SF Giants' Lee out of lineup with back spasms, but should avoid injured list

PHOENIX - Right fielder Jung Hoo Lee wasn’t in Tuesday’s starting lineup against the Arizona Diamondbacks after departing Monday’s game with back spasms, but manager Tony Vitello doesn’t believe Lee will need a trip to the injured list.

“I know he feels a lot better than he did last night,” Vitello said. “Specifics from there, we’ll kind of see. Best today to get some treatment, be down and we’ll go from there. Tomorrow is a little tricky with that because you’ve got the added off day (on Thursday). Again, part of the season where you’re better safe than sorry.”

In Lee’s place, outfielder Will Brennan got the start in right field. Brennan has only appeared in six games this season and is 1-for-11 at the plate with a single.

Additionally, shortstop Willy Adames was in Tuesday’s starting lineup (batting fifth) after leaving Monday’s game with what Vitello described as a thumb contusion.

Adames could be seen shaking his hand after committing an error on a sharp grounder in the bottom of the fifth, and rookie Jesús Rodríguez pinch-hit for Adames in the top of the sixth.

“Willy’s always going to want to be on the field,” Vitello said. “Willy’s got toughness to him. You don’t know how much to trust that, but he comes to the park and we kind of reassessed things - or the training staff did - and he’s good to go.”

Infielder Christian Koss joined the team in Phoenix on the taxi squad just in case Lee or Adames had to go on the injured list.

Absent from Tuesday’s starting lineup was top prospect Bryce Eldridge, who logged his first multi-hit game of the season on Monday. Eldridge will be in Wednesday’s lineup, per Vitello.

Vitello cited Diamondbacks starter Ryne Nelson’s success against left-handed hitters as a reason that Eldridge didn’t start on Tuesday. This season, left-handed hitters have a .644 OPS against Nelson. Right-handed hitters, by contrast, have a .789 OPS against Arizona’s right-hander.

“In an ideal world, every player’s playing two straight weeks and gets an off day to rest and all those things, but it’s not an ideal world,” Vitello said.

Webb to make rehab start on Friday

After throwing a bullpen before Tuesday’s game, right-hander Logan Webb said he will be making a rehab start on Friday.

“I didn’t really want to do it, but I don’t really make those decisions,” said Webb, who is 2-4 with a 5.06 ERA this season. “It’s probably the smarter thing to do.”

Webb’s current stint on the 15-day injured list with right knee bursitis is retroactive to May 6, making him eligible to return on May 21. The Giants’ ace said his knee feels “amazing right now.”

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