Motorists driving from the East Bay to 24 Willie Mays Plaza, which is Oracle Park, will now do so on Willie Mays Highway.
On the late Hall of Famer’s birthday, the San Francisco Giants and the Say Hey Foundation, along with several state senators, announced that a roughly 2-mile stretch of Interstate 80 from Treasure Island to Oracle Park is now named in honor of Mays, with signage already installed.
The same stretch is also named for former San Francisco Mayor Willie Brown; the designation will be shared.
In a news release, Giants president and CEO Larry Baer said, “What an incredibly special way to honor Willie’s legacy. For generations, this portion of I-80 on the Bay Bridge has carried Giants fans into San Francisco, and now it will forever carry Willie’s name — a lasting reminder of the joy and inspiration he brought to this city.”
State Sens. Bill Dodd and Scott Wiener authored the legislation for the name change, and Wiener said in the Giants’ release, “Willie Mays was a San Francisco original. A peerless talent and unforgettable presence on the field, he dedicated untold hours to serving his community and empowering young people from humble beginnings to play sports.
“He broke barriers as one of the first black players in Major League Baseball, empowering generations of athletes to follow their dreams. It’s only right that we honor him and the Say Hey Foundation publicly, in the community he loved, and I’m thrilled to present this resolution to do so.”
Injury updates: The Giants had a busy medical update Wednesday, with, among other developments, second baseman Luis Arraez missing a second start in a row with left thumb soreness. Manager Tony Vitello said that ideally, combined with Thursday’s off day, Arraez will be ready to go Friday against the Pirates.
Reliever Erik Miller (back) said he will throw a bullpen session Thursday and make a rehab appearance with Triple-A Sacramento on Sunday if all goes well, then another with Class-A San Jose next week. He believes he’ll be ready to come off the injured list when eligible May 16.
Several others on the IL are nearing their returns, including catcher Daniel Susac (elbow), reliever Sam Hentges (shoulder-capsule surgery) and outfielder Harrison Bader. Bader played five innings in center and was 1-for-3 with a strikeout at Sacramento on Tuesday, while Hentges worked 1⅓ scoreless innings for the River Cats. He’s given up two runs in nine innings, struck out four and walked two. Barring any setback, Hentges’ rehab assignment maxes out Sunday (30 days).
Vitello did not voice concerns about Logan Webb’s left knee soreness, which necessitated a shorter outing than anticipated in Tuesday’s 10-5 loss to the San Diego Padres.