Injuries have hit the San Francisco Giants' lineup hard this season, but they'll get one of their key pieces back Tuesday against the Arizona Diamondbacks, when Pablo Sandoval returns from a hand injury to start at third base.
Sandoval was enjoying a fantastic April when he broke the hamate bone in his right hand while swinging. He had surgery to remove that bone, which is apparently the appendix of the skeleton, and the Giants activated him on Sunday night. To make room on the 25-man roster, the Giants optioned Conor Gillaspie to triple-A Fresno. With Sandoval back, the Giants will have to make a decision on Miguel Tejada, who has been starting at third in Sandoval's absence, and whose starting job at shortstop appears to have been co-opted by the slick-fielding Brandon Crawford.
Sandoval rejoins a Giants team that has averaged .0001 runs over their past thirty games. The Giants have gone 17-13 in that stretch.