dodgers. Pablo Sandoval picks up the start at first base in his absence. |
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Apr 4 2018 | Belt went 3-for-4 with a walk, a home run, two runs scored and two RBI in Wednesday's 10-1 win over the Mariners. | The homer and RBI were his first of the year, and Belt is now 6-for-17 (.353) through five games. The first baseman has never hit more than 18 home runs in a season, but if he can stay healthy in 2018 this could be the season he finally breaks through for 20 or more. |
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Apr 3 2018 | Belt is not in the lineup for Tuesday's home opener against the Mariners, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports. | Buster Posey slides over to first base in Belt's place, with Nick Hundley receiving his first start behind the plate. The Giants face lefty Marco Gonzales on Tuesday, but there's no risk of Belt being platooned, as he started against the first three lefties the Giants faced so far this season. The move is likely simply an attempt to keep Posey fresh while keeping his bat in the lineup and has little to do with Belt himself. |
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Feb 27 2018 | Belt went 3-for-3 with two runs scored in the Giants 14-12 spring training victory over the Diamondbacks. | Belt suffered the fourth concussion of his baseball career against Arizona in early August, which cost him the final two months of the 2017 season. Concussion-like symptoms plagued the 29-year-old through everyday life in the following months, Kerry Crowley of the San Jose Mercury News reports, but looks himself with spring training now under way. Belt was officially cleared of the concussion by MLB in October and is slated for another season as the Giants starting first baseman. |
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Oct 3 2017 | Belt (concussion) has been officially cleared by MLB, Andrew Baggarly of The San Jose Mercury News reports. | Belt, who has a history with head injuries, missed the final two months of the season with a concussion, but he'll head into the offseason with no restrictions after being deemed symptom-free. He hit .241/.355/.469 with 18 homers in 104 games before his season was cut short due to the injury. Assuming he's able to enter next season healthy, look for him to return to a starting role for the Giants. |
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Sep 20 2017 | Belt (concussion) was transferred to the 60-day DL on Wednesday. | It was widely assumed that Belt was done for the year, and this move makes it official. Belt suffered a concussion in early August, adding to his extensive history of head injuries. These issues are very serious and will always be a concern, but if healthy, Belt should be the Giants' starter at first base again next season. |
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Sep 20 2017 | Belt (concussion) worked out on the field with the Giants' strength and conditioning coach prior to Wednesday's game, Amy Gutierrez of NBC Sports Bay Area reports. | Belt was moved to the 60-day DL earlier in the day, officially ending his season, but it seems 29-year-old is making some progress in his recovery from a concussion. Nothing should be taken for granted moving forward given his history of head injuries, but Belt just signed a five-year extension in 2016 and will be a starter next year if healthy. |
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Aug 29 2017 | Belt (concussion) may not return this season, Andrew Baggarly of The San Jose Mercury News reports. | Manager Bruce Bochy remains hopeful that Belt will return this season, but acknowledged Tuesday that he may not return until 2018. This should come as no surprise, given Belt's history with concussions. Ryder Jones should continue to serve as the everyday first baseman for the foreseeable future. |
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Aug 23 2017 | Belt (concussion) is still 2-to-3 weeks away from being activated from the disabled list, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports. | Belt has yet to make much progress recovering from a concussion that landed him on the disabled list Aug. 5. With Belt out for the foreseeable future, Ryder Jones is in line to receive regular starts at first base for the Giants. |
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Aug 20 2017 | Giants manager Bruce Bochy said Belt is still experiencing concussion symptoms more than two weeks after being hit in the head by a pitch, Andrew Baggarly of the San Jose Mercury News reports. | While Belt has been pushing himself in cardio workouts, he's still not at a point where he can go through them at full capacity because of his lingering symptoms. There is no guarantee that he will return in 2017, as this is the fourth documented concussion he's suffered dating back to his time as a college player at the University of Texas. |
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Aug 17 2017 | Belt (concussion) is set to begin light conditioning work Friday, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports. | This is a significant step for Belt as he works his way back from a concussion that has kept him out since early August. Friday marks Belt's first workout since the concussion, according to Pavlovic. Considering that cardio work is a large indicator of a player's recovery progress, Friday's workout should shed some light on Belt's status moving forward. |
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Aug 15 2017 | Belt was transferred Monday from the 7-day disabled list to the 10-day disabled list, MLB.com reports. | The transaction is only procedural move, as Belt had already missed more than a full week of action with the concussion. Belt has an extensive history of head injuries, so he'll remain away from the team for the time being and wait for the concussion symptoms to subside before starting up baseball activities again. In the meantime, Ryder Jones and Buster Posey will pick up the bulk of the starts at first base. |
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Aug 15 2017 | Belt (concussion) is not improving and will be examined Wednesday, John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle reports. | He was transferred from the 7-day DL to the 10-day DL on Tuesday, and it sounds like he should be considered out indefinitely. This is very concerning, given Belt's history of head injuries, and from a fantasy standpoint, it's hard to count on him at all over the rest of the season. Ryder Jones and Buster Posey will continue to see starts at first base going forward. |
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Aug 14 2017 | Belt (concussion) is still resting at home, Andrew Baggarly of The San Jose Mercury News reports. | Belt has already spent the minimum seven days on the disabled list, so he can return once cleared. The 29-year-old still has no timetable for his return, and you can expect some additional caution with Belt's concussion history and the Giants not in the playoff picture. |
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Aug 9 2017 | Belt (concussion) is scheduled to visit doctors Friday, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports. | Belt, who was placed on the disabled list over the weekend after taking a pitch off his helmet against the Diamondbacks, said he is feeling better and is expected to rest some more before being reevaluated. He isn't planning to see a specialist at this point -- which is good news -- though he still remains without a timetable for his return. More should be known following Friday's checkup. |
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Aug 5 2017 | Belt was placed on the 7-day concussion DL on Saturday. | He apparently sustained a concussion in Friday's contest, and will be replaced by Pablo Sandoval on the active roster. Belt will be sidelined until at least next Saturday, so he should be benched in all formats next week. He was hitting .241/.355/.469 with 18 home runs and three steals in 451 plate appearances, but given his .284 BABIP, the batting average was due for some positive regression. |
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Aug 4 2017 | Belt went 2-for-4 with a double, a home run, two RBI and two runs scored in Thursday's rout of the Athletics. | With 18 homers on the season, the 29-year-old has tied the career high he set in 2015 in 34 less games. The first baseman's .242 average leaves much to be desired in leagues that don't use on-base percentage, but his improved power production has helped alleviate the lack of hits. Belt is locked in at the plate right now (6-for-17 with two homers over his last four games), so he could be ready to go on one of his patented extended hot streaks. |
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Aug 2 2017 | Belt went 2-for-5 with a double and his 17th home run of the season in Tuesday's 10-4 win over Oakland. | It took the Belt just one game in August to match his home run total from the entire month of July. The veteran first baseman has now gone 4-for-11 with three extra-base hits since returning from a minor wrist injury July 30. Despite his patient approach at the plate, the 29-year-old has proven to be a streaky hitter over the course of his seven-year career, so we could be seeing the beginning of another hot stretch from Belt. |
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Aug 1 2017 | Belt went 2-for-4 with a double, an RBI and a run scored in Monday's 8-5 loss to Oakland. | Belt has reached base four times in two games since returning from a minor wrist injury, giving his owners confidence that the issue is behind him. The 29-year-old slashed a modest .269/.394/.449 in 21 July contests, but he only managed one home run over that span. With 16 long balls on the year, the first baseman is still on pace to surpass his career high of 18 that he set in 2015. That said, Belt's owners would like to see more than just one homer in August, especially while he carries a mediocre .240 batting average. |
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Jul 30 2017 | Belt (wrist) is in the starting lineup Sunday against the Dodgers, J.P. Hoornstra of the Los Angeles Daily News reports. | Belt missed the past two games due to a bout of wrist soreness, but it appears that the time off was just what the doctor ordered to get him back to full health. He'll resume his normal place at first base and bat seventh in the series finale against Los Angeles starter Hyun-Jin Ryu. |
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Jul 29 2017 | Belt (wrist) is not in the lineup for Saturday's game against the Dodgers, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports. | Belt will miss a second consecutive game while he recovers from a sore wrist and will be replaced by Jae-Gyun Hwang for Saturday's matinee. He should be considered day-to-day for the time being. |
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Jul 28 2017 | Belt was scratched from Friday's lineup against the Dodgers with wrist soreness, Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports reports. | Belt missed two games earlier this month with the problem and it appears to have cropped up again prior to Friday's contest. The lefty is having his best month of the season at the plate, hitting .264 with an .828 OPS, so hopefully it's nothing that will require an extensive loss of playing time. Buster Posey takes his spot at first base Friday, allowing Nick Hundley to fill in behind the plate. |
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Jul 19 2017 | Belt (wrist) went hitless with three strikeouts and a walk in Tuesday's game against Cleveland. | Belt had missed the previous two games with a sprained wrist after being scratched from Sunday's game against San Diego. He will resume his duties at first base and will look to improve on his .242 average at the plate now that he's back. |
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Jul 18 2017 | Belt (wrist) is back in the lineup Tuesday against the Indians, batting third and playing first base, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports. | Belt was available as a defensive replacement Monday night, so it isn't too surprising to see him back in the lineup Tuesday. He'll resume his normal spot in the order as he looks to build on his .244/.352/.470 slash line. |
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Jul 17 2017 | Belt (wrist) is available as a defensive replacement Monday against the Indians, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports. | Belt's wrist is reportedly feeling much better, and although he isn't willing to test it with the bat Monday evening, he does expect to receive clearance Tuesday. He's day-to-day for now, but a Tuesday return seems to be fairly reasonable at this point given this development. |
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Jul 17 2017 | Belt (wrist) is not in the lineup Monday against the Indians, Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle reports. | This marks the second consecutive game the Giants' first baseman will miss due to a sprained wrist. No word on Belt's progress has come forth, but in the meantime, Jae-Gyun Hwang seems to be in line to pick up more starts at first base, as he will Monday evening. |
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Jul 16 2017 | Belt was scratched from Sunday's game against the Padres with a sprained wrist, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports. | The injury stems from Saturday's game when Belt hurt the wrist while holding back on a check-swing. He will be considered day-to-day for now, as Buster Posey slides over to man first base in his stead and Nick Hundley draws the start behind the plate. |
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Jul 9 2017 | Belt went 2-for-4 with a double, a walk and a pair of runs scored in Sunday's extra-inning loss to the Marlins. | The veteran first baseman is carrying a modest six-game hitting streak heading into the All-Star break. Belt's .243 batting average leaves much to be desired, but he has maintained his excellent on-base skills while contributing 16 home runs, which puts him well on pace to break his career-high mark of 18 he set in 2015. |
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Jul 2 2017 | Belt went 3-for-4 with his sixteenth home run, three RBI and a pair of runs scored in Sunday's 5-3 win over the Pirates. | The 29-year-old's big day at the plate turned out to be the difference in a two-run win. With 16 homers in just 80 games, Belt is on pace to crush his career-best mark of 18 long balls. The first baseman's .228 batting average has been a drag on fantasy owners, but his current .259 BABIP is over 70 points below his career average (.332 BABIP), which should lead to an improvement in the batting average department going forward. Luck aside, Belt's patience (14.2 BB percentage) and power production have kept his fantasy value afloat. |
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Jun 30 2017 | Belt went 2-for-4 with a double, a homer, a walk and four RBI Friday against the Pirates. | Belt had a solid night in a game that the Giants lit the Pirates up for 13 runs in a winning effort. Despite having a weak .232 batting average, he's a useful fantasy option based on his 15 homers and .457 slugging percentage. |
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Jun 25 2017 | Belt went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Saturday's loss to the Mets. | Belt has put together a modest seven-game hit streak -- with three homers -- after struggling through his first 14 June contests (8-for-51). Despite maintaining consistent patience at the plate, the 29-year-old has proven to be a streaky hitter over his seven-year career, and he appears to be trending upward at the moment. |
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Jun 22 2017 | Belt is not in the lineup Thursday against the Braves, John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle reports. | Despite riding a four-game hitting streak, Belt is batting just .179 (4-for-31) over his last eight games, so he'll head to the bench to clear his head. Buster Posey will take over for him at first base while Nick Hundley gets the start behind the dish. |
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Jun 21 2017 | Belt went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Tuesday's 6-3 win over the Braves. | Belt was moved down to sixth in the order three games ago -- after spending the majority of the season batting second or third -- in an effort to spark a struggling Giants offense. While he may not score that many runs with the new configuration, the 29-year-old should be able to improve on his lacking RBI total of 29 (24th among all qualified first basemen). |
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Jun 18 2017 | Belt is batting fifth in the order during Sunday's game against the Rockies, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports. | Belt has spent the past month primarily hitting out of the three-hole for the Giants, but will find himself batting fifth for the first time this season on Sunday. Manager Bruce Bochy hopes that the shift in the order will help jumpstart Belt's ice cold bat, as the 29-year-old is hitless in his previous 17 at-bats. Brandon Crawford will occupy the third spot in the order Sunday. |
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Jun 17 2017 | Belt is not in the lineup Saturday against the Rockies, Andrew Baggarly of the San Jose Mercury News reports. | Belt has been rather ineffective at the dish recently, going hitless in each of his last four tilts. That, in combination with the left-handed Kyle Freeland toeing the rubber for the Rockies, likely led to Belt's rest day Saturday in favor of Buster Posey at first base. With the right-handed Tyler Chatwood scheduled to start Sunday, expect Belt to rejoin the lineup for the matinee series finale at hitter-friendly Coors Field. |
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Jun 11 2017 | Belt is out of the lineup Sunday against the Twins, Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle reports. | Belt was in need of a break after starting 22 consecutive games, so manager Bruce Bochy decided that giving the first baseman the day off Sunday was most optimal with the Giants off the schedule Monday. Buster Posey will get a day off behind the plate and instead assume Belt's usual spot in the field. |
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Jun 10 2017 | Belt went 2-for-3 with his 11th home run in Saturday's loss to Minnesota. He's likely to rest Sunday as the Giants may sit some left-handed bats against left-hander Nik Turley, manager Bruce Bochy told KNBR.com. | Belt entered Saturday hitting just .200 with a .609 OPS against left-handed pitching, so he may get a rest Sunday despite it being Turley's first career start. |
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Jun 5 2017 | Belt got the start in left field Sunday -- his 10th start of the season there -- going 0-for-3 with a walk, an RBI and a run scored in a loss to Philadelphia. | While his stat line was nothing to write home about, his 10th start in the outfield could earn Belt outfield eligibility depending on league format. Given Belt's unconventional approach at the plate for a first baseman (who generally are less-patient power producers), an ability to be moved into the outfield could be beneficial to fantasy owners who are looking to dip into deep pool of first basemen. Given the Giants' utter lack of left field options, there is a good chance Belt could reach the 20-game mark in the outfield at some point this season for those who have stricter eligibility rules in their leagues. |
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May 20 2017 | Belt went 3-for-4 with a walk and a run scored in Friday's win over the Cardinals. | Belt has now recorded a hit in seven straight games, batting .333 (10-for-30) with four home runs over that span. Outside of a pedestrian .243 batting average, the patient first baseman has been as advertised this season, providing solid power and run production in the heart of the Giants' lineup. His average should continue climbing as his .298 BABIP normalizes somewhere around his .339 career mark. |
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May 17 2017 | Belt is not in the lineup Wednesday against the Dodgers, John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle reports. | Lefty Clayton Kershaw is taking the mound for Los Angeles, so manager Bruce Bochy opted to stack his lineup with right-handed hitters. Belt will cede Wednesday's start at first base to Mike Morse. |
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May 17 2017 | Belt continued his recent power surge Tuesday, going 2-for-4 with a solo home run in a 2-1 win over the Dodgers. | The veteran first baseman broke out of his power drought in a big way this week, smacking four dingers over his last six contests. Even with his patient approach at the plate, Belt has a tendency to be a streaky hitter in the power department, so owners should enjoy the ride while it lasts. It is worth noting that he is scheduled to receive a day off Wednesday against Clayton Kershaw, so those in daily leagues should deploy a backup plan at first base. |
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May 16 2017 | Manager Bruce Bochy announced Tuesday that Belt will not be in the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Dodgers, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports. | Belt is hitting just .059 (3-for-51) during his career against Wednesday's starter Clayton Kershaw, so Bochy has opted to give the veteran first baseman the day off. Belt should be well-rested and ready to return to the lineup Friday against the Cardinals. |
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May 14 2017 | Belt went 1-for-3 with a solo home run and a walk during Saturday's win over Cincinnati. | The first baseman is now up to six home runs and 16 RBI with a .220/.352/.432 slash line. The dip in batting average and slugging percentage will likely climb closer to his respective .272 and .460 marks entering 2017 over the course of the season, but with San Francisco struggling offensively and fielding a weak lineup, Belt might struggle to match last season's career-high 82 RBI. |
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May 12 2017 | Belt went 1-for-4 with a walk and a solo home run in Thursday's 3-2 loss to the Reds. | Thursday's long ball ended an 18-game homerless stretch. Belt has maintained an excellent .358 on-base percentage, but his .221 batting average isn't helping fantasy owners. His .293 BABIP is over 50 points lower than the marks he posted in 2015 and 2016 when he batted .280 and .275 respectively, so expect his average to rise as more of his contacted balls start falling in. |
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May 10 2017 | Belt is not in the starting lineup for Wednesday's series finale against the Mets, John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle reports. | Belt is having a brutal month at the plate, going just 3-for-25 with 14 strikeouts over eight games, so he gets a chance to clear his head Wednesday. Buster Posey moves to first base while Nick Hundley takes over behind the plate. |
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May 1 2017 | Belt is not in the lineup Monday against the Dodgers, Alex Pavlovic of NBC Sports Bay Area reports. | With Clayton Kershaw headed to the mound for the Dodgers, Belt will head to the bench as Mike Morse fills in at first base while Gorkys Hernandez takes over in left field. This comes as no surprise, given Belt is just 3-for-51 (.059) with 27 strikeouts in his career against Kershaw. |
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Apr 30 2017 | Belt went 0-for-5 with four strikeouts in Sunday's 5-2 loss to the Padres. | Belt has been one of the better hitter's in San Francisco's struggling lineup to begin the season, but his slash line is now down to .250/.373/.467. The left-handed slugger was facing a left-handed pitcher, so we'll give him a pass here. He has the ability to reach the 20-homer mark for the first time in his career if he can loft more balls in the air. Consider him a lower-tier corner infielder in deep mixed affairs. |
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Apr 28 2017 | Belt received his second start in left field this season, going 1-for-4 with a run scored in a 5-1 loss to the Dodgers. | The Giants outfield has been stricken with injuries, so manager Bruce Bochy has been using a combination of Belt and Eduardo Nunez to cover left field. It appears that the first baseman will primarily see starts in the outfield when a southpaw is on the mound, as it allows Buster Posey to play first and Nick Hundley to slide behind the dish. It is still unclear how long the Giants' skipper plans on using Belt out of position, but depending on league format, he could gain outfield eligibility at some point this season, which would be a marginal boost to his value. |
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Apr 25 2017 | Belt is not in the lineup Tuesday against the Dodgers, Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle reports. | Belt will take a seat as the Dodgers send Clayton Kershaw to the mound, given he is just 3-for-51 (.059) over his career against the southpaw. Buster Posey will take over at first base for the game while Nick Hundley serves as the backstop. Belt is batting .247 with four homers and nine RBI through 19 games (73 at-bats) this season. |
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Apr 22 2017 | Belt went 2-for-4 with a walk and his fourth home run of the season in Friday's 6-5 loss to the Rockies. | The veteran first baseman extended his hit streak to six games with a bang Friday. He is batting just .238 through the first few weeks of the season, but his .351 on-base percentage is right where owners would expect it to be. Belt's ability to get on base coupled with his new spot batting second in the order has led to an early influx of runs (10) to compliment his modest power. |
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Apr 15 2017 | Belt is not in the lineup Saturday against Colorado, Thomas Harding of MLB.com reports. | Belt has notched three home runs and seven RBI, five of which came in one game, thus far, but he's hitting just .191 through his first 47 at-bats. He'll get the day off Saturday as the Giants go with Conor Gillaspie at first base. |
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Apr 13 2017 | Belt went 0-for-3 at the plate Wednesday, but he reached based twice via walks and scored once in a win over Arizona. | The veteran continues to bat second and provide fantasy owners with solid counting stats early on (seven runs, three home runs, seven RBI and a steal). Belt's batting average (.184) is the only unsavory part of his stat line, but the career-.271 hitter will get that up sooner rather than later. |
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Apr 7 2017 | Belt went 2-for-4 with two homers and five RBI Friday against the Padres. | Belt blasted a grand slam to give the Giants a brief lead in the sixth inning before homering again in the eighth to bring the team within a single run in a losing effort. He's connected for three homers and six hits over his last four games, and the power is especially welcome by fantasy owners who haven't seen the veteran hit more than 18 bombs in any season-to-date. |
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Apr 5 2017 | Belt went 2-for-5 with a triple, a solo homer and two runs in Wednesday's loss to the Diamondbacks. | it's nice to see Belt go yard early, but we'll need to see more before raising expectations; after all, this is a first baseman who's topped out at 18 homers to this point in his career. Belt's plate discipline is impressive, and it could ultimately result in some borderline-elite batting averages; that seems more likely than a sudden power spike in his late 20s, although such a thing can't be ruled out. |
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Mar 28 2017 | Manager Bruce Bochy has signaled in his Cactus League lineups that he plans to use Belt as his No. 2 hitter to begin the season, Andrew Baggarly of the San Jose Mercury News reports. | While Belt has yet to emerge as the consistent 20-plus-homer threat the Giants probably envisioned early on during his time in the big leagues, he's been an on-base machine throughout his six seasons with the team. After posting a career-best .394 mark in 2016, Belt's presence in the two hole in front of Hunter Pence, Buster Posey and Brandon Crawford would seemingly help his chances of establishing a new career high in runs, though he could sacrifice some RBI opportunities as a result. Manager Bruce Bochy isn't necessarily married to the idea of using Belt as his No. 2 hitter, so if the team struggles to generate offense early in the season, it's possible that Belt could move into the heart of the order. |
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Mar 25 2017 | Belt crushed a three-run home run in Friday's win over the Rockies. It was his only hit in four at-bats. | The 28-year-old is quietly having a consistent spring, slashing .289/.340/.600 in 49 plate appearances. Quiet and consistent are also ways to describe the first baseman's offensive game. In his last three full seasons, Belt has averaged 17.3 homers, 72.3 RBI and 75.3 runs, numbers that seem to represent the baseline for what fantasy owners expect from their first baseman. The one aspect of his game that stands out from the rest is his ability to get on base at a high clip (.394 on-base percentage in 2016), which obviously inflates his value in leagues that incorporate that statistic. Barring an injury, we should expect more of the same from Belt in 2017. |
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Feb 25 2017 | Belt started and went 1-for-2 in his Cactus League debut Friday. | The extremely patient Belt is looking to repeat last year's career-best .394 on-base percentage and .868 OPS. While his power never developed to the 25-homer level many pegged him for as a prospect, he has turned into a consistent option at first base and should finish with solid counting stats batting in the heart of the Giants' order. Leagues that use on-base percentage should value Belt higher than standard formats, but he will still hold value in other formats given how shallow the first base position is this year. |
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Sep 30 2016 | Belt went 3-for-3 with a double and three-run blast in the 9-3 victory over the Dodgers on Friday. | The first baseman is 7-for-15 (.467) in his last four games, having also recorded three hits on Tuesday. San Francisco was already leading 6-3, but Belt's bomb put the game out of reach for Los Angeles. He is hitting .275 with 17 homers, 82 RBI and 76 runs in 535 at-bats this season. |
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Sep 28 2016 | Belt went 3-for-5 with a double, a triple, an RBI and a pair of runs scored in Tuesday's 12-3 win over Colorado. | The Giants' first baseman returned to the lineup after getting Sunday off and fell a homer shy of the cycle. Manager Bruce Bochy has been batting Belt and his .389 on-base percentage second over his last two starts in an effort get guys on base in front of Buster Posey and Hunter Pence. The move has paid immediate dividends with Belt reaching base five times and scoring twice in the two games since the lineup shift. |
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Sep 25 2016 | Belt is not in the lineup for Sunday's outing against San Diego. | Buster Posey will take over at first base while Belt gets his first game off since Sept. 13. The Giants have Monday off, so look for Belt to return to action Tuesday when San Francisco hosts the Rockies. |
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Sep 21 2016 | Belt went 2-for-4 with a solo home run in Tuesday's win over the Dodgers. | Belt struggled through the months of July and August but appears to have regained formed in September with a .405 on-base percentage and 10 RBI in 17 games. He is never going to be an exciting fantasy commodity to own due to his patient approach at the plate, but like fellow first baseman Eric Hosmer, Belt is usually a lock for 15-20 homers with a plus on-base percentage over the course of a full season. |
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Sep 17 2016 | Belt went 2-for-4 with a double, a run and two RBI in Friday's 8-2 win over the Cardinals. | Belt contributed a two-run double during San Francisco's six-run third inning, increasing his RBI total to 74. The first baseman hasn't hit for much power lately, with just one home run over his last 29 games, but he's posting the best OPS of his career (.853) thanks to a career-high 93 walks and .390 OBP. More importantly, he's on track to set a career high in games after missing considerable time with concussions the last two seasons. |
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Sep 14 2016 | Belt (illness) is back in the lineup Wednesday, hitting sixth against the Padres, the San Jose Mercury News' Andrew Baggarly reports. | He missed one game with the illness but will reassume his typical spot in the six hole Wednesday. Belt is hitting .238 with a 30.1 percent K-rate since Aug. 1, but he has also chipped in four home runs, 23 RBI and 17 runs over that span. |
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Sep 13 2016 | Belt is out of the lineup Tuesday due to illness, CSN Bay Area reports. | Manager Bruce Bochy said Belt is "pretty sick," so it's seems possible the 28-year-old will be held out of Wednesday's series finale as well. Buster Posey is starting at first base Tuesday with Trevor Brown filling in behind the plate. |
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Sep 8 2016 | Belt went 2-for-3 with a two-run homer and a walk against the Rockies on Wednesday. | The first baseman had been mired in an 0-for-18 slump -- including an 0-for-3 day at Coors Field on Monday that resulted in an off day Tuesday -- but a second chance to hit in Colorado seemingly cured what's been ailing him. Of course, now the Giants have to return to real life, but with a series in Arizona next, Belt's bat could continue heating up. |
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Sep 6 2016 | Belt is out of the starting lineup for Tuesday's matchup with the Rockies, Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle reports. | Between Belt's recent struggles at the plate (no hits in his last 18 at-bats) and the fact that he was hit in the helmet with a pitch Sunday, it seems the Giants want to give Belt a bit more rest as they gear up for a postseason push. Buster Posey will slide over to first base to cover his absence. |
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Sep 5 2016 | Belt (head) is back in the lineup Monday against the Rockies, Giants reporter Andrew Baggarly reports. | Belt took a pitch to the helmet Sunday, but he passed all subsequent concussion tests and won't miss any time. The veteran is in the lineup at first base Monday, and he'll bat seventh in the order against the Rockies' Chad Bettis. |
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Sep 5 2016 | Belt (head) passed all concussion tests following Sunday's game against the Cubs, freelance Giants writer Andrew Baggarly reports. | There were likely some anxious moments for Giants fans after Belt was struck on the helmet by a pitch during Sunday's game, as the first baseman had previously missed extensive time in his career due to concussions. Fortunately, it appears he wasn't experiencing any symptoms of a head injury during tests conducted by team doctors, meaning there's a good chance he'll be in the lineup for Monday's series opener against the Rockies. An update on Belt's availability should arrive later in the day. |
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Sep 4 2016 | Belt went through concussion protocol after being grazed on his helmet by a pitch on Sunday, Giant's beat writer Andrew Baggarly reports. | Belt is confident that he is totally fine, however he may sit out a day or two if management decides to be cautious. Look for more updates on his status closer to Monday's game against the Rockies. |
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Sep 2 2016 | Belt is not in the lineup for Friday's game against the Cubs. | Belt owns an .867 OPS against left-handers this season but is 0-for-6 in his career against Cubs starter Jon Lester, so he will get a day off with Lester on the bump for the Cubs on Friday. Buster Posey will man first base Friday in Belt's place. |
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Aug 29 2016 | Belt (neck) returned to the lineup Sunday, going 2-for-4 with a walk, a triple, an RBI and a pair of runs scored in a win over Atlanta. | Belt was scratched from Saturday's lineup with a stiff neck. His presence in Sunday's lineup and production at the plate indicates that the injury wasn't anything to worry about. Belt isn't your traditional slugging first baseman, but his 66 RBI and .390 OBP have provided good value as a first baseman in deeper leagues and a corner infielder in standard formats. |
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Aug 28 2016 | Belt (neck) is in Sunday's lineup against Atlanta, Andrew Baggarly of the Mercury News Group reports. | Fortunately, Belt's neck stiffness wasn't anything too serious, as he's back in action Sunday. He'll hit fifth as the Giants take on the struggling Aaron Blair and the Braves. |
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Aug 27 2016 | Belt has been scratched from Saturday's lineup with neck stiffness. | Conor Gillaspie will replace Belt both at first base and in the five-hole in the batting order. The extent this issue is uncertain but Belt should be considered merely day-to-day until more information becomes available. |
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Aug 27 2016 | Belt went 2-for-4 with a double, a pair of RBI and a run scored in Friday's win over Atlanta. | Belt was moved up to fifth in the order after being demoted from third to seventh for the past two games. Manager Bruce Bochy likely moved him out of the three-hole in an effort to take pressure off his struggling first baseman. It appears to have paid off in the short-term with Belt collecting three RBI in the three games since the lineup shift. Interestingly enough, he has posted his lowest batting average (.245) and slugging percentage (.453) while batting third this season (201 at-bats), as opposed to batting fourth, fifth or sixth where those totals are nearly 50 points higher (229 combined at-bats). It may be that Belt is pressing too hard when he is in a more prominent spot in the lineup, or it simply may be coincidence. Whatever the case, this is one of the rare instances where a fantasy owner may actually be glad his batter has been moved lower in the order. |
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Aug 25 2016 | Belt was dropped to seventh in the batting order Wednesday, going 0-for-3 with a walk in a loss to the Dodgers. | Belt has cooled off at the plate in the second half of August (.231, no homers and two RBI over last 10 games) after hitting three homers through the first 10 games of the month. Manager Bruce Bochy may have moved him down the order in an effort to take the pressure off of his slugging first baseman, or it may have simply been a matchup play with a left-hander on the mound. Either way, Belt is one of several Giants whose cold bats have resulted in a 2-8 record over the club's last 10 games. Batting lower in the order (especially for an on-base machine like Belt) will result in fewer scoring opportunities. Thursday's series-finale against the Dodgers will feature right-hander Ross Stripling, so we will see if Belt's lineup movement was temporary or not. |
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Aug 14 2016 | Belt went 1-for-5 with a two-run homer in Saturday's 6-2 win over Baltimore. | This wasn't your typical Belt stat line, as he is usually very patient and passive at the plate. He may have been trying to spark a struggling Giants lineup, which would explain the three strikeouts. Whatever the case, owners will definitely trade in his great discipline for home runs. Belt has shown increased pop in the month of August (three homers) after posting just one in the month of July. |
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Aug 6 2016 | Belt went 3-for-4 with two doubles, a home run, two RBI and two runs in a 7-1 victory over the Nationals on Saturday. | The first baseman doubled in a run during the fifth then smashed a solo bomb in the ninth. Belt has recorded two three-hit games already this month. He is hitting .287 with 13 homers, 55 RBI and 53 runs in 373 at-bats. |
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Aug 5 2016 | Belt is out of the lineup Friday against the Nationals. | He is hitting just .190/.342/.286 in the second half, so while his numbers on the season are still pretty impressive, he's scuffling quite a bit at the plate, specifically in the power department. Buster Posey will get the start at first base and hit cleanup Friday. |
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Aug 2 2016 | Belt went 3-for-5 with a three-run homer in Tuesday's 13-8 loss to Philadelphia. | Belt's fifth-inning blast tied the game at six, but it wasn't enough as the Phillies surprisingly continued to pour it on offensively. While this was just his second homer since June 19, the first baseman has shown increased signs of life since being moved down from third to sixth in the batting order on July 26. He's still slugging a career-high .489 despite the recent power outage. |
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Jul 30 2016 | Belt went 1-for-1 with three walks and a run in Saturday's 5-3 victory over the Nationals. | The slugging first baseman has displayed some excellent plate discipline over the last week, drawing eight walks over the last five games while only whiffing twice. Belt has only homered once since June 20, however, and is hitting just .222 in July. While the current month has easily been his poorest of the season, Belt has a chance to quickly turn his fortunes at the plate around if he continues to exhibit the same patient eye of recent contests. |
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Jul 27 2016 | Belt went 1-for-2 with three walks and a run scored in Tuesday's 9-7 win over Cincinnati. | Belt has responded well to being moved down to sixth in the order, homering Monday and reaching base four time Tuesday. He appears to be breaking out of the eight-game slump in which he went 2-for-33. He will likely stick in the six-hole so long as the Giants continue to put up runs like they have over their last two contests. |
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Jul 25 2016 | Belt homered and knocked in two runs in a 3-for-4 game Monday against the Reds. | Belt was dropped to sixth in the lineup Monday and responded in resounding fashion. He had been in a horrendous slump, with just a .223/.310/.348 line and zero home runs since his last blast June 19 against the Rays. If he can come up with a few more nights like these in the near future, expect him to rise back to his old spot in the heart of the Giants' order. |
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Jul 25 2016 | Belt was dropped to sixth in the lineup Monday against the Reds. | He is hitting just .185/.312/.277 in 65 at-bats in July and the cold stretch prompted manager Bruce Bochy to bat Belt sixth for the eighth game this season. The first baseman has typically hit third or fifth this season, and he should return to a more advantageous spot at some point, provided he snaps out of this funk. Jarrett Parker is starting in right field and hitting third Monday. |
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Jul 9 2016 | Belt went 0-for-1 with four walks and a run scored in Friday's 6-2 win over the Diamondbacks. | That wasn't a typo, Belt did actually start this game, but he reached base via the free pass four times Friday, only registering one official at-bat. He exhibited his elite plate discipline bringing his on-base percentage over the .400-mark, something only eight other players in the majors can make a claim to. While the All-Star voting system is essentially a popularity contest, it is safe to say that Belt earned his first appearance with a slash line of .299/.404/.517 through the first-half of the season. |
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Jul 4 2016 | Belt had a big day at the plate Sunday, going 2-for-4 with a double, two walks, a pair of RBI and a run scored in a win over Arizona. | The Giants needed this performance from Belt with so many of their regulars sidelined. He came through, as he has all year, with another solid across-the-board effort. Belt continues to progress at the plate, seeing his strikeouts drastically drop to 18.0% and his walks skyrocket to 14.7%. With elite plate discipline numbers like those, he is exponentially more valuable in advanced leagues that use on-base percentage instead of batting average. |
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Jul 3 2016 | Belt is out of the lineup Sunday against the Diamondbacks, freelance writer Andrew Baggarly reports. | Belt has made three consecutive starts against left-handed pitching, but will sit Sunday afternoon with southpaw Robbie Ray on the hill for Arizona. In his stead, Buster Posey will move from behind the plate to instead cover first base. |
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Jul 3 2016 | Updating a previous report, Belt will get the starting nod in left field Sunday against the Diamondbacks. | Belt was originally scheduled to get the day off with left-hander Robbie Ray on the mound for Arizona, but the late scratch of Gregor Blanco (knee) resulted in a lineup reshuffle. Jarrett Parker will move from left field to center, while Belt is inserted in left to cover for him (Buster Posey is currently listed as the starting first baseman). |
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Jul 1 2016 | Belt went 2-for-5 with four RBI, a walk and a run in Thursday's 12-6 victory over the A's. | The 28-year-old opened the scoring for the Giants with a third-inning ground-rule double that brought home Madison Bumgarner and Denard Span, and he closed out the 12-run haul with an RBI single in the ninth that plated Conor Gillaspie and Span. Belt has smacked a two-bagger in three straight, and closes out June by having hit safely in six of his last seven contests. |
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Jun 25 2016 | Belt returned to the lineup and went 2-for-4 with a double, three RBI and a run scored in Friday's 5-4 win over Philadelphia. | Belt hit a clutch, bases-clearing double to put the Giants ahead in the seventh inning Friday. He continues his breakout campaign with an impressive .305/.410/.537 slash line through 72 games. The only criticism of his season could be the lack of steals after swiping nine bags in 2015. As long as he continues to produce in the heart of the lineup, his owners will give him a pass. |
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Jun 23 2016 | Belt is out of the lineup Thursday against the Pirates. | The Giants are giving several veterans the day off for Thursday's day game, and Belt certainly deserves the break, having notched eight hits, including two home runs, over his last six games. Buster Posey will start at first base and hit cleanup Thursday. |
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Jun 21 2016 | Belt went 2-for-6 with two doubles and two runs scored Tuesday in Pittsburgh. | Belt now has four two-hit games in his last eight, though that threshold wasn't hard to reach with the Giants scoring 15 runs in this one. The first baseman also has four doubles and three home runs in that stretch, and has worked his slugging percentage up to .538 in what has been a breakout campaign. |
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Jun 19 2016 | Belt went 2-for-3 with a walk, two runs scored and a solo shot, his 10th home run of the season, in Sunday's win over the Rays. | He's found his power stroke in June, launching five homers in 15 games while hitting .358 (19-for-53). Belt is still looking for the first 20 HR campaign of his career, but he's well on pace to top that mark in 2016. |
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Jun 17 2016 | Belt (ankle) is in the lineup for Friday's game against the Rays. | Belt left Tuesday's game after getting hit by a pitch in the sixth inning against the Brewers and hasn't played in a game since. He will be manning first base and hitting in the third spot of the order for Friday's game against Chris Archer and the Rays. Belt has been having a phenomenal year thus far, hitting .301/.412/.514 with eight home runs and 33 RBI. |
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Jun 15 2016 | Belt (ankle) could be available to pinch hit Wednesday but will most likely be ready for Friday's game against the Rays, John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle reports. | Belt is on pace for a career-best season offensively, hitting .301/.412/.514 with eight home runs, 33 RBI, and 31 runs scored through 64 games. The 28-year-old will look to keep it rolling Friday in Tampa Bay barring any setback with his ankle. |
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Jun 15 2016 | Belt (ankle) is not in the lineup Wednesday against Milwaukee, John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle reports. | Belt departed Tuesday's game after taking a pitch off the ankle, and while X-Rays returned negative, he'll sit out Wednesday as he deals with swelling and soreness in the area. As a result, the Giants will go with Conor Gillaspie at first base Wednesday, his second start of the season at the position. |
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Jun 15 2016 | Belt's X-rays on his right ankle came back negative, Amy Guitierrez of CSN Bay Area reports. | Belt left Tuesday's game shortly after he got hit by a pitch on the ankle. It's unclear if Belt will miss time due to the injury, but if he does, it's likely either Matt Duffy or Buster Posey will fill in for the first basemen. |
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Jun 14 2016 | Belt left Tuesday's game shortly after getting hit on the ankle by a pitch in the sixth inning, CSN Bay Area's Alex Pavlovic reports. | He remained in the game to run the bases, but was then taken out after visiting with the team trainer. Belt was 1-for-3 with a strikeout before exiting. Buster Posey and Matt Duffy represent options to play first base if Belt misses further time. |
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Jun 13 2016 | Belt's only hit was a two-run homer in Sunday's 2-1 win over the Dodgers. | Belt was the deciding factor Sunday after taking left-handed rookie, Julio Urias, deep in the bottom of the sixth inning. The homer was already his third this month, matching his season-high total in a month only 12 days through June. Belt has been one of the more consistent options at first base - especially in OBP leagues - and it looks like his power is heating up with the weather. |
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Jun 1 2016 | Belt went 3-for-4 with a two-run home run and a walk against the Braves on Wednesday. | Belt has been pretty hot of late with four multi-hit games in his past five contests, and he's hit .476 (10-for-21) over that span. During his last 10 games, Belt has slugged an impressive .579, and his fantasy value will be on the rise as long as he keeps hitting the ball with authority. |
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May 30 2016 | Belt went 2-for-4 with a homer and a pair of runs scored in the Giants' loss to the Braves on Monday. | Although he's been productive all season as the Giants' regular first baseman, Belt's homer Monday was his first since May 4 in Cincinnati. For the season, he's now hitting .294/.413/.488 with five homers, 25 RBI and a 35:35 BB:K, and Belt should continue to see plenty of chances to deliver as a run producer working from the middle-third of the San Francisco lineup. |
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May 29 2016 | Belt (ankle) went 3-for-5 with two doubles and a run scored in Saturday's 10-5 victory over the Rockies. | The 28-year-old first baseman showed no ill effects from the ankle ailment that forced him to miss Friday's series opener, as he managed his first multi-hit effort since May 17. Belt's hitting has faltered just slightly in May, but he's still slashing a solid .286/.412/.460 for the season over 161 at-bats. |
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May 28 2016 | Belt (ankle) is in the lineup for Saturday's matchup with the Rockies, John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle reports. | Belt suffered a mild ankle sprain sliding into second base on Wednesday, which caused him to miss Friday's series opener. However, he will return to action Saturday batting fifth in the order and playing first base. He will face off against the right handed Eddie Butler, whom Belt is 3-for-5 against in his career. |
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May 27 2016 | Belt (ankle) is expected to return to the lineup for Saturday's matchup with the Rockies, Andrew Baggarly of the Mercury News reports. | Belt suffered a mild ankle sprain Wednesday, which will cause him to sit out of Friday's series opener. Fortunately, manager Bruce Bochy indicated that he expects Belt to start Saturday. He has been mired in a bit slump recently with just two hits in his last 24 at-bats. |
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May 27 2016 | Belt (ankle) is not in the starting lineup for Friday's game against the Rockies. | After suffering a mild ankle sprain in Wednesday's contest, manager Bruce Bochy decided to give Belt another day off to get his ankle completely up to speed. Buster Posey will slide over to first base to replace him while Trevor Brown assumes the catching duties. |
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May 25 2016 | Belt suffered a mild ankle sprain in Wednesday's matchup with the Padres, CSN Bay Area's Alex Pavlocvic reports. | Belt injured his ankle sliding into second base, but appears to have dodged a bullet. While it looked potentially serious, the sprain is fortunately mild. He was 0-for-3 at the time of his exit. The Giants have Thursday off, so Belt will have some extra time to heal up, but his status for Friday is certainly up in the air. |
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May 25 2016 | Belt suffered a mild ankle sprain in Wednesday's matchup with the Padres, Alex Pavlovic of the San Francisco CSN reports. | Belt injured his ankle sliding into second base, but appears to have dodged a bullet. While it looked potentially serious, the sprain is fortunately mild. He was 0-for-3 at the time of his exit. The Giants have Thursday off, so Belt will have some extra time to heal up, but his status for Friday is certainly up in the air. |
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May 25 2016 | Belt left Wednesday's game after rolling his ankle while sliding into second base, CSN Bay Area's Alex Pavlovic reports. | The injury looked pretty bad, as Belt's foot got caught under the rest of his leg, but he was able to walk off the diamond without a limp. He was replaced by Conor Gillaspie at first base, and Matt Duffy and Buster Posey also offer options on the active roster in case the Giants have to make do without Belt for some time. More information as to the severity of the injury should be available after the conclusion of Wednesday's game. |
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May 21 2016 | Belt is out of the lineup for Saturday's matchup with the Cubs. | Buster Posey will slide over to first base as a means of giving Belt the day off. Belt is 0-for-6 in his career versus Jon Lester, so albeit a small sample size, the day off can be considered well-timed. Expect him to return to the lineup Sunday. |
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May 12 2016 | Belt (illness) is back in the lineup for Thursday's game against the Diamondbacks. | An illness kept Belt out of the lineup for Wednesday's series finale against the Blue Jays, but he was able to enter the game as a pinch hitter and log two at-bats. He'll reclaim his spot at first base Thursday and he'll bat fifth in the order against Arizona ace Zack Greinke. |
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May 12 2016 | Belt (illness) was held out of the lineup but entered Wednesday's game in the ninth. He went 0-for-2 with a run scored in the extra-inning win over the Blue Jays. | Belt had a stomach virus that kept him out of the lineup, but the fact that he entered the game and played four innings bodes well for his chances to return Thursday. Make sure to check back once manager Bruce Bochy releases his lineup this afternoon to see if Belt is healthy enough to start. |
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May 11 2016 | Belt is not in the lineup Wednesday against Toronto. | Belt will get a routine day off, as the Giants go with Conor Gillaspie at first base Wednesday. Gillaspie will bat seventh in the order against Toronto's Marcus Stroman. |
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May 3 2016 | Belt went 3-for-4 with a walk, a triple, an RBI and a pair of runs in Monday's 9-6 victory over the Reds. | Belt filled up the stat sheet with another three-hit game Monday, his second over his last five games. He is quietly having a breakout season at age 28. He doesn't hit a ton of home runs, which may suppress his perceived value, but if you look at his slash line of .310/.431/.517 (all career-highs), you can see that he is poised for a big season. While it isn't an exciting comparison, Belt's name should be uttered in the same breath as Eric Hosmer in terms of value. The combination of excellent contact, plate discipline and gap power while hitting in the middle of a strong lineup should lead to career-highs in both runs and RBI this season. |
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Apr 27 2016 | Belt went 3-for-5 with a double, triple, five RBI and two runs in a victory over the Padres on Wednesday. | It was Belt's first three-hit game since Opening Day and his first five-RBI night of the season. Belt has reached base five straight games, mostly due to his newfound patience. He has 14 walks and just 13 strikeouts in 72 at-bats. Belt is now also slashing .303/.402/.513. |
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Apr 26 2016 | Belt reached base three times via the walk and scored two runs in Monday's win over San Diego. | While an 0-for-1 day at the plate doesn't sound appealing from a fantasy perspective, Belt definitely delivered for those in OBP leagues. He continues to exhibit excellent patience as evidenced by an on-base percentage (.386) over 100 points higher than his batting average (.275). With three homers and 11 RBI to compliment his excellent on-base skills, Belt is on his way to a productive year as long as he can stay healthy. |
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Apr 24 2016 | Belt is not in the lineup Sunday against the Marlins. | Belt typically sits against lefties, and Sunday will be no different, as the Marlins will send southpaw Adam Conley to the hill. In his stead, Buster Posey will move from behind the plate to first base, allowing Trevor Brown to get the starting nod at catcher. |
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Apr 20 2016 | Belt is back in the lineup Wednesday, batting cleanup and playing first base against the Diamondbacks. | After getting the night off Tuesday against southpaw Robbie Ray, Belt will get back to his usual spot in the order for Wednesday's matchup. Belt will be facing a familiar foe Wednesday with Zack Greinke on the hill for the Diamondbacks. In 17 career at-bats against the Arizona ace, Belt has collected five hits, including one home run, while striking out six times. |
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Apr 19 2016 | Belt is not in the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Diamondbacks. | He will head to the bench for the first time this season with lefty Robbie Ray due up for Arizona. Buster Posey is set to start at first base in Belt's absence, his first start at first this year, as Trevor Brown takes over behind the plate. Belt has hit safely in seven of his last eight games with three home runs over that span, including one against a left-handed pitcher. |
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Apr 14 2016 | Belt smacked his second homer of the season in Wednesday's loss to the Rockies. | Belt has started 2016 off on the right foot, slashing .313/.421/.594 through nine games. He has shown flashes in the past, but hasn't been able to deliver due to inconsistency or injury. This may be the year he finally puts it all together, as he is in the prime of his career and surrounded by one of the best lineups he has ever been a part of. |
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Apr 11 2016 | Belt went yard for the first time in 2016 Sunday, going 2-for-3 with a walk, a run scored and three RBI in a 9-6 win over the Dodgers. | It had been a bit of a slow start for the recently re-signed first baseman, but Sunday's performance got his slash lines closer to where they should be (.292/.433/.542). Health has usually been the main reason for Belt falling short of expectations, so if he can stay healthy then he could finally put together the fantasy-friendly season we have all been waiting for. |
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Apr 9 2016 | Belt agreed to terms Friday on a five-year extension with the Giants, CSN Bay Area's Alex Pavlovic reports. | The financial details are not immediately available, but the deal is reportedly similar to the six-year, $75 million extension the team handed Brandon Crawford recently, although Belt's deal is expected to be slightly bigger. An average annual value of about $16 million per year starting in 2017, with a tweak to his current one-year deal for 2016 is expected. The Giants are locking up a promising young core, as Belt, who is about to turn 28, would have been a free agent following the 2017 season. San Francisco may be getting Belt at a bargain if it turns out that he has not yet peaked as a player, which is quite possible. Last year he slashed .280/.356/.478 with 18 home runs and nine steals in 137 games, and he is already getting on base at a .409 clip in the early going this year. |
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Mar 24 2016 | Belt had a huge day at the plate Wednesday, going 3-for-3 with a double, two homers and three RBI against the Diamondbacks. | Even more impressive than his stat line was the fact that Belt collected all three hits against left-handed pitchers. His numbers against southpaws last season (.264/.345/.457) weren't far off from his marks against righties (.287/.360/.485), but manager Bruce Bochy will likely still bench Belt against some lefties and slide Buster Posey over to first base, slightly cutting into the former's plate appearances. Belt is still considered a mid-tier first baseman heading into the season. |
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Mar 21 2016 | Belt (undisclosed) returned to the lineup Sunday, going 4-for-4 with four RBI and his first home run of the spring in the 10-4 win over Colorado. | Belt was scratched from Saturday's lineup for undisclosed reasons, but the club stated that it was not injury-related. He reassured owners by having his best day at the plate during Cactus League play. Belt has the starting first base job locked down for Opening Day, but he will likely lose 10-15 starts when Buster Posey slides over to first base during his "off days." |
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Mar 19 2016 | Belt was scratched from Saturday's lineup but is not dealing with any kind of ailment, Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle reports. | The team said Belt's OK and the 27-year-old later confirmed that he's healthy, saying there is "absolutely nothing wrong" with him. Belt is fully expected to return to the lineup for Sunday's exhibition. He has walked more times than he has struck out so far in Cactus League play, but Belt is still looking for his first homer of the spring. |
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Mar 9 2016 | Belt (illness) will return to the lineup Wednesday, CSN Bay Area's Alex Pavlovic reports. | He was dealing with a sinus infection, but should now be considered fully healthy for the final three weeks of spring games. Belt will look to improve on last year's career-high 18 homers in his age-28 season this year. |
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Mar 7 2016 | Belt (illness) hopes to resume playing in games Wednesday, John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle reports. | Belt sat out the last few days with an illness and is still is not 100 percent healthy, but he should return to action later this week. Don't expect the illness to be an issue any longer once is back on the field. |
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Mar 5 2016 | Belt was scratched from Saturday's game with a sinus infection, MLB.com's Chris Haft reports. | The ailment sounds quite minor, so it should not affect his status for Opening Day. Look for him to get back into Cactus League action next week. |
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Feb 24 2016 | Belt will not play much - if any - left field during spring training, CSN Bay Area reports. | The fact that the Giants aren't having Belt work on his outfield defense during spring training indicates they no longer view him as a viable backup option. While he is the club's starting first baseman, he logged 13 starts in left field last season with Buster Posey sliding over to first, usually against lefties. The signing of veteran outfielder Denard Span and the emergence of Jarrett Parker are presumably the reasons the club feels comfortable keeping Belt at his natural position. This news - if it sticks for the regular season - is a positive for San Francisco's defense, but a negative for any Belt owners in fantasy, as he will likely see 10-15 less games started this year. |
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Feb 10 2016 | Belt and the Giants agreed to a one-year, $6.2 million contract, avoiding arbitration, Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle reports. | The deal goes just a bit in favor of the Giants, as it falls a bit short of the $6.4 million midpoint. The 27-year-old bounced back nicely last season with a .280 batting average, an .834 OPS, and 18 home runs. Now that his contract situation is out of the way, Belt can return to being a solid fantasy option at first base, assuming he can replicate his 2015 numbers. |
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Dec 8 2015 | Belt (concussion) was fully cleared by doctors to resume his normal offseason program, Alex Pavlovic of CSN Bay Area reports. | Belt was shut down at the tail end of the 2015 season due to lingering concussion symptoms. With a few months of recovery, he has been fully cleared to resume his offseason activities. Belt also underwent a procedure to repair a torn meniscus in his knee, but he has fully recovered from that as well. He should enter 2016 healthy, and the starting first baseman for the Giants. |
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Sep 30 2015 | Belt underwent a procedure Wednesday to repair a small tear in his meniscus, Amy Guetierrez of CSN Bay Area reports. | Belt, who is also dealing with lingering concussion symptoms, will now face an approximate four-week recovery timetable. This will effectively end his season, but isn't necessarily expected to linger into Belt's 2016 campaign. |
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Sep 26 2015 | Belt (concussion) remains out of the lineup Saturday against the Athletics. | Belt continues to deal with concussion symptoms, and with no definite return in sight, Buster Posey seems likely to see a fair share of starts out from behind the plate in his place. |
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Sep 25 2015 | Belt (concussion) remains out of the lineup Friday against the A's. | He started displaying concussion symptoms last weekend after being involved in a collision at second base days prior. With Belt having missed significant time last season due to concussions, the Giants opted to send him to see a specialist on Thursday. The results of Belt's evaluation have not been disclosed and thus his status for a return is up in the air. |
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Sep 22 2015 | Belt (concussion) did not make the trip to San Diego, the San Francisco Chronicle's John Shea reports. | He is flying to Pittsburgh on Wednesday to visit a concussion specialist on Thursday, so he can be safely ruled out for the rest of the series against the Padres. It is not clear when he will rejoin the team, or if he will be able to return to the lineup this season. Buster Posey, Ehire Adrianza and Nick Noonan should see the starts at first base for the foreseeable future. |
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Sep 22 2015 | Belt (concussion) is not in the lineup Tuesday against the Padres. | Buster Posey will take over at first base once again as Belt continues to deal with a concussion he suffered sometime last week. Considering the 27-year-old has now suffered three concussions in the past two years, the Giants could be extra cautious with his availability moving forward, meaning Trevor Brown and Jackson Williams will likely man catcher while Posey fills in at first base. |
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Sep 19 2015 | Belt was diagnosed with concussion symptoms Saturday and is expected to miss multiple games, Alex Pavlovic of CSN Bay Area reports. | Giants manager Bruce Bochy said Belt likely sustained the head injury during a collision at second base earlier in the week. Belt passed all his preliminary tests, but the concussion symptoms didn't surface until after Friday's game against the Diamondbacks. Belt missed time with a pair of concussions last season, so expect the Giants to proceed cautiously with him while he deals with yet another setback on that front. Regular catcher Buster Posey is filling in for Belt at first base in Saturday's game, but look for Nick Noonan and perhaps Ehire Adrianza to also see reps at the position if Belt is forced to miss extended time. |
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Sep 19 2015 | Belt is out of the lineup for Saturday's game against the Diamondbacks. | This will snap a streak of nine straight starts for Belt, with Buster Posey moving from behind the plate to cover first base. It's not a surprise Belt is getting rest for this game, considering Arizona has left-hander Patrick Corbin on the mound. |
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Sep 6 2015 | Belt (illness) will return to the lineup Sunday against the Rockies. | Belt missed Saturday's game because of a stomach virus, but it appears the worst is now behind him. He will bat sixth in his return to the lineup Sunday in the hitter-friendly confines of Coors Field. |
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Sep 5 2015 | Belt is not in the lineup for Saturday's game against the Rockies. | The 27-year-old was just afforded a rest Thursday when the Giants faced a lefty, but he will sit again Saturday, this time against a right-hander (Chad Bettis), as Nick Noonan takes over at first base. Most of the Giants' other heavy lifters, namely Buster Posey, Marlon Byrd, and Nori Aoki, are getting a breather as well. |
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Sep 3 2015 | Belt is out of Thursday's lineup against the Rockies. | Belt is one of three lefties receiving the day off with the Rockies sending southpaw Chris Rusin to the mound Thursday. Buster Posey will come out from behind the plate, while Hector Sanchez will start behind the dish. |
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Aug 31 2015 | Belt was a perfect 4-for-4 at the plate Sunday, scoring three runs and a nabbing his ninth stolen base of the season in the loss to the 7-5 Cardinals. | A fine showing from Belt, who collected his third multi-hit game over the past five games. He has a tendency to go on tears, and his bat seems to be locked in right now. Looking ahead, Belt will face the tough trio of Brett Anderson, Zack Grienke, and Clayton Kershaw starting Monday, but then he will travel with the team to hitter-friendly Coors Field for a four-game set starting on Thursday. |
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Aug 28 2015 | Belt went 2-for-5 with two runs scored in a 5-4 win over the Cardinals on Friday. | Belt has now scored a run in four straight games and it appears he's on one of his mini-hot streaks. The only thing missing is the power, as he's failed to go deep since August 11. The 27-year-old has seemingly put it all together after years of disappointment and he's even hitting left-handed pitching at an efficient rate, recording a .759 OPS. |
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Aug 23 2015 | Belt is out of the lineup Sunday against the Pirates. | With Buster Posey in need of a day off behind the plate and the Pirates starting left-hander Francisco Liriano, it's an opportune time for manager Bruce Bochy to give Belt a day off. Belt collected four hits in 12 at-bats and drew two walks over the first three games of the series. |
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Aug 16 2015 | Belt went 2-for-3 with a double, two RBI and two runs scored in a 12-6 blowout over the Nationals on Saturday. | Belt is scorching hot right now, as he's batting over .300 with seven home runs and 13 RBI since the beginning of August. He can be one of the streakiest players in baseball and when he's on these types of streaks, you want him in your lineup and not your opponents. |
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Aug 11 2015 | Belt homered twice, his 16th and 17th, in Tuesday's win over the Astros. | The two solo shots were Belt's only hits of the game. He raised his batting line to .272/.345/.496 and is on fire in August, with seven home runs in the month already. He had just 10 home runs entering the month and has raised his slugging percentage 35 points in just his last 10 games. Belt still isn't consistent -- he has also now struck out in every game this month -- but he is dangerous. |
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Aug 8 2015 | Belt stayed hot Saturday, going 1-for-4 with a two-run shot, his 15th home run of the season. | He's now just two homers shy of tying his previous career high, and Belt has already gone yard five times in eight August games, although his only other hits during that stretch is two singles. As long as his power surge continues though, Belt will be tough to bench in even the shallowest formats. |
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Aug 7 2015 | Belt's only hit in Thursday's loss to the Cubs was a two-run blast, his 14th of the season. | It was Belt's only hit in his last 12 at-bats, but the homer was his fourth in his last six games. It has been an up-and-down season for the 27-year-old first baseman, but the overall results have been positive (.272/.347/.480), especially for those in OBP and OPS leagues. With 14 home runs through 100 games, Belt is well on his way to surpassing his career-high of 17 long balls. |
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Aug 4 2015 | Belt continued his power surge Monday, going 3-for-5 with his 13th home run of the season in the loss to the Braves. | Belt has now crushed three homers over his last three games, and appears to have found his power stroke after hitting just one home run in the month of July. He has shown a tendency to be a very streaky hitter, so make sure that Belt is hanging around your league's waiver wire right now. |
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Jul 22 2015 | Belt hit a solo homer, drew two walks and stole a base in Wednesday's win over the Padres. | Belt filled the stat sheet in this one, showing the power and speed that once made him a top prospect. This has been a solid season for him, especially in real-life terms, as Belt is an outstanding first baseman and doubles hitter, but with just 10 homers in 87 games, he's well short of the power production expected at first base, and he hasn't posted above-average fantasy stats in any other categories except OPS. |
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Jul 5 2015 | Belt stayed hot Saturday, going 2-for-3 with a walk, two doubles and an RBI. | Over his last seven games, the Giants' first baseman has gone 10-for-27 (.370) with five extra-base hits and six RBI, raising his slash line on the season to .273/.344/.481. Belt's still not hitting as many home runs as expected, but as the weather warms up those doubles and triples should start carrying a little further. |
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Jul 3 2015 | Belt is not in the lineup for Monday's game against the Nationals, Andrew Baggarly of the San Jose Mercury News reports. | The Giants often use matchups with lefties as a chance to get Buster Posey out from behind the plate, thus leaving Andrew Susac to catch and Belt to come off the bench. Belt has historically held his own against southpaws, but he has a .413 OPS against them this season, albeit in just 45 at-bats. |
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Jul 2 2015 | Belt went 1-for-3 with a double, a run, an RBI, and his third stolen base of the season in Wednesday's loss to Miami. | Belt's power surge in May (.405 with seven homers) simmered in June (.253 with two homers), but he has now collected six hits and four RBI over his last five games. He still has a decent shot at reaching 20 homers for the first time in his career, occassionally chipping in a stolen base like he did Wednesday. |
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Jun 16 2015 | Belt will get a start in left field for Tuesday's tilt against the Mariners, Alex Pavlovic of CSN Bay Area reports. | Belt has been routinely getting days off when a lefty is scheduled for the opposition, with Buster Posey sliding to first base and Andrew Susac starting behind the dish. In this case, manager Bruce Bochy is keeping Belt's bat in the lineup due to a lack of healthy options in the outfield. He has been abysmal against lefties this season, slashing just .171/.237/.229 in 35 at bats. This will be Belt's third start in left field this season. |
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Jun 11 2015 | Belt is out of the lineup Thursday against the Mets, Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle reports. | Belt's absence Thursday likely relates to the left-handed Jon Niese on the mound for the Mets. Instead, the Giants will go with an alignment of Buster Posey at first base and Andrew Susac behind the plate, but Belt (batting .296/.371/.519 with eight home runs and 28 RBI) should continue seeing most of the starts. |
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Jun 11 2015 | Belt hit a two-run homer -- No. 8 on the year -- and a single in five at-bats Wednesday against the Mets. | He'd been sputtering offensively to open the month of June, going just 5-for-24 (.208) over seven games, but Belt got himself back on track in this one. He's enjoying a breakout year, finally posting the combo of batting average and power that we've been waiting for since he broke into the league in 2011. |
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Jun 8 2015 | Belt went 2-for-5 with a run, an RBI, and a stolen base in Sunday's loss to the Phillies. | Belt's hitting has cooled off in June (5-for-21) after a torrid month of May. He has contributed two stolen bases in the last three games, so he has remained useful. This shouldn't come as a surprise, as Belt possesses roughly 10-steal speed over the course of a full season. |
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Jun 3 2015 | Belt is out of the lineup Wednesday, the San Francisco Chronicle's Susan Slusser reports. | Belt has been playing almost every day for the Giants, and is slashing .302/.376/.533 on the season. He is one of the more reliable first base options in fantasy and should continue to see most of the starts for the Giants going forward. Buster Posey will play first base Wednesday with Andrew Susac catching. |
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Jun 1 2015 | Belt capped off his torrid month of May with a solo shot in Sunday's loss to the Braves. | Belt finished the month of May with a bang, smacking his seventh home run and bringing his slash line up to .339/.405/.656 for the month. He gets a tough assignment against Pirates' ace, Gerrit Cole, to start the month of June, but there is no reason Belt should be unowned at this point. |
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May 29 2015 | Belt went 2-for-4 with a double, two runs, and his sixth homer of the season in the win over Atlanta. | Fantasy owners would have been content with just five home runs and 15 RBI for an entire month from Belt, but he decided that simply wasn't enough. His .911 OPS is good for eighth among all first basemen. This power shouldn't come as a huge surprise, as Belt hit nine long balls before getting injured on May 8 of last season. The thumb surgery obviously put a damper on his quick start, but assuming good health the rest of the way, it isn't inconceivable that Belt could finish the year as a top-10 first baseman. |
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May 27 2015 | Belt was one of three Giants to go yard Tuesday, collecting his fifth homer of the season. | Belt continues his torrid month of May after a less-than-stellar April. In 92 May at bats, Belt is slashing .337/.396/.641 with five homers and 15 RBI. He probably isn't available on waivers anymore, but even if he gives something in between his April and May performances for the rest of the season, then he should have plenty of fantasy value at the first base position. |
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May 23 2015 | Belt went 3-for-5 in Friday's win over the Rockies, doubling and crushing a two-run homer in the 11-8 triumph. | The homer traveled an estimated 475 feet, with Belt becoming the 34th player in Coors Field history to hit a ball into the park's third deck. Those kind of blasts haven't been unheard of from Belt lately, as he's caught fire within the last week. In his last six games, he's notched four three-hit performances and has homered four times. |
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May 20 2015 | Belt is not in the lineup Wednesday against the Dodgers, Dylan Hernandez of the LA Times reports. | Belt will get the day off after starting every game since May 2. He'll cede first base to Buster Posey as Andrew Susac takes over behind the plate. |
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May 9 2015 | Belt went 4-for-5 including a double and a run in the 6-0 win over the Marlins | This was the most hits Belt has had all season and it's a promising sign as the youngster has gotten off to a rough start. He went 5-for-9 against the Padres in the Giants last series and has started this series with an impressive 6-for-9. This 11-for-18 stretch is something to jump on as it's clear Belt is scorching hot. |
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May 7 2015 | Belt went 2-for-3 with a double, a triple, and a walk in Wednesday's loss to the Padres. | Don't look now, but Belt is starting to heat up at the plate. He went 5-for-9 in the series against the Padres, and is now slashing .261/.363/.377 on the season. There is definitely power in that bat, so those who need help at the corner should try to jump the gun on Belt. |
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May 3 2015 | Belt went 1-for-4 with a double, a run scored, and an RBI in Sunday's win over the Angels. | Belt has gotten off to a slow start this year (.217/.309/.267) and has been getting benched regularly against lefties. He isn't at risk of losing his starting job due to his .309 OBP and solid defense. Belt will get a chance to get things going when the Padres come into town with three right-handed starters scheduled. |
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May 1 2015 | Belt is out of the lineup Friday. | Buster Posey is getting the start at first base meaning Belt will start the game on the bench. He is slugging just .275 so owners have not gotten a good return on their draft day investment through one month. |
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Apr 27 2015 | Belt is out of the lineup Monday against the Dodgers, Eric Stephen of True Blue LA reports. | Belt will take a seat in favor of Buster Posey at first base and Norichika Aoki in left field. He received a start in left Sunday, and manager Bruce Bochy is looking into that as an option going forward to get he, Posey and Andrew Susac in the same lineup. He won't play Monday, likely due to the left-handed Brett Anderson on the mound, but that could be an option moving forward. |
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Apr 26 2015 | The Giants may look to get Belt more work in left field, Alex Pavlovic of the Bay Area News Group reports. | Belt made his first start in left field last Sunday, and it sounds as if manager Bruce Bochy hasn't ruled out making that move again. Bochy would like to see Buster Posey, Andrew Susac and Belt in the same lineup, and this strategy would provide him with the means to accomplish that objective. Regardless of where he plays, Belt's consistent presence in the lineup can only be a good thing for fantasy owners. |
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Apr 25 2015 | Belt is out of the lineup Saturday, CSN Bay Area's Alex Pavlovic reports. | He will move to the bench as Buster Posey will shift to first base Saturday. This will happen several times each month this season when the Giants want to give Posey a break from catching, as Posey's bat is more important to get in the lineup than Belt's. Belt is currently riding a five-game hitting streak and he had three hits and a walk in Friday's game. |
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Apr 21 2015 | Belt is out of the lineup Tuesday against the Dodgers. | It seems manager Bruce Bochy is just playing the matchup Tuesday with lefty Brett Anderson on the hill for Los Angeles, as there has been no word of an injury to Belt. Belt collected two hits in his last game but still has a 5-for-33 mark for the season. Buster Posey will man first base in Belt's absence with Andrew Susac behind the plate. |
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Apr 19 2015 | Belt will play left field and bat in the fifth spot in Sunday's lineup against the Diamondbacks, MLB.com's Chris Haft reports. | Manager Bruce Bochy wanted to give Buster Posey a day off behind the plate but didn't want to lose Belt's bat from the lineup, so give Belt his first start in the outfield to make that happen. For now, this shouldn't be expected to occur frequently enough for Belt to gain outfield eligibility in most leagues anytime soon, but it's something his owners will be anxiously tracking nonetheless. |
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Apr 15 2015 | Belt is out of the lineup Wednesday, the San Jose Mercury News' Alex Pavlovic reports. | This is more about getting Buster Posey a second straight day off from catching than giving Belt the day off, but with Posey at first base, Belt has nowhere else to go. He will likely be used in a pinch-hit situation if one arises, and should be back in the lineup Thursday against the Diamondbacks. |
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Apr 13 2015 | Belt (groin) returned to the starting lineup Sunday, going 1-for-4 with an RBI in the loss to San Diego. | There were no reports of Belt suffering a setback, and he should resume his role as the team's everyday first baseman and cleanup hitter. |
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Apr 12 2015 | Belt (groin) will start Sunday against the Padres. | Belt missed the past four games with a groin injury. Buster Posey took over first base while he was injured. Barring a re-injury, he should continue to start for the Giants. |
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Apr 10 2015 | Belt (groin) could start Sunday but Monday is a more likely return date, Andrew Baggarly of the San Jose Mercury News reports. | It's good to hear that Belt is nearing a return, and he should be an option for owners in weekly leagues next week. Buster Posey got the start at first base Friday. |
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Apr 10 2015 | Belt (groin) remains out of the lineup Friday, CSN Bay Area's Alex Pavlovic reports. | He will miss his third straight game Friday as his groin is clearly still bothering him. Buster Posey will get the start at first base with Hector Sanchez starting at catcher. Consider Belt questionable for Saturday's game in San Diego. |
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Apr 9 2015 | Belt (groin) will not start Thursday, but he is feeling even better than he did the day before, Hank Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle reports. | Belt continues to make progress after suffering a strained groin in Tuesday's game. It's not exactly clear when he will return to the lineup, but he figures to be available off the bench Thursday, and could start again as soon as Friday. |
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Apr 9 2015 | Belt (groin) remains out of the lineup Thursday against the Padres, Jeff Sanders of the San Diego Union-Tribune reports. | A groin strain, suffered Tuesday night, has clouded Belt's short-term availability, but he was able to take some swings in the cages Wednesday and the fact that he's listed on the lineup card as a reserve again suggests he is not in immediate danger of landing on the DL. Joaquin Arias will draw the start at first base and bat eighth Thursday while Brandon Crawford moves up to the five-hole. |
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Apr 8 2015 | Belt (groin) took 25 swings in a batting cage Wednesday, Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle reports. | Belt was not listed in Wednesday's starting lineup, but this work on the side is good news for fantasy owners hoping he can avoid a DL stint. He may not have been completely pain-free, but Belt doesn't seem to expect that this ailment will stop him from swinging a bat at full speed. Consider the lefty day-to-day until further notice, however. |
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Apr 8 2015 | Belt (groin) is out of the Giants' lineup Wednesday against the Diamondbacks, Amy Gutierrez of CSN Bay Area reports. | While the results of Belt's MRI have not been disclosed, he is listed on Wednesday's lineup card as a reserve, suggesting a move to the DL is not imminent. Belt was removed from Tuesday's game with what's been labeled a groin strain, but said afterward that he doesn't think it's "too bad." Buster Posey will move out to first base in his absence while Casey McGehee moves up to the five-hole in the batting order. |
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Apr 7 2015 | Belt suffered an apparent leg injury while chasing a foul ball and was removed from Tuesday's game in the bottom of the fourth inning, Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle reports. | Further details will surface once Belt is examined more closely by the team's medical staff. Joaquin Arias replaced Belt at first base. |
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Apr 7 2015 | Belt will have an MRI on his strained groin. "I just don't think it's too bad right now in my opinion," he told Andrew Baggarly of the San Jose Mercury News. | Belt says he can lift his legs and jog, so there's hope this may not sidelined him long and he can avoid the DL. However, the need for an MRI isn't a good sign. |
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Apr 7 2015 | Belt left Tuesday's game against Arizona due to a strained groin, Hank Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle reports. | Beyond that, no timetable was offered up for Belt's return. He's considered day-to-day for now. |
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Apr 7 2015 | Belt will bat fifth again Tuesday against Arizona. | There was talk of Belt batting third for San Francisco this season, but Belt has been penciled into the five-hole for the first two games. It looks like Angel Pagan will continue to occupy the No. 3 spot at least until Hunter Pence (forearm) returns, ahead of Buster Posey and Belt. |
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Mar 19 2015 | Belt has gotten off to a hot start this spring, and will look to bounce back after an injury-plagued season in 2014. | Through 28 spring at-bats, Belt is leading the Giants in home runs (two), RBI (five), and walks (five) while slashing a healthy .357/.455/.750. We understand that spring training stats need to be taken with a grain of salt, but his fantasy owners have to feel good about the zone Belt is locked in right now. He got off to a hot start last season (six home runs, 12 RBI in April 2014) and then suffered thumb and head injuries that derailed his breakout season. With Pablo Sandoval signing with Boston this offseason, Belt is slated to bat third and handle a larger offensive role for the reigning World Series champions. |
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Feb 2 2015 | Belt agreed to a one-year, $3.6 million deal with the Giants on Monday, avoiding arbitration, CBS Sports' Jon Heyman reports. | Belt does not become a free agent until 2018, so the Giants still have a few more seasons of club control over their starting first baseman. Injuries ruined a chance of him building significantly off a strong 2013 season, but he still managed to hit 12 homers in just 235 plate appearances, suggesting a 20-homer campaign could be coming in 2015. |
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Oct 4 2014 | Belt hit a solo home run in the 18th inning Saturday to give the Giants a 2-1 victory against the Nationals and a 2-0 lead in the NL Division Series. | The marathon game tied for most innings in a postseason game and set a time record at 6 hours, 23 minutes. Belt, who missed 96 games this season because of a broken thumb and concussion, took Tanner Roark deep on a full-count, 94-mph fastball. |
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Sep 26 2014 | Belt went 2-for-4 with a home run and a pair of RBI in Thursday's win over San Diego. | Belt has now started three of the Giants' last four games, collecting four hits over that span. That being said, the Giants will probably rest him another day prior to their Wild Card matchup with the Pirates. |
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Sep 23 2014 | Belt got the start at first Monday and went 2-for-6 with a run scored in the extra-inning win over the Dodgers. | It was Belt's first hits since returning from the disabled list last week. He has started three of the Giants' last four games, but will likely sit a couple more times before the season ends. He isn't worth relying on for the final week of the season in all but the deepest leagues. |
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Sep 21 2014 | Belt is out of the lineup Sunday against the Padres, MLB.com's Chris Haft reports. | Belt made his return to the starting lineup Friday after missing over a month due to lingering concussion symptoms. He's 0-for-7 at the dish over back-to-back starts since his return, but will take a seat Sunday for a regular day off. Buster Posey will move from the backstop to man first base in his stead, as the Giants continue to ease their regular first baseman back into action. |
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Sep 19 2014 | Belt will start at first base and hit sixth Friday, Alex Pavlovic of the Mercury News reports. | This will be his first game in the Giants' starting lineup since being activated from the DL after recovering from a concussion. The Giants will likely play him most days down the stretch to try to let him get into a rhythm heading into the postseason. |
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Sep 17 2014 | Belt is not in the lineup Wednesday against the Diamondbacks, Alex Pavlovic of the San Jose Mercury News reports. | Though Belt was activated from the 15-day DL on Monday, he has yet to enter the lineup in any of the team's three games since that time. It seems the Giants are content to bring him back slowly after a long-term absence due to a concussion, so it looks like he may be restricted to pinch-hitting duty in the early going. |
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Sep 15 2014 | Belt (concussion) has been activated from the 15-day DL in advance of Monday's game against Arizona, CSN reports. | The Giants waited until the last minute to announce the move, but Belt will be available for the first time since August 6. He's not in Monday's lineup, but it's possible he could return to the fold within the next few days, depending upon how much rust he and the team feel he may need to shake off. In 186 at-bats this season, Belt is hitting .237 with 24 RBI, 11 home runs and 55 strikeouts. |
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Sep 15 2014 | Belt (concussion) could be activated as soon as Monday night, the San Jose Mercury News reports. | The Giants are still deciding when to activate Belt, but if it's not in advance of Monday's game, it will likely be Tuesday or Wednesday. He's passed all concussion tests, and it's now a matter of whether he's shaken off the rust and is ready to contribute. If Belt is not activated in the next couple of days, he'll likely play in an instructional league game Thursday in an effort to get as many live at-bats as possible before returning to the big league field. |
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Sep 12 2014 | Belt (concussion) will take batting practice Friday, Alex Pavlovic of the San Jose Mercury News reports. | Belt said he "feels great" and believes he is close to being able to play. He has been dealing with concussion symptoms since July, and it has taken a lot longer than initially expected to get him this far along. He will add another big bat to the Giants' lineup when he finally returns to the team. |
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Sep 11 2014 | Belt (concussion) was cleared to resume baseball activity after meeting with a specialist Thursday, John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle reports. | Belt hasn't seen the field since Aug. 6, but he should resume first base duties for the Giants in the near future. He'll likely start with batting practice Friday afternoon, and although he may need a few days to get his timing right, it remains a strong possibility he'll rejoin the team before the end of the regular season. First base for the Giants has been a revolving door of Travis Ishikawa, Adam Duvall and Buster Posey on his off days, but it sounds as if some stability may finally be heading for that position as the Giants make their final playoff push. |
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Sep 10 2014 | Belt (concussion) will see a specialist in Pittsburgh on Thursday and if all goes well, he could start taking live batting practice Friday, the San Francisco Chronicle's Henry Schulman reports. | The last news we had was that he was hoping to be ready to play by the time the postseason rolls around, but if he can take live BP this weekend, there's a chance he could return to the Giants before the end of the regular season. However, there's so much uncertainty with regards to his timetable that it would be understandable to look for other options in single-season leagues. |
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Sep 9 2014 | Belt (concussion) said Tuesday that he wants to play in the postseason, Chris Haft of MLB.com reports. "I don't know how realistic that is, but that's what I'm hoping for," Belt said. | The Giants have yet to formally rule Belt out for the rest of the regular season, but the 26-year-old's words suggest it would be little more than a formality at this point. Between the concussion issues and a fractured left thumb that cost him nearly two months, it's been a lost season for Belt, who hit .237/.296/.446 with 11 homers in his 51 games. |
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Aug 27 2014 | Belt (concussion) has not been ruled out for the rest of the season, according to manager Bruce Bochy, the San Francisco Chronicle's John Shea reports. | This obviously doesn't tell us much, but we hadn't heard anything on Belt's progress in almost a week, so it was worth noting that there's still a chance he'll play again during the regular season, although there's no timetable for his return. |
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Aug 21 2014 | Giants manager Bruce Bochy said Thursday that he's hoping Belt (concussion) can return in September, John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle reports. | After Belt's concussion symptoms resurfaced earlier the month in just his fifth game back from the DL, the Giants wasted little time in shutting the 26-year-old back down. He has been ruled out for at least 2-to-3 more weeks following a recent visit to a specialist, and while Bochy is hoping to get him back to help the team make a postseason push, it sounds like a return this season for Belt may not be a sure thing. |
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Aug 20 2014 | Belt (concussion) will miss at least 2-to-3 more weeks, John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle reports. | Unfortunately, a visit to a concussion specialist did not yield positive results, as Belt has been ruled out of action until at least early September. His symptoms resurfaced in his fifth game back after initially suffering the injury July 19. Adam Duvall, Travis Ishikawa, Mike Morse and Buster Posey (hip) will likely all factor in at first base until Belt returns. |
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Aug 15 2014 | Belt will visit a concussion specialist in Pittsburgh next week, Andrew Baggarly of CSNBayArea.com reports. | Belt was forced back onto the 7-day DL last week as a result of recurring concussion symptoms, and at this point, a move to the 15-day DL appears inevitable. He will travel to Pittsburgh when the Giants go to Chicago on Tuesday, and perhaps the visit will yield a potential timetable for his return. Adam Duvall is making his fourth straight start at first base Friday. |
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Aug 8 2014 | Belt was placed back on the 7-day concussion DL on Friday, Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle reports. | After reporting a headache during Wednesday's game, Belt was lifted and examined by a Brewers' team doctor, who said he did not believe it was related to the concussion Belt suffered late last month. However, upon further evaluation, Belt has been diagnosed with recurring concussion symptoms, and he'll be forced back on the 7-day DL as a result. Matt Duffy was recalled in the corresponding move, but look for Mike Morse to man first base in Belt's absence. |
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Aug 7 2014 | Belt is out of the Giants' lineup Thursday against the Brewers. | Following an 0-for-5, four-strikeout performance Wednesday, Belt will sit as Buster Posey takes over at first base in Thursday's series finale. Andrew Susac will step in behind the plate to catch starter Jake Peavy. In five games since returning from a concussion, Belt has gone 4-for-21 (.190 average) with a homer and a double. |
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Aug 7 2014 | Belt was removed from Wednesday's game with headaches, but the Brewers' team doctor checked him and does not believes the headaches were related to the concussion he suffered last month, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. | Belt is sitting Thursday, per the recommendation of head athletic trainer Dave Groeschner, but it seems the headaches were not the result of lingering concussion symptoms. It's a bit disconcerting nonetheless, though it sounds like Belt has a good chance of returning to the lineup Friday. |
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Aug 2 2014 | Belt was activated from the concussion DL on Saturday in order to start against the Mets in New York, Adam Rubin of ESPN New York reports. | Belt was first sidelined with a concussion on July 19, when he was hit in the face with a ball in batting practice. Instead of embarking on a rehab assignment, as expected, he'll return to action at first base and sixth in the order. |
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Aug 1 2014 | It's unclear if Belt (concussion) will go on a rehab assignment prior to being activated from the disabled list, Amy Gutierrez of CSN Bay Area reports. | If he goes on a rehab assignment, it's expected that Belt will head to Double-A Richmond. While there is uncertainty regarding the immediate plan, Belt is believed to be close to returning to the Giants' lineup. |
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Jul 29 2014 | Belt (concussion) may have to complete a short rehab assignment before being activated, Alex Pavlovic of the San Jose Mercury News reports. | Belt took some swings Tuesday, a day after passing his concussion test, and he may get the green light to play as soon as this weekend. However, the team may send him for a brief minor league assignment rather than return him immediately to the active roster. |
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Jul 28 2014 | Belt (concussion) passed a concussion test Monday and is expected to join the Giants on the road trip that begins this weekend, the Mercury News' Alex Pavlovic reports. | He hopes to do some baseball work either Monday or in the coming days, and while there is no specific timetable for his return, he will fly to New York for this weekend's series, and if all goes well he could return during the road trip. Meanwhile, Adam Duvall and Mike Morse will continue to get starts at first base in the short term. |
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Jul 27 2014 | Belt (concussion) will not be activated for at least a "few more days" according to manager Bruce Bochy on Sunday, the team's official site reports. | Meanwhile, Adam Duvall will continue to hold down the first base job. Make sure Belt is on your bench this week. |
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Jul 25 2014 | Belt (concussion) is making progress in his recovery, according to manager Bruce Bochy, Carl Steward of the San Jose Mercury News reports. | There's still no timetable for Belt's activation from the 7-day DL, but it's good to hear he's doing much better, as that was definitely not the case Thursday. |
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Jul 25 2014 | Belt said Thursday that he feels no improvement in his concussion symptoms, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. | Although Belt was cleared to fly back to San Francisco with the team -- flying has been known to make concussion symptoms worse -- he's reportedly not feeling any better after being hit in the face with a ball during batting practice last week. The team will send Belt to a specialist to get a better idea of where he stands, but at this point, an eventual move to the 15-day DL seems likely. |
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Jul 24 2014 | Belt (concussion) has been cleared to fly back to San Francisco with the team, Alex Pavlovic of the San Jose Mercury News reports. | Flying has been known to make concussion symptoms worse, so it's encouraging that the team feels comfortable allowing Belt to travel via airplane back home. Belt reportedly felt so bad upon his arrival to Citizens Bank Park Wednesday that he immediately went back to his hotel, and manager Bruce Bochy later admitted that, "We do have some concern there." The situation is one to monitor closely in the coming days. |
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Jul 23 2014 | Giants manager Bruce Bochy said Wednesday that Belt's concussion symptoms have lingered longer than expected, Alex Pavlovic of the San Jose Mercury News reports. "We do have some concern there," Bochy added. | Just Tuesday, Bochy said that Belt was "making progress" and probably a couple days away from resuming baseball activities, but he changed his tune Wednesday. He did not say Belt suffered any sort of setback, but apparently Belt's still not completely symptom-free, and the fact that the team is acknowledging its concern is a bit troubling. It sounds like a return when first eligible Sunday is out the window for Belt, and a possible return date will remain uncertain so long as he remains shut down. |
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Jul 22 2014 | Giants manager Bruce Bochy said Tuesday that Belt (concussion) is "making progress," but is probably still a couple days away from resuming baseball activities, MLB.com reports. | While the news on Belt is encouraging, it sounds like he may very well be out beyond the minimum seven days required by his placement on the concussion DL. Belt was hit in the face with a throw during batting practice Saturday, and if he isn't cleared to resume baseball activities until the weekend, he may be hard-pressed to return for next week's Pirates series. |
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Jul 21 2014 | Belt was officially placed on the 7-day concussion DL on Monday. | Belt was placed on the DL retroactive to July 20, so he could potentially return for next Sunday's series finale against the Dodgers. On the positive side, Belt avoided the 15-day DL, potentially limiting the time he'll have to be away from the team. He'll have to pass the league's mandated concussion protocol before being medically cleared to return, but at the moment, he doesn't appear to be in line for an extended absence. |
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Jul 20 2014 | Belt has been diagnosed with a concussion and will head to either the 7-day or 15-day DL, CSN Bay Area's Andrew Baggarly reports. | Typically concussed players are placed on the 7-day DL, so the fact that the Giants are contemplating the 15-day DL is a little worrisome. Belt has not disappointed in his production when he's been on the field, but he will nonetheless go down as a bust for fantasy owners this season, as he's already missed 52 games due to injury. The plan is for Adam Duvall to be recalled from Triple-A Fresno on Monday for the start of the Giants' series in Philadelphia. |
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Jul 19 2014 | Belt (head) was hit in the face with a throw during batting practice and will have a concussion examination after leaving Saturday's game early, Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle reports. | The dizziness Belt experienced during the game is not a good sign for Belt. At this point, it is difficult to predict how much time Belt could miss. He could return as soon as Sunday or he could hit the disabled list. |
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Jul 19 2014 | Belt (head) will miss Sunday's game at the minimum and could miss several days, according to Alex Pavlovic of the Mercury News. | Belt seems like a good bet to hit the 7-day DL with concussion symptoms. The Giants moved Mike Morse from left field to first base and inserted Tyler Colvin into left field when Belt left Saturday's game. |
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Jul 19 2014 | Belt left Saturday's game with dizziness rather than a back injury as was earlier thought, according to Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle. | Belt spent time with the trainer before the game and it is still assumed that meeting was related to the back injury. The cause of the dizziness is still unknown. Consider Belt day-to-day for now. |
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Jul 19 2014 | Belt (back) left Saturday's game against the Marlins in the third inning, according to Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle. | Belt had been dealing with back soreness lately and spoke worked out with the team's trainer before the game. Belt was in the game long enough to double in a run and later score a run of his own. |
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Jul 18 2014 | Belt (back) is in the lineup for Friday's game against the Marlins. | Scratched late from the team's final game before the All-Star break due to back stiffness, Belt will man first base and bat sixth Friday against right-hander Nathan Eovaldi. Belt is just 5-for-30 (.167 average) with one homer in nine game since returning from a thumb injury, and it looks like he will continue to bat in the bottom half of the order until he picks it up. |
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Jul 13 2014 | Belt was a late scratch Sunday due to back stiffness, Amy Gutierrez of CSN Bay Area reports. | Belt's absence from the lineup really jumbled things up offensively for the Giants. Gregor Blanco moved to second in the order, while Joaquin Arias moved to first base and Ehire Adrianza joined the lineup at second and will bat seventh for the Giants. |
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Jul 10 2014 | Belt will bat sixth Thursday against the A's. | In six games since returning from a broken thumb, Belt is just 2-for-22, so manager Bruce Bochy will attempt to get him on track by moving him down in the batting order. Brandon Crawford will move up to the two-hole Thursday against left-hander Scott Kazmir, but it sounds like the team is planning to bat Marco Scutaro (back) second frequently upon his return. |
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Jul 5 2014 | Belt was 1-for-4 with a game-winning two-run home run, his 10th of the season, in the 10th inning of the Giants' 5-3 win against San Diego on Saturday night. | Welcome back Brandon! It was just his second game back after returning from the disabled list (thumb). While he was out of the lineup, the Giants power output was minimal - only the Padres hit fewer home runs during that stretch - but they tallied three long ones in this one so maybe the power is back on. |
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Jul 5 2014 | Belt (thumb) returned to the lineup Friday and went 0-for-4 with a strikeout. | Belt looked a little rusty returning from the DL and it may take him a few games to get back into the swing of things. He returned to his usual spot as the Giants' two-hole hitter. |
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Jul 4 2014 | Belt (thumb) was officially activated from the DL on Friday, MLB.com reports. | The thumb injury ended up costing Belt close to eight weeks, but he's been deemed ready to return following a seven-game minor league rehab assignment. Belt didn't seem inhibited by the thumb while on assignment, as he went 13-for-25 with three homers, and he's said that he expects to come out and be productive right off the bat for the struggling Giants. Manager Bruce Bochy has yet to submit his lineup card for Thursday, but Belt is expected to slot into the two-hole in his first game back. Adam Duvall was optioned in the corresponding move. |
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Jul 4 2014 | Belt will start at first base and bat second Friday, Alex Pavlovic of the Mercury News reports. | Belt was activated from the DL earlier in the day after missing nearly eight weeks with a thumb injury. The Giants will waste no time getting him back to a prime spot in the lineup, and he should start nearly every day at first base going forward. |
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Jul 2 2014 | Belt (thumb) will indeed be activated from the DL before Friday's game, MLB.com's Chris Haft reports. | This was expected, but on Wednesday manager Bruce Bochy confirmed Belt's impending activation. In four games with Triple-A Fresno, Belt is hitting .533 with two home runs, which should encourage owners about his abilities when he returns from his thumb injury. Belt had hit nine home runs in 35 games to start the season, so he should be a great source of power in the second half. |
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Jul 1 2014 | Belt (thumb) is expected back Friday, Alex Pavlovic of the San Jose Mercury News reports. | Manager Bruce Bochy had previously suggested that a return for Friday's series opener against the Padres was a best-case scenario for Belt, and he reiterated that again Tuesday. The skipper said bluntly that Belt, who has played in five minor league rehab games, is "not quite ready." While Belt is reportedly dealing with some soreness in the thumb, he will play in his sixth rehab game Tuesday. |
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Jun 30 2014 | Belt (thumb) believes he is okay to play in the majors, but he wants to be "better than OK" before rejoining the Giants, the Sacramento Bee's Matt Kawahara reports. | Belt moved his rehab assignment to Triple-A Fresno over the weekend, making the final stop on his journey back to the majors. However, Giants manager Bruce Bochy previously made comments indicating that Belt wouldn't rejoin the team until Friday. While the timeline could perhaps be moved up a bit, Belt probably won't be joining the Giants on Tuesday. |
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Jun 29 2014 | Belt has transferred his rehab assignment to Triple-A Fresno. | Belt is set to play his second rehab game at Fresno on Sunday, after going 3-for-4 with two doubles in his first contest. Manager Bruce Bochy indicated that there's a good chance Belt wouldn't be activated from the disabled list until Friday's series opener against the Padres. He's likely worthy of a waiver claim in most formats if he's still available on the wire as a result of the injury. |
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Jun 27 2014 | Belt (thumb) still needs plenty of at-bats, and he may not be able to make the San Diego trip next weekend as originally planned, the San Francisco Chronicle's John Shea reports. | The plan had been for Belt to rejoin the Giants on July 4 in San Diego, but manager Bruce Bochy said he may need more time in the minors. Continue to monitor the situation as he attempts to continue to make progress with his injured thumb during his rehab. |
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Jun 24 2014 | Belt (thumb) is tentatively scheduled to begin his rehab assignment Thursday as the DH for High-A San Jose, CSN Bay Area's Andrew Baggarly reports. | He is targeting a July 4 return from the disabled list, and will work his way up the Giants' farm system levels during his rehab assignment. |
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Jun 23 2014 | Belt (thumb) hopes to head out on a rehab assignment at High-A San Jose later this week, Carl Steward of the San Jose Mercury News reports. | Belt is targeting a July 4 return from the disabled list, with plans to make stops at both San Jose and Fresno for a few games apiece. He was fielding grounders during batting practice before the Giants' game Monday. |
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Jun 20 2014 | Belt (thumb) could begin a rehab assignment in the next week or so, Alex Pavlovic of the San Jose Mercury News reports. | The Giants were encouraged by a batting practice session that Belt had Friday. He has an outside shot at returning before the end of June if he's able to get back into rehab games before next weekend, but an early-July activation is probably a more likely scenario. |
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Jun 18 2014 | Belt (thumb) took swings in the batting cage Wednesday, Alex Pavlovic of the San Jose Mercury News reports. | The Giants have been satisfied with how Belt has progressed in the rehab process since having his cast removed just under two weeks ago, with the first baseman suffering no setbacks since that time. The next step for Belt will be to face live pitching, followed by a possible rehab assignment if he checks out fine. |
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Jun 13 2014 | Belt (thumb) has progressed to taking dry swings, Andrew Baggarly of CSN Bay Area reports. | In the week since Belt shed his cast, the 26-year-old has been fielding grounders and hitting off a tee with his healthy hand. He's making steady progress, but he clearly won't make it back within the initial six-week window, and a return near the end of the month looks like a best-case scenario. |
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Jun 9 2014 | Belt (thumb) fielded grounders and hit off a tee with his healthy hand Monday, Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle reports. | While it's encouraging to see Belt incorporate some more baseball activities into his rehab after having his cast removed over the weekend, a return shouldn't be considered imminent until he starts facing live pitching. Belt is just past the four-week mark in the projected six-week recovery timetable that was established when he broke his thumb in early May. |
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Jun 3 2014 | Belt (thumb) expects to have his cast removed for good Friday, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. | Now three weeks removed from surgery to repair a fractured left thumb, Belt has been limited to taking cuts off a tee with his right hand only but said he expects to be cleared to begin the full rehab process Friday. X-rays will probably be taken when the cast is removed, but Belt said he feels great and that he "can't imagine they'll find anything." The expectation is that he'll need two weeks of full rehab, including a minor league rehab stint, before being activated from the DL. |
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May 13 2014 | Belt (thumb) underwent successful surgery Tuesday to repair his fractured left thumb, CSN reports. | Belt had two pins placed in his hand. Those will help the healing process over the next four weeks before being removed. He's expected to need at least six weeks of recovery time, so we're looking at a return date sometime in the later half of June at the earliest. Michael Morse, Hector Sanchez, and Buster Posey are expected to get the majority of the starts at first base while Belt is out. |
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May 11 2014 | Belt will undergo surgery to repair his fractured thumb Tuesday, Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle reports. | Belt will have two pins installed as part of the procedure, and is still expected to be on a six-week recovery timetable. Michael Morse will take on first base duties in his absence. |
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May 10 2014 | Giants manager Bruce Bochy expects Belt (thumb) to miss six weeks, but more information is needed to solidify that timetable. Belt will visit with a specialist in San Francisco on Saturday, Hank Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle reports. | The loss of Belt is a significant one for the Giants' offense, which has been able to produce even while Pablo Sandoval has scuffled through the first six weeks of the season. Belt's visit with the specialist Saturday should reveal a more specific diagnosis, and subsequently a clearer timetable for his return. |
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May 9 2014 | Belt will be placed on the DL with a broken left thumb, Alex Pavlovic of the San Jose Mercury News reports. | Belt left Friday's game in the second inning after being hit in the left hand by a pitch from Dodgers' starter Paul Maholm. The first baseman was later diagnosed with a broken thumb and is headed for a DL stint. This is obviously a big blow to the Giants', as Belt has already blasted nine home runs this season. |
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May 7 2014 | Belt went 2-for-4 with a homer and three RBI in the Giants' loss to the Pirates on Wednesday. | With the multi-hit effort, Belt pushed his season average back up to .266 -- his highest mark since April 26. Belt slumped in late April after going on a tear to begin the season, but he's already gone deep nine times over 124 at-bats through the first week of May. Belt will still sit against some lefties, but that trend could change if he can avoid prolonged slumps as the season rolls along. |
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May 5 2014 | Belt is not in the lineup for Monday's game against the Pirates. | Although manager Bruce Bochy has shown a greater willingness to let Belt play against lefties compared to earlier in the first baseman's career, he'll receive the night off Monday with southpaw Jeff Locke on the mound. The rest probably has more to do with Belt's 2-for-29 slump at the plate since Apr. 25 than anything. |
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May 3 2014 | Belt homered in Saturday's win at Atlanta. It was his eighth home run of the season, but his first since April 23. | Belt entered Saturday's game in a 1-for-20 slump, so maybe the long ball will get him going at the plate. |
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May 2 2014 | Belt is not in the lineup for Friday's game against the Braves, according to CSN's Amy Gutierrez. | Belt will sit out for just the third time all season, but for the second time in three games. He has fared well against left-handers this season, posting an .857 OPS, but he will be held out against Braves southpaw Mike Minor with the Giants employing a righty-heavy lineup. |
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Apr 29 2014 | Belt is not in the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Padres. | Belt is hitless in his last four games (0-for-15) and is just 3-for-15 in his career against lefty Eric Stults, so manager Bruce Bochy will take the opportunity to get the 26-year-old a breather. Buster Posey will take over at first base and in the three-hole in the batting order. |
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Apr 24 2014 | Belt batted third and went 1-for-5 with a two-run blast in Wednesday's win over the Rockies. | Manager Bruce Bochy hinted that Belt could become his regular three-hole hitter Tuesday and he stuck to his word by batting Belt third Wednesday. This is obviously a positive switch for the young first baseman, as the three-spot provides the optimal position for maximizing plate appearances and run-producing opportunities. |
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Apr 22 2014 | Manager Bruce Bochy said Tuesday that Belt could become the team's permanent No. 3 hitter, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. | Pablo Sandoval has lost his grip on the three-hole with an ice cold start to the season (.162 average), and Bochy reportedly thinks Belt could be a "stabilizing" presence in the spot. Belt has been batting second against right-hander and sixth against lefties, but he's batting above .300 against southpaws to this point. |
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Apr 19 2014 | Belt batted third Friday and went 2-for-4 with a solo shot and his first stolen base of the season. | Buster Posey and Michael Morse were given days off Friday, so Belt was pushed up into the three hole against the Padres. His early season power surge (.294 ISO) is bolstered by an unusually high 30.0% HR/FB rate. That rate is obviously unsustainable, but that does not mean Belt is a sell-high candidate, it just means he will not hit 60 home runs, which he is currently on pace for. |
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Apr 16 2014 | Belt collected three hits, including a double and an RBI in Tuesday's win over the Dodgers. | Belt has really cooled off over the past week after going on a power surge to start the season. He has started to look a little bit more like the patient, doubles-power Belt we were familiar with over his past five games (two doubles, two walks). |
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Apr 8 2014 | Belt collected two hits, including his fifth home run of the season in Tuesday's win over Arizona. | Belt - for a lack of a better term - continues to belt the ball in early in the season. Through eight games in April, Belt is hitting .343 with five homers and nine RBI. The usually patient hitter has yet to draw a walk this season, but you won't hear his owners complaining if his aggressive approach is resulting in more long balls. Belt looks well on his way to finally having that breakout campaign many have been predicting for several years. |
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Apr 7 2014 | Belt kept his red-hot start going Sunday, going 2-for-4 with a solo shot in the loss to the Dodgers. | Belt continues to rake this season after having an ice-cold April in 2013 (.235 with two home runs). If this April is any sign of things to come, then Belt should take a big step forward after an already promising 2013 season. |
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Apr 3 2014 | Belt hit a solo homer in Thursday's 8-5 win at Arizona. | Belt has already hit three home runs this year after hitting just 17 last year. His power has progressed each year in the majors though, so a breakout in 2014 is more than possible. |
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Apr 1 2014 | Belt went yard for the second time in two games Tuesday, but his three-run homer wasn't enough as the Giants were beat 5-4 by Arizona. | Just two games into the season, the fourth-year big leaguer is well on his way to eclipsing his career high of 17 home runs set last year. Of course, being able to consistently hit 90+ mph pitching on a daily basis for power is easier said than done, but with five hits and four RBI thus far, Belt is off to an impressive start. |
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Apr 1 2014 | Belt will bat sixth Tuesday against Diamondbacks left-hander Wade Miley. | Manager Bruce Bochy will drop Belt to sixth against a lefty Tuesday, down from the No. 2 hole he filled against right-hander Brandon McCarthy on Opening Day. It's a trend that figures to stick, at least for the first several weeks of the season, but Belt hit a respectable .261/.318/.437 against southpaws last year and will likely be in the lineup on an everyday basis. |
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Apr 1 2014 | Belt went 3-for-5 with three runs scored and his first homer of the season Monday. | Belt batted second in the order Monday and the move paid off as he crossed home three times in the win over Arizona. He is picking up right where he left off last season when he batted .326 with seven home runs post-All-Star break. Belt should continue to bat second until Marco Scutaro (back) returns, which will result in more run scoring opportunities for the first baseman. |
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Mar 31 2014 | Brandon Belt will bat second in the order Monday. | Bruce Bochy was tinkering with the idea of having either Brandon Belt or Hunter Pence batting second for the club until Marco Scutaro (back) returns from the DL. He decided to go with Belt, which makes more sense given his ability get on base (.360 OBP in 2013). This should create more opportunities to score runs for Belt. |
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Mar 13 2014 | Belt (illness) worked out Thursday and is slated to be in the lineup Friday, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. | He has been sick for the past couple days, but will be back at it this weekend. He was batting .300 in the Cactus League prior to the illness, and should be fine for Opening Day. |
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Mar 12 2014 | Belt was sent home after coming down with a stomach flu, CSN Bay Area reports. | Belt was batting .300 (6-for-20) with two doubles and an RBI prior to coming down with the illness. There is no word on whether he will return for more spring training games, but all indications are that he will be fine for Opening Day. |
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Mar 4 2014 | Belt (neck) is in the lineup for Tuesday's Cactus League game against the Rockies, Alex Pavlovic of the San Jose Mercury News reports. | Neck stiffness forced Belt from Sunday's exhibition, but the team labeled his removal precautionary and he's back in the lineup just days later. Health permitting, he'll open the season at first base for San Francisco. |
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Feb 19 2014 | Belt agreed to a one-year, $2.9 million contract with the Giants, avoiding arbitration, Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle reports. | Belt flew to Florida in anticipation of his arbitration hearing Wednesday morning, but the two sides were able to get something done late Tuesday night. The $2.9 million is right in line with the salaries of players in their first year of arbitration, but it still represents a bargain for San Francisco. Belt hit .289/.360/.481 with 17 homers last season and if he can repeat that success in 2014, he'll be headed for a much bigger payday next winter. |
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Sep 28 2013 | Belt is not in the lineup Saturday against the Padres, the San Jose Mercury News reports. | Belt will take a seat with lefty Eric Stults pitching for the Padres. Brett Pill gets a rare start at first base in his stead. |
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Sep 28 2013 | Belt went 1-for-5 with a home run, two RBI and a run scored against the Padres on Friday. | Belt has put together an impressive sophomore season, batting .287 with 17 home runs and 65 RBI. He's cut down on the strikeouts while boosting his power totals and has really shined brightest here in the final two months of the season where he's hit .342 with seven home runs and 26 RBI. At just 25-years old, he's got a lot of promise on the horizon as he looks to build off this season's success. |
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Sep 19 2013 | Belt is not in the lineup for Thursday's game against the Mets. | Belt has tallied nine hits over his last four games, but he will get the day off as the Giants go with an all-righty lineup against Mets starter Jon Niese. Buster Posey will man first base for the Giants on Thursday. |
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Sep 15 2013 | Belt had his best offensive performance of his young career Saturday, going 5-for-6 with a double, four runs, six RBI, and his 16th home run of the year in the blowout win over the Dodgers. | If there were any doubts about whether Belt has finally come into his own, those were settled with Saturday's huge performance. He now owns a solid slash line of .289/.362/.483 on the year, and should close out his first full season as the Giants' first baseman on a high note. |
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Sep 13 2013 | Belt is not in the lineup Friday against the Dodgers, the San Jose Mercury News reports. | Though manager Bruce Bochy no longer treats Belt with kid gloves against left-handers, he'll make an exception with arguably the game's best southpaw, Clayton Kershaw, starting for the Dodgers. Brett Pill makes the start at first base. |
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Sep 10 2013 | Belt knocked in both the game-tying and game-winning runs in Monday's 3-2 extra-inning win over the Rockies. | Belt plated Angel Pagan both times, first with a double in the eight inning, and then with a single in the 10th. Though he hasn't homered since August 15, Belt continues to find success at the plate with solid discipline and consistent hard contact. He's turned in a multi-hit performance five times in his last seven tries. |
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Sep 8 2013 | Belt is not in the lineup Sunday against the Diamondbacks. | Belt has carried the momentum from a great month of August right into September, as he's batting .360 over his first six games of the month. Still, manager Bruce Bochy remains committed to getting Belt occasional rest against lefties, and he'll do just that Sunday with Wade Miley on the mound for Arizona. |
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Sep 2 2013 | Belt went 2-for-3 with one RBI, one double and one walk Monday against the Padres. | Belt already has a career-high 15 home runs this season and is now only three RBI away from tying his career-high mark of 56 RBI that he set last season. Although the Giants have had a rough season, Belt has been a bright spot for them and has developed into a solid fantasy option. |
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Sep 1 2013 | Belt is out of the lineup Sunday against the Diamondbacks, SFGiants.com's Chris Haft reports. | The Giants are resting a number of starters Sunday, including Belt, who turned in a .350/.421/.630 batting line in August. |
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Aug 27 2013 | Belt kept up his hot second-half hitting Tuesday, going 4-for-5 with two runs against the Rockies. | He is now slashing .279/.354/.478 on the season -- post-hype breakout numbers that should make him a top candidate for further growth in his age-26 season next year. |
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Aug 24 2013 | Belt is not in the lineup for Saturday's game against the Pirates. | A hot bat over the first few weeks of August kept Belt in the lineup against southpaws for most of the month, but he'll sit against left-hander Francisco Liriano on Saturday after batting .185 over his last seven games. Buster Posey will man first base in his absence. |
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Aug 20 2013 | Belt went 3-for-4 with a single, double and triple in Tuesday's win over the Red Sox. | Belt entered the game in an 0-for-11 slump and broke out in a big way. Though he failed to record an RBI, he notched his seventh multi-hit game of the month, and fourth with at least three hits. |
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Aug 16 2013 | Belt was 4-for-6 with four runs scored and one RBI in the Giants win over Miami on Friday night. | One of the hottest bats going right now, the four-hit night boosts his average to .279 after struggling to find consistency for most of the season. He seems to really enjoy hitting third in the order, a spot he has occupied for a week now. |
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Aug 15 2013 | Belt hit a solo homer in Thursday's 4-3 win at Washington. | Belt continues to mash the ball, hitting safely in 10 straight games, with four homers and seven RBI during the streak. |
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Aug 14 2013 | Belt continues to rake at the plate, going 2-for-5 with two RBI and his 14th long ball of the season Wednesday. | Since being moved up to third in the order last Friday, Belt has gone 6-for-17 (.353) with three runs, a homer, and three RBI. He has shown flashes in the past, only to disappoint later, so it is tough to decipher if he has actually turned a corner for good. Either way, Belt is one of the hottest hitters in baseball right now and should be owned until he cools off. |
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Aug 10 2013 | Belt is in the lineup Saturday against left-hander Wei-Yin Chen and the Orioles. | With Belt swinging a hot bat (3-for-7 with two homers in his last two games), manager Bruce Bochy will stray from his plan to "play the matchups" at first base Saturday. It will be Belt's seventh consecutive start, but Brett Pill figures to remain in the mix for starts against southpaws. |
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Aug 10 2013 | Belt stayed hot Friday, going 2-for-4 with his 13th home run of the season in the extra-inning loss to Baltimore. | Belt has really turned it around in the last week, so much so that manager Bruce Bochy moved him up the the third spot in the lineup Friday. With how putrid the Giants' offense has been in the second half, Bochy may elect to keep Belt in the three-hole permanently given his recent success. This would obviously be a boon to his value considering the increased run producing opportunities. |
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Aug 8 2013 | Belt hit a three-run homer in Thursday's 4-1 win over Milwaukee. | Belt's first-inning homer was his 12th long ball of the season, and provided most of the offense for San Francisco. Belt hasn't been starting against lefties, but he's produced when called upon, going 9-for-20 with two homers, seven runs scored and five RBI in his last seven games. |
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Aug 3 2013 | Belt is not in the lineup Saturday against the Rays, the Tampa Bay Times reports. | The offensive-hungry Giants have received a jolt from Brett Pill in the lineup since he's been called up, so he'll get another start at first base. Had he started, Belt would've had to face southpaw David Price, so he probably wouldn't have been a very good option in daily leagues even if he was in the lineup. |
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Aug 2 2013 | Giants manager Bruce Bochy said Friday that he will play the matchups at first base for the time being, meaning Belt and Brett Pill will likely platoon, Alex Pavlovic of the Mercury News reports. | Belt is back in the lineup Friday after three straight days on the bench, but Bochy said Pill will be in there Saturday to take on left-hander David Price. Although Belt is hitting lefties with more consistency this season, he's been struggling lately (.225 average in July) while Pill is red-hot since his recall earlier this week (7-for-13). |
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Aug 2 2013 | Belt was 3-for-4 with a home run, two runs scored, and two RBI in the Giants win over Tampa Bay on Friday night. | Belt has struggled with left-handed pitching, and has slipped into a platoon role with the right-handed hitting Brett Pill. At least he is on the strong side of the platoon, and if he can get hot, there is a possibility his playing time against lefties could even increase. |
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Aug 1 2013 | Belt will be out of the lineup for a third consecutive game Thursday against the Phillies, the San Jose Mercury News' Alex Pavlovic reports. | The Giants haven't announced anything, but it seems possible that Brett Pill could overtake Belt as the starting first baseman. Belt went 0-for-10 with six strikeouts in last weekend's series against the Cubs, and he made an error that cost his team the first game of the series. Pill subsequently started the first two games of this week's series against the Phillies, and so far he's responded by going 6-for-9 with a home run and four RBI. |
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Aug 1 2013 | Belt's recent lack of playing time is not believed to be a "long-term referendum" on his status with the Giants, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. | Brett Pill is starting over Belt for the third day in a row Thursday, so Pill certainly looks like a short term threat to Belt's playing time. Belt is still just 25 years old, while Pill is closing in on 29, and Belt's age and robust minor league track record mean that he probably has more upside. In terms of the immediate future, the Giants will be able to use a DH in Tampa Bay this weekend, so we'll have to wait to see how things shake out. |
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Jul 31 2013 | Belt is not in the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Phillies, CSN's Andrew Baggarly reports. | Belt will give way to Brett Pill for the second game in a row. Belt has just one hit in his last 19 at-bats, and went 0-for-4 with four strikeouts Sunday against the Cubs. Pill could cut into Belt's playing time moving forward, although it's unclear to what extent that may be true. |
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Jul 30 2013 | Belt is not in the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Phillies. | Belt will take a seat Tuesday in favor of Brett Pill, as the Phillies are starting left-hander John Lannan. Belt has been scuffling at the plate over the last six games, as he is in a 1-for-19 stretch. He should return to first base Wednesday with Kyle Kendrick on the mound for the Phillies. |
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Jul 23 2013 | Belt is not in the lineup for the first game of Tuesday's doubleheader in Cincinnati. | Buster Posey is playing first base, so Belt will get some rest while the Giants take on a tough lefty in Cincinnati's Tony Cingrani. Belt will likely return to the starting lineup for the second game of the doubleheader. |
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Jul 20 2013 | Belt is not in the starting lineup Saturday against the Diamondbacks. | His average on the year against lefties is still above .300, but Belt will sit again Saturday with another southpaw, this time Wade Miley, on the mound for the opposition. As was the case last Sunday, Buster Posey will take over at first. |
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Jul 14 2013 | Belt is not in the starting lineup Sunday against the Padres, Alex Pavlovic of the San Jose Mercury News reports. | Belt homered and drove in three runs Saturday, extending his hitting streak to five games, but he'll ride the pine Sunday against left-hander Eric Stults. Buster Posey will move to first while Guillermo Quiroz steps in behind the plate. |
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Jul 9 2013 | Belt was moved up to third in the batting order and responded with an 0-for-8 day with five strikeouts in Monday's extra-inning loss to the Mets. | In an effort to spark a struggling Giant offense (2.0 runs per game over last eight), manager Bruce Bochy moved Belt into the third spot in the batting order. The move backfired in a big way after Belt failed to reach base in eight plate appearances, leaving five runners on base in the process. Tuesday's lineups haven't been released, but it is a safe assumption to say that Belt will move back down to his usual spot in the order. |
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Jul 2 2013 | Belt returned to the lineup Monday after a two-day hiatus and belted his ninth homer of the season in the rain-shortened loss to the Reds. | Belt had missed the Giants' past two games because Buster Posey was dealing with hamstring tightness and had to start at first base to preserve his legs. This is the downside of playing on the same team as the reigning NL MVP; when he needs to take over your position in order to keep his bat in the lineup, you sit. Posey returned to his usual spot behind the plate Monday, so Belt should return to seeing regular time at first. |
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Jun 30 2013 | Belt has been relegated to the bench the past two days because Buster Posey is dealing with "general tightness" in his legs, Henry Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle reports. | In order to keep Posey in the lineup, the Giants moved him to out to first base Saturday and Sunday, so Belt sitting is not any sort of indictment of his recent play. |
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Jun 30 2013 | Belt is out of the starting lineup again Sunday. | It's a second straight day on the bench for Belt, with another left-hander on the mound for Colorado. The 25-year-old is actually hitting a robust .321 against lefties this year, but the reason that number is so high is likely due to his limited exposure to southpaws. Buster Posey is making another start at first. |
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Jun 29 2013 | Belt is not in the starting lineup against Rockies lefty Jorge de la Rosa on Saturday. | Buster Posey will slide over to play first base Saturday, while Guillermo Quiroz joins the mix behind the plate to catch Matt Cain. |
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Jun 26 2013 | Belt is not in the starting lineup Wednesday against the Dodgers, Alex Pavlovic of the San Jose Mercury News reports. | Though Belt is coming off a big day at the plate Tuesday, he's 3-for-27 with 13 strikeouts in his career against Clayton Kershaw, Wednesday's starter for Los Angeles. Buster Posey will move out to first base while Hector Sanchez catches and bats seventh. |
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Jun 26 2013 | Belt had a big day at the plate Tuesday, going 3-for-4 with a double, a pair of runs, a pair of RBI, and his eighth dinger of the season. | Belt has now surpassed his home run total from last season in just over half the amount of plate appearances. The 25-year-old continues to make small strides at the plate and seems to be coming into his own as a high-OBP first baseman with decent power and light speed. |
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Jun 21 2013 | Belt is not in the starting lineup Friday against the Marlins. | A five-game hitting streak was apparently not enough for manager Bruce Bochy to keep Belt in the starting lineup, as Buster Posey is set to man first while Hector Sanchez catches Friday. Belt will likely be available off the bench and back in the lineup Saturday. |
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Jun 18 2013 | Belt went 3-for-4 with an RBI double in the Giants' win over the Padres on Tuesday. | Tuesday marked Belt's third straight multi-hit game. The 25-year-old is hitting .255 with 30 RBI and seven home runs. |
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Jun 18 2013 | Belt went 2-for-5 with a run, an RBI, and a stolen base out of the five-hole in Monday's loss to the Padres. | Belt moved up to the five spot in the batting order with Buster Posey getting the day off. He responded well with his second consecutive two-hit performance. Overall, Belt has been playing better through the months of May (.266/.363/.506) and June (.269/.321/.385) after an abysmal April in which he battled minor injuries and an illness. Belt's prospects going forward are more in line with his recent performance as opposed to his early-season struggles. We are looking at a player who will hit around .260-.270 with a solid OBP and the ability to contribute 7-10 HR and a handful of steals the rest of the way. |
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Jun 15 2013 | Belt is not in the Giants' lineup Saturday in Atlanta. | Belt will step aside, as Buster Posey slides out to first base and Guillermo Quiroz acts as the backstop. In the preceding seven outings, Belt accumulated eight hits in 29 at-bats, though his batting line still resides at .246/.319/.415 in 187 at-bats this season. |
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Jun 10 2013 | Belt went 1-for-4 with a walk and his seventh home run of the season against the Diamondbacks on Sunday. | Belt went yard against Arizona's rookie lefty, Tyler Skaggs, in the fifth inning of Sunday's contest. It was his first homer off of a lefty this season. He has actually been more effective against southpaws (.308) than he has right-handers (.236) this season. Belt has already matched his home run total from last season in less than half the at-bats. He is beginning to display the power that he displayed throughout his minor league career. He should be good for 15-20 dingers with a solid OBP should he stay healthy this season. |
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Jun 2 2013 | Belt is not in the lineup Sunday, the San Jose Mercury News reports. | As usual, Belt will be out of the lineup with a left-hander in Tyler Lyons on the mound for the Cardinals. Brett Pill will log the start at first base. |
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May 29 2013 | Belt is not in the lineup for Wednesday's game against the A's. | Belt, who has just four hits in his last 22 at-bats, will get the night off with left-hander Tommy Milone getting the start for the A's. Brett Pill will enter the lineup in Belt's place. |
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May 22 2013 | Belt (back) entered the game as a pinch hitter and a defensive replacement Wednesday, going 0-for-1 at the dish. | Belt was held out of the lineup due to tightness in his back. The injury was never considered anything too serious, and his appearance in the game reassured that he will be fine going forward. The Giants have an off day Thursday, so Belt will return to lineup when they take on the Rockies this Friday. |
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May 22 2013 | Belt was held out of the lineup Wednesday due to a tight back, the San Jose Mercury News reports. | With Brett Pill currently in the fold, manager Bruce Bochy figured it made sense for Belt to fit in a day of rest. Moreover, since the Giants are facing left-hander Gio Gonzalez, sitting out Belt, who holds a .577 OPS against lefties, was a logical decision. |
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May 22 2013 | Belt is not in the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Nationals. | Belt owns just a .577 OPS against left-handers this season, so he will get a day off with tough lefty Gio Gonzalez getting the ball for the Nationals on Wednesday. Brett Pill will get the start at first base for the Giants. |
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May 20 2013 | Belt went 4-for-5 with a home run, four runs scored, and an RBI in Monday's 8-0 win over the Nationals. | Belt is 14-for-34 (.412 BA) with three homers, four doubles, 11 runs, and eight RBI in his last 11 games -- which includes two pinch-hitting appearances. His .261/.329/.449 batting line for the season is rather ordinary, but his 22 RBI and 22 runs are impressive for a player with just 138 at-bats. |
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May 17 2013 | Belt is not in Friday's lineup against the Rockies. | Belt will get the day off with an opposing lefty (Jorge De La Rosa) on the mound. Brett Pill will draw the start at first base. |
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May 12 2013 | Belt went 1-for-3 with a pair of runs scored and his fourth long ball of the season Sunday. | The home run was a nice piece of hitting by Belt, as he took a two-seam fastball that was tailing away from him the opposite way, successfully depositing it into the left field bleachers. While he has been a fantasy disappointment early in the season, he has quietly been heating up over the past four games; he is batting .417 with a home run, two doubles, and four RBI over that span. |
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May 11 2013 | Belt is not in the lineup Saturday, mlb.com's Chris Haft reports. | Buster Posey will get a day off from catching and start at first base, relegating Belt to the bench in the process. |
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May 5 2013 | Belt is not in the lineup Sunday, the San Jose Mercury News reports. | Manager Bruce Bochy remains seemingly unconvinced about Belt's ability to hit lefties like the Dodgers' Hyun-Jin Ryu, despite career splits that would argue otherwise. As a result, Belt will be on the bench while Buster Posey gets a day off behind the plate and slots in at first base. |
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May 2 2013 | Belt went 1-for-3 with a clutch three-run home run in the eighth inning of Wednesday's win over the Diamondbacks. | Belt put the Giants back on top in the eighth inning with a no-doubter off of Diamondback's set-up man David Hernandez. He continues to bat eighth for Giants and the lineup shift seems to have helped the young first basemen. He now has two home runs and six RBI in the three games since moving down in the order. |
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Apr 29 2013 | Belt will be dropped to eighth in the order for Tuesday's game against the Diamondbacks, CSN Bay Area reports. | Manager Bruce Bochy stated that this is not a permanent move, but one made based on the opposing pitcher. Belt is just 2-for-15 lifetime against Ian Kennedy. |
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Apr 29 2013 | Belt went 2-for-4 with a home run and three RBI in Monday's 6-4 win over the Diamondbacks. | Belt was dropped to eighth in the order and responded with his second long ball of the year. Manager Bruce Bochy said the move was matchup-based, rather than permanent, though Belt ended up doing just fine against Arizona's Ian Kennedy, who had struck him out nine times in 15 at-bats before Monday. After getting off to a dreadful start this season, Belt has nine hits in his last 22 at-bats, including two home runs. Going forward, he will likely spend most of his time batting either sixth or seventh in the Giants' lineup. |
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Apr 27 2013 | Belt will start at first base and seventh against Padres' left-hander Eric Stults on Saturday, Alex Pavlovic of the Mercury News reports. | Manager Bruce Bochy typically sits Belt against lefty starters, but Belt is on a roll of late (6-for-his-last-11) so Bochy will ride the hot hand. |
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Apr 24 2013 | Belt is back in the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Diamondbacks. | Belt did not start for a few days with the Giants facing a string of left-handers, but he will be back in the lineup Wednesday against Arizona starter Ian Kennedy. Belt has struggled with the bat this season, but he is 3-for-3 off the bench over the last two games, so that could be a sign he is turning things around. |
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Apr 23 2013 | Belt did not start Monday, but entered the game as a pinch-hitter in the ninth and delivered the game-winning RBI against the Diamondbacks. | Belt sat for the second consecutive game after starting the season hitting just .183 with no home runs. The Giants faced lefties on both Sunday and Monday, so it appears that Belt has been demoted into a platoon with Joaquin Arias at first base. This obviously hurts his value as he will see less at-bats than he was as the Giants' everyday first basemen. |
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Apr 23 2013 | Belt came off the bench and went 2-for-2 with his first home run of the season against the Diamondbacks on Tuesday. | Belt didn't start Tuesday's game because there was a lefty on the mound, but his clutch two-run home run in the bottom of the ninth may snap him out of his early-season funk. |
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Apr 23 2013 | Belt will remain on the bench Tuesday with the Giants facing a left-hander for the third straight day. | Joaquin Arias will start at first base Tuesday for the third straight day. Be careful not to read too much into Belt's drop in playing time since it is primarily situational, but be aware that he will continue to sit often when the Giants face a southpaw. |
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Apr 22 2013 | Belt is not in the lineup Monday for the second straight day. | Belt will open on the bench again with the Giants facing a left-hander for the second straight day. Belt was seeing everyday playing time up to this point, but with him hitting just .183 overall, and .167 against southpaws, he has lost some at-bats of late. As he did the day before, Joaquin Arias will start at first base Monday in Belt's place. |
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Apr 21 2013 | Belt is not in the lineup Sunday against the Padres, CSN Bay Area reports. | The Giants are doing their best to eschew the left-handed bats in their lineup against Padres lefty Eric Stults, keeping Belt out of the lineup. It looked like Belt might be forced out two games in a row with lefty Clayton Richard originally scheduled to pitch Saturday for the Padres, but Richard ended up being scratched with flu-like symptoms, allowing Belt to remain at first base. |
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Apr 20 2013 | Belt is now in the starting lineup for Saturday's game against the Padres. | Belt was not originally included in the lineup, but after lefty Clayton Richard was scratched with flu-like symptoms and replaced by Andrew Cashner, Belt will get to start on his 24th birthday after all. |
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Apr 20 2013 | Belt is not in the starting lineup Saturday against the Padres. | The left-handed swinging Belt will ride the pine Saturday against fellow southpaw Clayton Richard. Joaquin Arias will make his third start of the year at first base. |
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Apr 14 2013 | Belt did not record a hit Sunday, but managed to score a couple of runs on a pair of walks and steal a base against the Cubs. | Belt has come out of the gates pretty slow this season, but he did display his patience as a hitter and his base-running ability Sunday. He is hitting just .140 through his first 11 games, but the Giants will give the youngster a chance to improve those numbers because they don't really have an alternative at first base. |
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Apr 12 2013 | Belt went 1-for-4 with a two-run double in the ninth inning of Friday's game which, at the time, put the Giants ahead of the Cubs. | After battling a stomach illness for the first week of the season, Belt is beginning to produce at the plate. He is hitting .286 (4-for-14) with a pair of doubles and a pair of RBI over his last three contests. |
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Apr 7 2013 | Even though Belt (illness) is back in the lineup, he's still not fully healthy and is focusing on regaining weight, the Giants' official site reports. | Belt lost 11 pounds from where he was prior to the illness in spring training. On the bright side, he feels that his swing is in good working order. |
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Apr 5 2013 | Belt (illness) is in the lineup for Friday's game against the Cardinals. | Belt has been out since Opening Day with the illness, but it appears he is ready to play again after a few days of rest. Belt will man first base and bat sixth in Friday's game. |
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Apr 5 2013 | Belt (illness) returned to the field Friday and went 0-for-4 in the win over St. Louis. | Belt had missed the Giants' last two games with a stomach illness. Before Friday's game, manager Bruce Bochy said that Belt probably wouldn't be at 100-percent for another week or so, but that he is healthy enough to return to his usual role as the club's everyday first basemen. |
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Apr 3 2013 | Belt (illness) is not in the starting lineup for Wednesday's game against the Dodgers. | Belt's illness will force him to miss a second straight game Wednesday, but perhaps he'll be ready after Thursday's off-day. Buster Posey will take first base while Henry Blanco steps in behind the dish. |
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Apr 2 2013 | Belt (illness) who sat out Tuesday's win over the Dodgers is still not sure if he will be able to play Wednesday, CSN Bay Area reports. | Belt suited up and was ready to pinch hit Tuesday, but wasn't needed as the Giants didn't use a pinch hitter. After the game he did not experience an improvement with his stomach bug, so he should be considered a game-time decision for Wednesday's game against the Dodgers. |
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Apr 2 2013 | Belt is not in the lineup against lefty Hyun-Jin Ryu on Tuesday night, Alex Pavlovic of the San Jose Mercury News reports. | Joaquin Arias is playing first base Tuesday night, so it's possible that Belt's absence is due to lingering effects of the stomach bug he dealt with over the weekend. |
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Apr 1 2013 | Belt is listed as the starting first baseman Monday against the Dodgers, despite dealing with a stomach concern, CSN Bay Area reports. | Expect Belt to take the field, barring a setback. However, with just three hits (one for extra bases) in 21 career at-bats against Dodgers ace Clayton Kershaw, who is taking the hill Monday, Belt doesn't appear to be the strongest play on Opening Day. |
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Mar 25 2013 | Belt (neck) is being held out of Monday's spring training game as a precaution, but he did take BP and said his neck has been improving, CSN Bay Area reports. | Belt has been dealing with a slight twinge in his neck, but the injury shouldn't be considered too serious. He was hoping to play in today's game against the Cubs, but manager Bruce Bochy thought it would be better to the young first basemen an extra day of rest. Belt should be fine by Opening Day. |
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Mar 24 2013 | Belt was scratched from Sunday's Cactus League contest due to an upper back concern, the San Jose Mercury News reports. | Prior to Sunday's game, Belt's upper back was in a wrap. While the exact nature of the injury is unclear, we'll consider the Giants' starting first baseman day-to-day for the time being. |
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Mar 24 2013 | Belt (neck) hopes to play Monday, Alex Pavlovic of the Mercury News reports. | Belt ended up sitting out Sunday's exhibition contest after waking up in the middle of the night with neck pain. He tried to play catch in the morning, but lasted only a few minutes before heading to see the trainer. Fortunately, this ailment sounds pretty minor, and Belt does not expect it to become a lingering problem. |
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Mar 24 2013 | Belt was held out of Sunday's spring outing due to pain in the right side of his neck, CSN Bay Area reports. | Belt's injury appears to be of the day-to-day variety, but the monster of the Cactus League -- seven homers and 17 RBI this spring -- will likely be back in the lineup before long. |
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Mar 23 2013 | Belt hit his seventh home run of the spring in Saturday's loss to the Athletics. | Belt continues to rake for the Giants in spring training, hitting .433 with seven homers and 17 RBI. While it is great to see Belt exhibit some power (only seven homeruns in 2012 regular season), be sure to keep expectations in check regarding spring training numbers. Last year Belt hit .378 with three home runs in spring training, but those numbers didn't necessarily translate into regular season success. |
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Mar 20 2013 | Belt continued his hot spring by going 2-for-3 with an RBI double in Tuesday's loss to Seattle. | Belt is now hitting .420 (21-for-50) with four homeruns, 12 RBI, and a pair of stolen bags this spring. Obviously, spring training stats have to be taken with a grain of salt; but it is a positive sign for a player who is expected to take a step forward this season. |
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Feb 28 2013 | Belt smacked his first home run of the spring in Thursday's matchup against Seattle. He finished with two runs, an RBI and a stolen base in the loss. | Manager Bruce Bochy is looking for Belt to be a little more aggressive at the plate, and Belt delivered on Thursday. Lack of power has been one of Belt's main criticisms at the big-league level, so it's good to see him knock one out of the park early this spring. |
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Feb 12 2013 | Belt will get some work in left field during Spring Training in order to prepare him to play a few more games at that position during the regular season, CSN Bay Area reports. | Belt was going to have to play more left field this Spring regardless of manager Bruce Bochy's plans for him because both Andres Torres and Angel Pagan will be playing in the WBC. However, Bochy noted that he wants to get Belt out in left during the regular season so that his bat doesn't have to be absent from the lineup when Buster Posey occasionally plays first base. Belt only recorded 14 plate appearances as a left fielder last season, but that number (and his overall plate appearances) could rise if he shows that he can handle the position defensively this Spring. |
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Feb 12 2013 | Belt will get some work in left field during spring training in order to prepare him to play a few more games at that position during the regular season, CSN Bay Area reports. | Belt was going to have to play more left field this spring regardless of manager Bruce Bochy's plans for him because both Andres Torres and Angel Pagan will be playing in the WBC. However, Bochy noted that he wants to get Belt out in left during the regular season so that his bat doesn't have to be absent from the lineup when Buster Posey occasionally plays first base. Belt only recorded 14 plate appearances as a left fielder last season, but that number (and his overall plate appearances) could rise if he shows that he can handle the position defensively this spring. |
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Oct 18 2012 | Belt is not in the starting lineup for Game 4 of the NLCS, the Giants' official twitter reports. | Belt is 4-for-24 with just one extra-base hit (a double) this postseason. Buster Posey will start at first base Thursday and Hector Sanchez will suit up behind the plate. |
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Oct 10 2012 | Belt is not in the starting lineup for Game 4 of the NLDS, the Giants' official Twitter page reports. | Posey will move to first base and bat cleanup, while Hector Sanchez gets the start behind the plate. |
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Sep 23 2012 | Belt is not in the lineup Sunday against the Padres, Alex Pavlovic of the Bay Area News Group reports. | Belt homered and doubled in the team's NL West-clinching win Saturday, so he'll be rewarded with a day off Sunday, as will most of the other regulars. |
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Sep 22 2012 | Belt went 2-for-3 with a double and a solo home run in the Giants' win over the Padres on Saturday. | Belt's playing time has grown a bit more sporadic of late as the Giants have faced a slew of left-handed starters and have simultaneously given Buster Posey more starts at first. The home run was his third in 57 September at-bats, and sixth at home. |
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Sep 20 2012 | Belt in not in Thursday's lineup against the Rockies, Chris Haft of the Giants' official site reports. | With Belt on the bench, Buster Posey will get the start at first base Thursday, with lefty Jorge De La Rosa on the hill for the Rockies. |
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Sep 15 2012 | Belt is not in the lineup for Saturday's game, the San Jose Mercury News reports. | Looks like a routine day off for Belt, who will sit in favor of Buster Posey at first base for the Giants. |
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Sep 11 2012 | Belt drove in four runs while going 2-for-4 with a home run to lead the Giants past the Rockies on Tuesday. | The 24-year-old first baseman slugged his sixth home run of the year while breaking the 50-RBI mark for the first time in his short career. Belt is batting a solid .355 in his last 10 games with two home runs and 12 RBI over that span. |
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Sep 2 2012 | Belt is not in the lineup for Sunday's game against the Cubs, according to the Giants' official Twitter page. | Belt will sit out for the second straight day Sunday, which is likely just a consequence of manager Bruce Bochy wanting to prevent Buster Posey from catching Saturday, and left-hander Travis Wood starting for the Cubs on Sunday. Belt hit .349 in August, so don't assume his two-day absence from the lineup means he will lose his regular first base job. |
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Sep 1 2012 | Belt is not in the lineup Saturday against the Cubs, CSN Bay Area reports. | Belt has started the last four contests since sitting out last Sunday's game against the Braves. Expect him back in the lineup for this Sunday's series finale. Buster Posey will man first in his stead while Hector Sanchez takes over at catcher Saturday. |
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Aug 30 2012 | Belt went 4-for-5 with a pair of doubles and RBI in Thursday's win at Houston. | It was Belt's second four-hit game of August, and he's performed well in general during the month, raising his batting average from .237 to .269. |
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Aug 26 2012 | Belt is not in the lineup for Sunday's game against the Braves, the Giants' official Twitter page reports. | Belt is hitting .368/.442/.500 this month, but he hasn't been particularly successful against right-hander Tim Hudson (1-for-6 lifetime), who will toe the rubber for Atlanta on Sunday. Buster Posey will play first base while Hector Sanchez catches. |
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Aug 22 2012 | The Giants won't use Belt in the outfield down the stretch, at least on a regular basis, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. | With Melky Cabrera suspended, left field will mostly be in the hands of Gregor Blanco. The Giants don't want to transition Belt back to the outfield. |
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Aug 21 2012 | Belt is not in the lineup Tuesday against the Dodgers, Alex Pavlovic of the Bay Area News Group reports. | Belt will take a seat after making eight straight starts. The 24-year-old has hit .389/.459/.519 so far in August, but he has no homers and just five RBI in the month. Buster Posey will get the start at first base while Hector Sanchez catches Tuesday, but there's a good chance Belt is back in there Wednesday. |
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Aug 11 2012 | Belt is not in the lineup Saturday, CSN Bay Area reports. | Belt continues to languish against lefthanders, and with Drew Pomeranz on the mound for the Rockies, Brett Pill gets the start at first base. |
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Aug 4 2012 | Belt is not in the lineup for the second straight game, the San Jose Mercury News reports. | The Giants will face a left-handed starter for the second straight game, giving Brett Pill another start at first base after homering Friday night. It looks like Belt might be used in a platoon situation with Pill and occasionally Buster Posey until he proves he can turn it around at the plate. |
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Aug 3 2012 | Belt is not in the lineup for Friday's game against the Rockies, according to the Giants' official Twitter page. | Belt, who posted just a .511 OPS since the All-Star break, will be held out in favor of Brett Pill on Friday. Belt has seen regular playing time over the last several months, but he has lost a couple starts of late due to his recent struggles. |
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Aug 1 2012 | Belt is not in the starting lineup for Wednesday's game against the Mets, the Giants' official Twitter page reports. | Belt is coming off a month of July where he went just 13-for-70 (.186 average) with no homers and just four RBI. Brett Pill, who was recalled Tuesday, will start at first base and bat seventh against lefty Jon Niese. |
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Jul 23 2012 | Belt is not in the starting lineup on Monday, reports Giants in-game reporter Amy Gutierrez. | Belt has been awful in the month of July, with a .133/.231/.156 line over that span, including a 3-4 day on July 1. He does not have a home run during that time and has just two RBI. His playing time should decrease if he keeps hitting this poorly. |
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Jul 18 2012 | Belt will probably play more than he has recently with Hector Sanchez on the DL, the San Jose Mercury News speculates. | Sanchez is a better hitter than his replacement, Eli Whiteside. Occasionally he would catch and Buster Posey would play first, something that is less likely with Whiteside. |
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Jul 14 2012 | Belt is not in the lineup Saturday, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. | Belt isn't hitting well lately, which probably made Bruce Bochy's decision to start Buster Posey at first base a bit easier. Belt's a better hitter than half of the guys in San Francisco's starting lineup, but the Giants start Posey at first base about twice a week to rest his knees, which keeps Belt out of the lineup. |
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Jul 8 2012 | Belt is not in the starting lineup Sunday against the Pirates, the Giants' official Twitter page reports. | Buster Posey will start at first while Hector Sanchez catches and Belt sits for the second time in three days. Belt, who is just 1-for-his-last-14, has never faced off against Sunday's starter, right-hander A.J. Burnett. |
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Jul 8 2012 | Giants manager Bruce Bochy said Sunday that he plans he stick with Belt at first base in the second half of the season, Andrew Baggarly of CSNBayArea.com reports. | Belt is in a bit of a funk offensively, but Bochy reportedly plans to stick with a similar lineup to the one he has been using going forward. Belt is out of the lineup Sunday after a 1-for-13 road trip. Bochy said, "He's out of sync at the plate, his timing is off and his confidence is shaken a little bit." |
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Jul 6 2012 | Belt is not in the lineup Friday, the Giants' Official Twitter reports. | Belt rests more than most starters because the Giants don't want Buster Posey behind the plate too often, but want to keep his bat in the lineup. Belt certainly deserves to play more, but don't expect this situation to end any time soon. If it's any consolation, the Giants will probably go with Posey behind the plate and Belt at first base more often in September if they are fighting for a playoff spot. |
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Jul 3 2012 | Belt is not in the lineup Tuesday against the Nationals, the Giants' official Twitter feed reports. | It's only a day off for Belt and he expects to be back in the lineup Wednesday. He hit well in June and should be a viable fantasy option in most leagues. |
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Jun 27 2012 | Belt is not in the lineup Wednesday against the Dodgers, Comcast SportsNet Bay Area reports. | It's just a day off for Belt, who has played in every game since June 8. He's become an increasingly viable fantasy option in that time, raising his average almost 40 points and hitting all four of his home runs on the season. |
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Jun 19 2012 | Belt reached base in all four plate appaearances Monday, going 2-for-2 with two walks during the Giants' win over the Angels. | Belt scored a run and also stole his third base of the season. He hasn't exactly lived up to the hype so far, but Belt's .379 OBP is strong, and he continues to get better with more consistent playing time, so fanatsy owners should remain patient. |
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Jun 14 2012 | Belt went 2-for-3 with a walk, a home run and three RBI during the Giants' 10-0 win over the Astros on Wednesday. | After entering Tuesday with zero homers on the season, Belt has hit two over the past two games, and as someone who's been platooned all year, it's funny both have came against southpaws. In fact, his current line against left-handers (.899 OPS) is far better than righties (.706). Manager Bruce Bochy should probably just put Belt in the lineup from here on out and see how it goes, especially with no viable alternative. |
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Jun 14 2012 | Belt hit a two-run homer in Thursday's loss to Houston. | Belt had failed to homer in his first 116 at-bats of the season, but now he's gone deep in each of the last three games. Interestingly, all three homers have come off of a lefty, including Thursday's blast against Astros starter Wandy Rodriguez. |
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Jun 9 2012 | Belt will return to the lineup Saturday against the Rangers, the Giants' official site reports. | He'll play first and hit sixth. Belt is hitting just .236 and still hasn't cleared the fence yet this season. |
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Jun 9 2012 | Belt is starting at first base and batting sixth against the Rangers on Saturday, the Fort Worth Star-Telegram's Jeff Wilson reports. | Belt could be in line for more playing time, and possibly even some starts against lefties, now that Brett Pill is at Triple-A. Giants' manager Bruce Bochy has been very reluctant to play Belt against lefties, but some critics worry that he will never learn to hit them if he doesn't get the chance. If Bochy continues to sit Belt against left-handed starters, he may elect to start Buster Posey at first base and Hector Sanchez behind the plate when the team faces a southpaw. |
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Jun 8 2012 | Belt is not in the starting lineup Friday against the Rangers, the MErcury News' Alex Pavlovic reports. | Belt had two hits and two RBI in Thursday's win over the Padres. He'll be available to pinch hit Friday. |
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Jun 4 2012 | Belt will start Monday's game at first base, according to the Giants' official Twitter page. | Belt will bat sixth in Monday's lineup against Cubs starter Jeff Samardzija. Manager Bruce Bochy said during the weekend that Belt would start getting more at-bats, so he may find himself in the lineup a bit more often this week, especially with the Giants scheduled to face a right-hander in four of their next six games. |
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Jun 3 2012 | Manager Bruce Bochy claims Belt will start getting more consistent at-bats, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. | Of course, Belt was out of the lineup Sunday when facing a lefty. Still, Aubrey Huff's .151/.303/.245 line may result in more playing time for Belt moving forward. |
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Jun 1 2012 | Belt is not in the lineup Friday against the Cubs, the San Jose Mercury News reports. | Belt takes a seat in favor of Brett Pill with lefty Paul Maholm on the hill for the Cubs. Belt has had a sluggish start to the season as he remains stuck at zero homers, and has been especially poor against lefties, batting just .125 in 16 at-bats. |
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May 30 2012 | Belt is back in the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Diamondbacks, CSN's Andrew Baggarly reports. | Belt will start Wednesday for just the second time in six games. He will bat sixth against Diamondbacks starter Ian Kennedy. |
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May 29 2012 | Belt is not in Tuesday's lineup against the Diamondbacks, the Giants' official Twitter feed reports. | Belt, who went 2-for-4 with an RBI on Monday, will take a seat Tuesday in favor of Brett Pill, with the D-Backs sending lefty Joe Saunders to the hill. |
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May 28 2012 | Belt is back in the starting lineup Monday after a three-game absence, the Giants' official Twitter feed reports. | The inconsistent playing time plan continues for Belt, whose recent mechanical adjustments to his swing could be beneficial as he was previously unresponsive to the coaching staff's recommended adjustments. |
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May 27 2012 | Belt has made an adjustment to his swing, CSN Bay Area reports. | The coaching staff has tried to get him to be more upright and open up his stance, thereby freeing up his hips and allowing him to turn on inside pitches, and Belt has just recently been responsive. He struck out while pinch hitting Sunday and is batting just .228 on the year. There's no telling how this tweak in mechanics will affect his performance, as Belt has been a huge disappointment so far this year, although inconsistent playing time could be argued as a contributing factor. |
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May 27 2012 | Belt is not in Sunday's lineup against the Marlins, according to the Giants' official Twitter page. | The Giants' first base time-share continues, as Aubrey Huff will start there Sunday after Brett Pill got the nod Saturday. |
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May 26 2012 | Belt will not start Saturday for the second straight day, according to the Giants' official Twitter page. | Belt received two at-bats off the bench in Friday's game and picked up an RBI and a run scored, but his playing time remains inconsistent. With Aubrey Huff and Brett Pill also seeing action at first base, don't expect that to change anytime soon. |
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May 25 2012 | Belt is not in the starting lineup Friday against the Marlins, the Giants Team Website reports. | Belt, who started the previous two games, will sit in favor of Aubrey Huff. Belt has one hit in his last six games, and his average has fallen to .227. |
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May 22 2012 | Belt is not in the starting lineup Tuesday night, the Giants' official Twitter feed reports. | Aubrey Huff is making his first start since April 21 after Belt entered Monday's game as a pinch-hitter and picked up two walks and a stolen base. |
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May 21 2012 | Belt is not in the lineup for San Francisco on Monday, reports the team's official twitter page. | Brett Pill will instead get the start at first base. Belt has collected just one hit in his last three games and has yet to hit a home run. |
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May 13 2012 | Belt is out of the lineup Sunday against the Diamondbacks, Andrew Baggarly of CSN San Francisco reports. | Belt has yet to homer this year and Bruce Bochy's short leash hasn't allowed him to grab hold of a starting spot despite the Giants' injury issues. Brett Pill will start at first base. |
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May 12 2012 | Belt will start at first and hit second Saturday against the Diamondbacks, CSN's Andrew Baggarly reports. | Saturday will mark the first time Belt has hit second all year. The 24-year-old first baseman is hitting .250/.357/.333 in 60 at-bats this season. |
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May 11 2012 | Belt is on the bench while the Giants face Diamondbacks lefty Patrick Corbin on Friday, Comcast SportsNet Bay Area reports. | Buster Posey will handle first-base duties, with Belt available for pinch-hitting duty later in the game. |
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May 8 2012 | Belt is in Tuesday's lineup against the Dodgers, the Giants' official site reports. | Belt, who has only recorded four at-bats against lefties to date, will take aim at Dodgers southpaw Clayton Kershaw on Tuesday. |
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May 7 2012 | Belt is on the bench Monday against lefty Ted Lilly, the Giants' official Twitter feed reports. | Buster Posey is playing first base Monday while Hector Sanchez is behind the plate. Belt has earned the opportunity to start against right-handed pitching recently, but it looks like a straight platoon is in order for now. |
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May 6 2012 | Belt is back in the lineup for Sunday's game against the Brewers, Amy Gutierrez of CSN Bay Area reports. | Belt was out of the lineup for Saturday's contest against lefty Randy Wolf, but he's back in there Sunday against right-hander Shaun Marcum. The 24-year-old Belt is batting .294 on the year, and it appears he'll see pretty regular action against righties going forward. |
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May 5 2012 | Belt is on the bench against Brewers lefty Randy Wolf on Saturday, the Giants' official Twitter feed reports. | He should be back in the lineup Sunday, but the recent increase in playing time for Belt bodes well for his chances of seeing regular duty against right-handed pitchers if he continues to hit. Buster Posey is playing first base Saturday. Belt is 5-for-11 over his last three games. |
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May 3 2012 | Belt may have finally been made the Giants' everyday starter at first base, the Bay Area News Group reports. | There's still some uncertainty here, but manager Bruce Bochy said, "Hopefully going out there every day, he's going to get comfortable," on Thursday. Belt has started the last three games, so it's worth taking a flier on him right now and seeing where it goes. He batted sixth Thursday and went 2-for-4. |
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May 2 2012 | Belt started for the second straight game for the first time in two weeks Wednesday, going 2-for-4 with a walk and a run scored during the GIants' loss. | Belt stuck out twice, but it's tough to judge his ability to hit major league pitching with such horrible management by the Giants. |
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May 1 2012 | Belt is in the lineup for Tuesday's game against the Marlins, according to the Giants' official Twitter page. | Belt sat out the Giants' last game Sunday, but he will be back in the lineup Tuesday with Buster Posey back behind the plate. |
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Apr 29 2012 | Belt is not in the lineup for Sunday's game against the Padres, Andrew Baggarly of CSN Bay Area reports. | Buster Posey will play first base while Hector Sanchez catches against left-handed Clayton Richard. Belt has five hits in his last 15 at-bats, but he'll sit for the fourth time in the last seven games. |
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Apr 28 2012 | Belt is back in the lineup for Saturday's game against the Padres, according to the Giants' official Twitter page. | Belt will be back in action after being pushed to the bench Friday so Buster Posey could play first base. Belt will bat sixth against Padres starter Anthony Bass. |
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Apr 28 2012 | Belt went 1-for-3 with a two-run double in the Giants' win over the Padres on Saturday. | The double helped the Giants conquer Padres starter Anthony Bass, and it was the type of hit that might finally earn Belt some more playing time in San Francisco. It had looked like Belt would have free reign over first base after Aubrey Huff went on the DL, but he has shared the spot with Buster Posey and Brett Pill. |
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Apr 27 2012 | Belt is not in the lineup for Friday's game against the Padres, the Giants' official Twitter feed reports. | Instead, Buster Posey will be taking over first base again. It's surprising that Belt hasn't been given more time with Aubrey Huff on the disabled list, but the Giants continue to use Posey at first base and Hector Sanchez at catcher. As long as Sanchez continues to hit, expect Belt's playing time to remain inconsistent. |
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Apr 26 2012 | Belt is back in the starting lineup Thursday, the Giants' official Twitter feed reports. | Buster Posey played first base against a right-hander Wednesday, ultimately squeezing Belt from the lineup. With Aubrey Huff on the DL, Belt should see most of the starts at first base against right-handers while Brett Pill plays against lefties. |
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Apr 26 2012 | Belt went 2-for-4 with an RBI and two strikeouts during in a win over the Reds on Thursday. | Belt continues to see inconsistent playing time despite Aubrey Huff's (personal) absence. Still, Belt's batting average is up to .273 on the year, and he deserves an extended opportunity. |
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Apr 25 2012 | Belt is not in the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Reds, according to the Giants' official Twitter feed reports. | The Giants will use Buster Posey at first base and Hector Sanchez behind the plate Wednesday, which will push Belt to a reserve role. Belt has started just two games since April 16, but he could see a bump in playing time with Aubrey Huff (personal) expected to be away from the team for a little while. |
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Apr 24 2012 | Belt is in the starting lineup Tuesday, the Giants' official Twitter feed reports. | He's getting the nod against right-hander Mat Latos, while Aubrey Huff (personal) is away from the team. |
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Apr 23 2012 | Belt is not in the lineup for Game 2 of Monday's doubleheader against the Mets, Andrew Baggarly of CSN Bay Area reports. | Brett Pill is getting the nod after Belt was part of a double switch in Game 1. Prior to departing, Belt was 1-for-4 while stranding a pair of runners in the matinee. |
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Apr 21 2012 | Belt is not in the lineup Saturday, CSN Bay Area's Andrew Baggarly reports. | Aubrey Huff is playing first base against right-hander Mike Pelfrey on Saturday, while Belt inexplicably remains limited to a part-time role to begin the season. |
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Apr 21 2012 | Belt hit a two-RBI bloop double as a pinch-hitter in Saturday's loss to the Mets. | It was actually a game-tying double for Belt, who will almost certainly get a chance to start Sunday (weather permitting) as Aubrey Huff had another brutal day at the plate. |
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Apr 18 2012 | Belt was not in the starting lineup again Wednesday, but he had a key hit as a pinch hitter late, eventually scoring the game's winning (and only) run. | Belt continues to be messed around with by Giants management, so he's tough to own in anything but really deep leagues, but his upside remains. |
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Apr 17 2012 | Belt is not in the starting lineup Tuesday, Andrew Baggarly of CSN Bay Area reports. | He was given an opportunity to face Roy Halladay and apparently failed to impress his manager with the quality of his at-bats, so Aubrey Huff is at first base while Nate Schierholtz is back in the mix in right field. |
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Apr 16 2012 | Belt is in the lineup for the second straight day Monday, Andrew Baggarly of CSN Bay Area reports. | He went 1-for-3 with a walk and a stolen base in the Giants' loss to Pittsburgh on Sunday, doing enough to stay in the lineup for at least another day after getting a heavy dose of pine last week. The Giants face left-handed starters in two of their six contests this week, so he may yield a couple of starts to Brett Pill even if he's worked his way back into manager Bruce Bochy's good graces. |
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Apr 16 2012 | Making his first start in a week, Belt went 1-for-3 with a walk and a run scored during the Giants' loss Sunday. | Belt also stole a base, although it could have easily been ruled fielder's indifference. Still, it was a positive step, but there's no telling how much playing time he will receive moving forward, as the Giants continue to botch this situation. |
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Apr 15 2012 | Belt will start at first and bat sixth against the Pirates on Sunday, Carl Steward of the Bay Area News Group reports. | This will be Belt's first start since Apr. 8, and he is still looking for his first hit since Opening Day. Aubrey Huff, who had been starting at first the past couple of days, will head to the bench. |
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Apr 13 2012 | Belt is not in the lineup for Friday's home opener against the Pirates, the Giants' official Twitter page reports. | Belt is out of the lineup for the fourth straight game, as Aubrey Huff will come in to take first base, Melky Cabrera will move to left field, and Nate Schierholtz will play right. The 23-year-old Belt has one hit and five strikeouts in 11 at-bats so far this season, and it appears he's in manager Bruce Bochy's doghouse. |
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Apr 9 2012 | Belt is not in the lineup for Monday's game against the Rockies, CSN's Andrew Baggarly reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt will get Monday off in favor of Aubrey Huff after opening the season on a 1-for-10 skid. Huff is not an immediate threat to Belt's playing time after opening the season as a regular outfielder, but those that own Belt should keep an eye on this situation in case manager Bruce Bochy opts to use Huff at first base more often. |
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Apr 8 2012 | Belt went 0-for-3 with a strikeout and left four men on base Sunday and is batting just .100 early on this season. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Manager Bruce Bochy stated before the game he's going to give Belt a longer leash this season, but the fact he even said that after two games should be enough to worry fantasy owners based on past actions. Belt could really use a big game soon. |
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Apr 7 2012 | Belt went 0-for-3 with a walk, a run scored and two strikeouts Saturday against Arizona. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: He started at first base for the second straight day and appears to be in position to hit sixth and handle the job -- at least against righties -- while Aubrey Huff is batting fifth and getting the starts in left field. |
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Apr 4 2012 | Manager Bruce Bochy suggested that Belt may open the year as the Giants' starting first baseman, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Aubrey Huff essentially admitted he's moving to the outfield, so while most of this is speculation, it appears San Francisco may open the season with Melky Cabrera in right field, Huff in left and Belt at first, moving Nate Schierholtz to the bench. This is huge news for Belt, who with this opportunity could turn into a fantasy steal. |
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Apr 3 2012 | Belt is hitting .391/.434/.638 over 69 at-bats this spring. Despite the impressive numbers, some within the Giants' organization worry about the 6-5 lefty's swing and have asked him to tinker with his mechanics. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Although it's no sure thing, Belt is likely to open the year with San Francisco but with no clear starting role, at least in the beginning of the season. |
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Mar 19 2012 | Belt is 14-for-38 (.333) with three homers and six RBI this spring, but the Giants haven't tipped their hand regarding where he fits into their lineup to begin the year. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: There are a number of moving parts, which become clear depending on the Giants' plans for Nate Schierholtz. If Schierholtz doesn't play every day, Melky Cabrera could play right field, leaving left field for Aubrey Huff and first base to Belt. |
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Feb 3 2012 | Giants manager Bruce Bochy said that first base has no clear incumbent going into spring training, and that Belt "knows what he has to do," Andrew Baggarly of the San Jose Mercury News reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: It sounds like Aubrey Huff will have to battle Belt for the starting job this spring, as the Giants are leaning toward giving Nate Schierholtz a regular role in the outfield along with trade additions Angel Pagan and Melky Cabrera. Nevertheless, Belt is the upside play here and the price has been very reasonable in early mock drafts considering his high upside and the possibility that he'll lock down the bulk of the playing time at first with an impressive showing this spring. |
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Sep 28 2011 | Belt is not in the lineup Wednesday, Amy Gutierrez of CSN Bay Area reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Perhaps the decision to start Pat Burrell in his place is just a gift from manager Bruce Bochy to Giants fans3F |
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Sep 27 2011 | Belt went 3-for-3 with a home run, a walk, two runs scored and two RBI against the Rockies on Tuesday night. The home run was his ninth of the season, and he improved his line to .226/.308/.414 in 208 plate appearances. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt's numbers should be taken with a grain of salt this year. It was unfair of him to produce with Bruce Bochy constantly fussing with his playing time and manning different positions. A 15.9 percent HR/FB ratio and 9.6 percent walk rate were impressive, and look for his 26.9 percent strikeout rate to improve as he gets more appearances. |
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Sep 18 2011 | Belt is in the starting lineup and playing left field Sunday, the team's official site reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Giant fans and Belt fantasy owners will remain calm for one day, at least. |
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Sep 16 2011 | Belt went 1-for-5 with a run scored, two RBI and hit his seventh home run of the season Friday night as the Giants beat the Rockies 9-1. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt is hitting just .217 and still has some work to do in order to be successful at the Major League level, but his potential is fairly strong. The Giants are strongly suggesting that he play winter ball this year in an effort to improve his bat while getting in additional work in the outfield. With Aubrey Huff locked in for another year, it would be wise for Belt to master the ways of left field. |
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Sep 13 2011 | Belt is out of the Giants' lineup Tuesday, Amy Gutierrez of Comcast Sports reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: This hasn't really been news much of the year, but Belt had played in the Giants last three games. The Giants are going to give Belt more of a look this month, but they also want to give looks to Justin Christian and Brett Pill, and there's only so much playing time available. |
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Sep 10 2011 | Belt is expected to see an increase in playing time for the remainder of the season, the San Jose Mercury News reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt is starting against a left-handed pitcher Saturday, and he's slotted to start again Sunday. The Giants haven't said they're giving up on this year, but they're going to take a good look at their younger players in preparation for next year. |
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Sep 4 2011 | Belt is getting the start in left field for the Giants on Sunday, the D-backs official site reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: This is Belt's first start since Tuesday. Though the young outfielder/first baseman has promising talent, he has only a 4:19 BB:K in 56 plate appearances since being recalled from Triple-A Fresno. |
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Sep 3 2011 | Belt is not in Saturday's lineup against the Diamondbacks, the San Jose Mercury News reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Instead, veteran Pat Burrell will start in left field against Ian Kennedy. |
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Aug 28 2011 | Belt's start on Sunday is his eighth in a row in left field, the team's official site reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Sunday marks the return of Andres Torres from the DL, which means that the Giant outfield just got more crowded. That said, Belt is batting .256/.341/.538 since his most recent promotion, which should help him get more playing time than he has at other points during the season. |
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Aug 25 2011 | Belt is in the starting lineup, hitting seventh, for Thursday's game against Houston. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt has also started each of the previous four games, and has gone 7-for-16 with a homer and three RBI over that period. |
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Aug 24 2011 | Belt went 2-for-3 with a stolen base and a run scored Wednesday against the Padres. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The Giants young first baseman has been hot and cold lately, but with seven hits in his past three games he on the better end of the spectrum which should hopefully lead to more consistent playing time. |
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Aug 21 2011 | Belt went 4-for-5 with a three-run homer to help the Giants beat the Astros 6-4 on Sunday. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt hadn't recorded a hit since he blasted two home runs exactly a week ago, so this was nice to see. It was his first four-hit game of his young career, and he now has a higher on-base percentage than all but one active Giants position player. Hopefully he'll remain a regular moving forward. |
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Aug 17 2011 | With Nate Schierholtz (foot) scratched, Belt is in the lineup at right field for the Giants' game against Atlanta Tuesday, Andrew Baggarly of the San Jose Mercury News reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: If Schierholtz has indeed broken his foot, the Giants will be forced to play Belt full time. He's worth a look in most fantasy formats -- if given time, his pedigree as a prospect and .975 OPS at Triple-A should translate to big-league success. |
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Aug 15 2011 | Belt slugged his third and fourth homers of the season as part of a 2-for-4 day against Florida Sunday afternoon | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: This is the kind of promise the Giants saw in Belt as a minor leaguer. Even though his season to date has been disappointing, his OBP of .330 and SLG of .415 outpace Aubrey Huff's marks of .303 and .381, and with the Giants struggling to score runs and needing to do just that to catch the Diamondbacks, the Giants should use Belt in the lineup over Huff. We'll have to wait and see if Bruce Bochy makes the prudent move, though. |
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Aug 14 2011 | As anticipated, Belt has been recalled to the Giants from Triple-A Fresno, the team's official site reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: With Aubrey Huff's struggles, it's possible that Belt could see some time at first base. Otherwise, the disabling of Andres Torres in the corresponding move means Belt could see some starts in left field, with Aaron Rowand becoming the primary center fielder. In any case, it's not entirely clear what Belt's role will be. |
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Aug 4 2011 | Belt has been optioned to Triple-A Fresno, reports Amy Gutierrez of CSN Bay Area. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The Giants are just unwilling to give Belt opportunities right now, so they'll send him back to Triple-A for regular at-bats. The Giants activated Mark DeRosa from the disabled list to take his roster spot, who will primarily backup first base. |
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Jul 30 2011 | Belt, who is in the starting lineup for Saturday's game, will also start Sunday, reports Andrew Baggarly of the San Jose Mercury News. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt is replacing Aubrey Huff in the lineup both games, giving the regular starter a rest. The Giants' plan for Belt is to get him a few starts a week during their playoff run over the next two months, but he will not be an everyday player. |
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Jul 28 2011 | Giants general manager Brian Sabean said he envisions Belt in the role that Travis Ishikawa held for the team down the stretch last season, Andrew Baggarly of the San Jose Mercury News reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: While it's a good sign that Belt is going to be optioned back to Fresno with the arrival of Carlos Beltran, getting a couple of starts each week and working off the bench as a pinch-hitter is a risky decision in terms of his development. Unfortunately, Belt owners in non-keeper formats may not be rewarded until 2012. |
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Jul 27 2011 | Belt is not in the starting lineup Wednesday, the Giants' official Twitter feed reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: We'll wake you up when manager Bruce Bochy decides to put the youngster back in the lineup again. Cody Ross is in left field against Cole Hamels while Aubrey Huff is playing first base Wednesday night. |
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Jul 26 2011 | Belt is sitting Tuesday against Philles right-hander Vance Worley, Chris Haft of MLB.com reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Aubrey Huff is playing first base while Cody Ross is in left, leaving Belt to spend another game (or at least, most of it) on the bench for manager Bruce Bochy. |
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Jul 24 2011 | Belt is in the San Francisco lineup for the Giants' Sunday game against Milwaukee, the Giants' official site reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt is starting in left field -- the first time he'll have done that at the major-league level since May 29th and the second time for him ever. Outfield eligibility would certainly add to his fantasy value. |
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Jul 23 2011 | Belt is sitting against Brewers lefty Randy Wolf on Saturday, the San Jose Mercury News reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Hopefully for the sake of the Giants' offense and for Belt owners, his time on the bench during this run with the big league club will be limited to the team's starts against southpaws. |
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Jul 20 2011 | Belt homered and then hit the go-ahead double against lefty Hong-Chih Kuo in Tuesday's win over the Dodgers. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Getting off to a big start with this latest call-up is undoubtedly important for Belt - but the question is how much will he play in the outfield whenever Aubrey Huff is back in the lineup at first base3F Arguably he should play every day, but we've also argued his case all season to deaf ears. |
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Jul 20 2011 | Belt has been recalled by the Giants, Jaymee Sire of CSN Bay Area reports. He is starting at first base and batting sixth Tuesday night. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Hector Sanchez was optioned to Fresno to make space on the roster, while Belt is a must-add when you consider the likelihood of a regular role this time around. Although the at-bats have been sporadic for him this season, the Giants would seemingly have little incentive to recall him if they weren't going to play him regularly. |
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Jul 7 2011 | Belt (wrist) has been activated off the disabled list and optioned to Triple-A Fresno, reports Hank Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt completed a minor league rehab assignment, so the motivation to send him to Triple-A now is to get his swing back after the injury. The Giants can't seem to decide just what to do with him, but he will likely be back with the club in a few weeks or less. |
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Jul 2 2011 | Belt (wrist) will begin his rehab assignment Saturday with High-A San Jose, reports Hank Schulman of the San Francisco Chronicle. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: The team plans to take things slow with Belt, giving him ample time to heal and then deciding whether or not to add him to the major league roster as soon as he comes of the disabled list. |
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Jun 27 2011 | Belt (wrist) plans to take a full batting practice Monday, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Beyond that, Belt hopes to begin rehab games next weekend, so while a precise timetable for his return has yet to be mapped out, he is making progress. |
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Jun 25 2011 | Belt (wrist) graduated from a fungo bat to a regular bat and took soft-toss batting practice Friday, but he's still not that close to returning, the San Jose Mercury News reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: It's almost certain that Belt will need a minor league rehab stint, if not a minor league stint beyond that, before he returns to the Giants. "As much as I'd like to, once I step back and think about it, the best case would be to see some pitching at a lower level before I jump back in," Belt said. "Get the timing back and get the routine of playing in games. I think it's important to take those steps." |
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Jun 23 2011 | Belt (fractured left wrist) took swings with a fungo bat off a tee Tuesday and expects to graduate to batting practice by the weekend, the San Jose Mercury News reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt will start a minor league rehab assignment once he's able, but he's still without a timetable for his return. |
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Jun 22 2011 | Belt (wrist) had the cast removed from his left wrist Friday, the San Jose Mercury News reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt did some light throwing and infield work before the game while wearing a protective sleeve. He said his hand was a bit stiff but hopes to begin hitting within a week. |
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Jun 5 2011 | San Francisco has placed Belt on the 15-day disabled list with a broken wrist, the Giants' official site reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Additional X-rays revealed a hairline fracture. It's unclear how long the injury will sideline Belt, and this is obviously unfortunate news. |
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Jun 3 2011 | Belt (wrist) is not in the lineup for Friday's game against the Rockies, according to the Giants' official Twitter page. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt has not played since exiting Tuesday's game early after being hit by a pitch on the wrist. He remains day-to-day. |
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Jun 2 2011 | Belt's wrist was improved Wednesday after getting struck by a pitch Tuesday, but he was held out of the Giants' lineup because he couldn't swing a bat, the San Jose Mercury News reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: We'll have to see how Belt feels Thursday, but it sounds like he is iffy for the team's night game against the Cards. |
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Jun 1 2011 | Belt (wrist) is not in the lineup for Wednesday's game, the Giants' official Twitter feed reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Aubrey Huff is back in the lineup at first base while the Giants are starting Cody Ross and Nate Schierholtz in the corner-outfield spots. Belt is day-to-day after getting hit by a pitch in Tuesday night's game. |
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May 31 2011 | Manager Bruce Bochy said x-rays on Belt's wrist came back negative, Andrew Baggarly of the San Jose Mercury News reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: It looked like Belt was in a good deal of pain after taking a pitch off his arm, but it looks like he will escape with just a bad bruise. Bochy said Belt will probably sit for a game or two, but he will dodge a DL stint. |
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May 30 2011 | Belt is sitting against Cards right-hander Kyle McClellan on Monday. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: He picked up one of four hits against Brewers starter Yovani Gallardo on Monday, but apparently that isn't good enough for Belt to stay in the starting lineup. Aaron Rowand is starting in left field for the Giants on Monday. |
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May 29 2011 | Making his first start since getting recalled, Belt went 1-for-3 during the Giants' loss Sunday. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt played left field and hit sixth in the lineup. There's no reason why he shouldn't continue to be in the lineup against right-handers instead of Pat Burrell, but manager Bruce Bochy apparently disagrees. |
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May 29 2011 | Belt will start Sunday against the Brewers, Andrew Baggarly of the San Jose Mercury News reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: No word yet as to who will sit between Pat Burrell and Aubrey Huff, but Belt will finally get a start Sunday after being recalled by the Giants on Thursday. |
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May 3 2011 | Manager Bruce Bochy and general manager Brian Sabean said they want Belt to have some "sustained success" at Triple-A Fresno before they recall him, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: He has gone .517/.622/.862 in 37 plate appearances for Fresno since his demotion on April 20, but the team probably wants him to re-develop his confidence after struggling at the major league level. |
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Apr 28 2011 | When Belt returns to San Francisco, he almost certainly will be an outfielder, not a first baseman, the San Francisco Chronicle reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt played right and left field exclusively in his first four games for Triple-A Fresno. One should not assume Belt would replace Pat Burrell as the left fielder. If Burrell gets hot and Cody Ross struggles, Belt could play some right field. There is no timetable for Belt's promotion. |
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Apr 20 2011 | The Giants optioned Belt to Triple-A Fresno on Wednesday, according to the team's official Twitter page. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt started 13 of the Giants' first 17 games, but he could benefit from more at-bats in the minors after hitting just 10-for-52 (.192) and struck out 13 times. Sending Belt to the minors will also allow the Giants to shift Aubrey Huff back to first base and use Cody Ross as the regular right fielder. Belt has a lot of promise, but he had also only appeared in 13 games at the Triple-A level before opening this year with the big club. Belt will likely stay at Fresno for a while, but don't be surprised to see him back on the major league roster later this summer. |
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Apr 19 2011 | Belt is not in the starting lineup Tuesday, Andrew Baggarly of the San Jose Mercury News reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: With Belt sitting again, the speculation that he's headed to Triple-A will only increase. The Giants will activate Cody Ross from the DL on Wednesday, so a move could happen in the next 24 hours. |
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Apr 18 2011 | Belt is out of the lineup Monday for the second time in three days, according to the Giants' official Twitter page. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt is hitting just .200 this season, but it's a bit odd that he is not in the lineup with righty Esmil Rogers on the mound for the Rockies. Aubrey Huff will play first base for the Giants on Monday night. With Cody Ross (calf) likely returning Tuesday, it's sounding more and more like Belt will then be sent down to Triple-A Fresno. |
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Apr 16 2011 | Belt is not in the lineup for Saturday's game against the Diamondbacks, the San Jose Mercury News reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: With lefty Joe Saunders on the mound for Arizona, Belt will sit out. Mark DeRosa starts at first base. |
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Apr 13 2011 | Belt went 2-for-3 with a run scored on Wednesday night against the Dodgers. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt's overall numbers aren't good, but he's been taking walks, and Wednesday's game is another positive showing. There's a chance he could get sent down when Cody Ross returns, but the Giants could also move Belt to the outfield, Aubrey Huff to first and Pat Burrell, who chased down an Aaron Miles "triple" in slow motion, to the bench. |
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Apr 11 2011 | Belt went 0-for-4 with two strikeouts during the Giants' loss Monday. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt is now hitting .143 on the season. He has some excuses facing lefty Clayton Kershaw for the second time this season, and his defense remains strong, but at this point, it looks likely he'll be sent dwon to Triple-A once Cody Ross is ready to return from his calf injury unless he's able to get hot fast. |
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Apr 9 2011 | Belt is not in the starting lineup for Saturday's game against St. Louis, the Giants' official site reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt is having some early-season struggles, hitting just .179, and will get a day to clear his head Saturday. Aubrey Huff will start at first base, with Aaron Rowand in right field. |
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Apr 6 2011 | Belt went 2-for-5 with a run scored during the Giants' win Wednesday. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt is still hitting just .182, but he's been strong defensively and has walked (four) nearly as many times as he's struck out (five), so he's not been completely overmatched so far. But he'll need to step it up if he wants to remain in San Francisco when Cody Ross (calf) returns from the DL. |
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Apr 5 2011 | Belt went 0-for-4 in the Giants' loss to the Padres on Tuesday. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: He is now 0-for-11 over the last three games, but Tuesday marked the first time he did not reach base. He put the ball in play in all four of his at-bats Tuesday, and he has shown mature plate discipline five games into his major league career (3:4 K:BB in 17 at-bats). |
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Mar 31 2011 | Belt went 1-for-3 with a walk in Thursday's Opening Day loss to the Dodgers. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: While Belt's debut stat line doesn't look that impressive, consider that he reached base two times against Dodgers' ace Clayton Kershaw, who was dominant over seven scoreless innings. Belt isn't guaranteed a roster spot once Cody Ross returns from the DL later this month, but a decent start would help his cause. |
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Mar 29 2011 | Belt got another start at first base Monday, the San Jose Mercury News reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt went 0-for-3 against left-hander Brett Anderson, and the decision of where he begins the year has still yet to be made. Aubrey Huff got the start in right field and clubbed his sixth homer of the spring. |
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Mar 26 2011 | It92s become pretty clear to those who cover the team: The decision on Belt will be about Belt. If he forces his way onto the club and convinces club officials that he92s absolutely ready, he92ll be the first baseman. If not, he92ll begin at Triple-A Fresno, the San Jose Mercury News reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt is hitting .293/.339/.483 this spring, and GM Brian Sabean used the term 93leveled off94 to describe Belt92s spring after a hot start, so the smart money remains on him returning to Triple-A. However, with Cody Ross (calf) out three weeks, there's a chance Aubrey Huff moves to right field, opening up first base for Belt. At worst, he should be up by June. |
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Mar 18 2011 | The Giants appear to be giving serious thought to breaking camp with Belt as their starting first baseman, reports the San Francisco Chronicle. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt is making it difficult to deny that he belongs in the major leagues - he has two home runs and five doubles to go with his .283 batting average, and has looked mature at the plate by making pitchers work to get him out. There are still good reasons to start him in the minor leagues, but general manager Brian Sabean has indicated the decision would be based only in on-field performance (like a good general manager should), and not the business side of things. We shall see if he is being sincere. If he makes the team, they will hit him seventh in an attempt to limit the pressure placed on the rookie. |
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Mar 17 2011 | Belt singled, doubled, homered and drew a walk against the White Sox in Wednesday's spring training game. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Belt's walk and single came against lefty Mark Buehrle in prolonged at-bats. He'll still probably begin the year in Fresno, but he's doing his best to make the decision difficult for the Giants. |
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Mar 10 2011 | Belt, who must overwhelm club officials to open the season in San Francisco, is hitless in his last nine at-bats with five strikeouts, the San Jose Mercury News reports. | ROTOWIRE RECOMMENDS: Overall Belt has posted an underwhelming line of .250/.323/.429 with one homer over 28 spring ABs. Of course, it's a ridiculously small sample, but it also reiterates the fact he's likly to begin the season in Triple-A Fresno. The most likely scenario continues to be Belt getting called up in June to play first base, moving Aubrey Huff to left field. |
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