Catcher Joey Bart was examined by trainers and eventually removed from the game after taking a hit to the mask off a foul ball.
SAN FRANCISCO -- The shortest delay of Monday night's game ended up being the most important one for the Giants. A day after he was checked on the field following a foul tip and came out of the game with concussion symptoms, Joey Bart was placed on the concussion IL.
The Giants had a suspicion Tuesday morning that Bart might need some time off. Yermin Mercedes was called up from Triple-A Sacramento and will serve as the backup catcher on Tuesday, with Austin Wynns starting behind the plate. The Giants likely will need a more stable solution moving forward with Bart now out for at least a week.
Bart got hurt in the third inning Monday when Manny Machado fouled a ball straight back and Bart took a direct shot off the mask. He came out of the game a couple innings later and had some lingering symptoms on Monday night and Tuesday morning. Bart took the field during BP to get his heart rate up but it apparently didn't go well.
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"His symptoms were better today but he did come in with some," manager Gabe Kapler said in the afternoon.
After taking part in a light workout, Bart saw Dr. Anthony Saglimbeni. The Giants placed him on the IL shortly after that checkup.
The injury ends the best month of Bart's career and throws another big hurdle in front of a team that is watching very faint playoff hopes fade away. Bart has been one of the Giants' best players in the second half and he's batting .283 with six homers in 38 games since being recalled from Triple-A on July 6.
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Without Bart, Wynns will take over the starting job. Mercedes has been a catcher in the past but the Giants don't feel comfortable with him getting too much time back there. If they choose to get a more traditional backup, Andrew Knapp is the obvious selection. He's currently catching for Triple-A Sacramento and it seems likely that he'll join the team Wednesday or when rosters expand to 28 before Friday's game against the Phillies.
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