The Giants lost a key piece of their lineup Monday when outfielder Jung Hoo Lee went on the 10-day injured list with a dislocated left shoulder.
But the injury could have been worse for the South Korean star had it happened to his right side, per Dr. Michael T. Freehill of Stanford Medicine, who spoke with NBC Sports Bay Area about the implications for Lee moving forward.
"I think with regards to the shoulder that was dislocated being his glove hand or his non-throwing hand, [it's] better because there's certain subtleties to the throwing shoulder that would need to be considered," Freehill said. "I think the rehab from a throwing standpoint would be longer if surgical intervention was needed at some point, that's trickier.
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"And again, coming back from that is different. He also hits left-handed, which is good as well because we worry more about the lead shoulder than we do the top hand or the back shoulder. So, I think that that's a good thing if you're going to have one dislocate versus the other. I would rather have it be the glove hand."
Lee sustained the injury in the Giants' 6-5 walk-off win over the Cincinnati Reds on Sunday at Oracle Park. He left the game in the first inning after slamming into the center field fence in an attempt to catch a fly ball.
While Giants manager Bob Melvin initially told reporters Lee had sustained a separated shoulder, the team later clarified it was a dislocation.
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"Well, [a] dislocated shoulder means that the ball dislocated from the socket. The shoulder joint is more susceptible to dislocation than the other joints," Freehill explained. "So in this particular case, just having seen the replay, that would mean that when his arm collided, more than likely the humeral head or the ball dislocated in an anterior or inferior position from the socket that needs to be put back into the joint.
"Which it did, I'm sure, in the locker room."
Lee will meet with the team’s orthopedist, Dr. Ken Akizuki, on Monday, the Giants said, and the team will have a better idea of his rehab options and timetable after that. Still, it's expected to be a lengthy absence.
No matter how long he's out, San Francisco certainly will feel the absence of their leadoff hitter and everyday center fielder.
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