SAN FRANCISCO — It’s been a whirlwind week for right-hander Jose Butto.
Butto’s velocity was down Wednesday and he told the training staff that he had arm discomfort on the mound, an ominous sign for any pitcher. A day later, the Giants put him on the IL with right arm fatigue, a pretty common issue for pitchers, but on Friday they announced that he has a blood clot in his right arm.
Butto got the diagnosis after a visit with Dr. Jason Lee, a vascular surgeon at Stanford Medical Center. He will undergo a procedure to remove the clot.
“Everybody’s concern immediately is going to be with someone’s health,” manager Tony Vitello said. “But he’s a very, very, very well-liked and well-respected guy. So everyone was concerned right away. I think the fact it’s not the worst-case scenario, or it could be worse, is good. Time will tell if it’s a decent layoff or an extended layoff.”
Vitello said his understanding was that Butto has dealt with circulation issues in the past, even going back to his time with the New York Mets. He didn’t want to dive too deep into timelines, but the Giants have had a somewhat similar experience recently.
In the spring of 2024, right-hander Tristan Beck had a procedure to remove an aneurysm from his right arm. That was also done by Dr. Lee and Beck ended up missing most of the season. The Giants said they would provide more information on Butto’s recovery on Saturday.
A Day Later
Vitello said he got a few “I told you so” responses from Giants veterans who saw promising things out of catcher Daniel Susac this spring. The three-hit debut wasn’t enough to alter any plans, though. Susac was back on the bench Friday, with Patrick Bailey catching Tyler Mahle.
Overnight, the Giants and others dug a bit more into the stats. According to OptaStats, Susac became the first catcher with three-plus hits and a walk in his first start since Mike Piazza in 1992. He also became the first Giant to reach base four times and not make an out within the first two games of his career since Brian Dallimore in 2004.
“He’s got a little bit of pop in there that I think everybody saw in spring training,” Vitello said. “You know, the ball comes off a little hotter than you’d even expect, because he doesn’t take an overly big swing.”
A New Look
Casey Schmitt was a late scratch because of lower back tightness. Jerar Encarnacion took his spot at first base and was set to make his first start of the season.
The timing is poor for Schmitt, who had three hits on Thursday but got overshadowed by Susac’s huge debut. He also made a leaping grab at first to start a double play in the eighth.