San Francisco Giants right-hander Jake Peavy will take the mound for Game 6 against the Kansas City Royals on Wednesday with a thumb bruise on his throwing hand.
Manager Bruce Bochy confirmed Tuesday that Peavy injured himself while attempting to catch a foul ball that bounced into the Giants dugout during Game 3. Peavy has been undergoing treatment to his thumb in the days since, wrapping it in ice every day to reduce the swelling, but Bochy said the injury won’t prevent him from making his start.
“He has not shown any effects from throwing, and you have to trust Jake,” Bochy said per Andrew Baggarly of CSN Bay Area. “He’s not hesitant on throwing, so he’s set to go. Non-issue for me. If I thought it was an issue at all, he wouldn’t be starting.”
Peavy has also thrown in front of the medical staff as well as the coaching staff since the incident with no issues. The 33-year-old feels confident heading into tonight’s game as he attempts to help the Giants clinch a World Series championship, echoing Bochy’s thoughts about his thumb injury.
“Fortunately, it’s a non-issue now,” Peavy told USA TODAY Sports. “If it had kept me from making this start, and not being part of winning the World Series, that would have been just devastating.”
Peavy has struggled mightily in the postseason, however, going 1-4 with a 7.05 ERA while allowing four runs in five innings during Game 2. But if his thumb proves to cause him more trouble than anticipated, Bochy said the entire pitching staff will be available.
The manager added that Madison Bumgarner, who pitched a four-hit shutout Sunday in Game 5, could pitch out of the bullpen if needed.
“Hopefully we don’t need him,” Bochy said, via CSN Bay Area. “Hopefully we can get this done without him tonight. … If we need a big out, a really big out, we would use him.”
Photo via John Rieger/USA TODAY Sports Images
