LOS ANGELES (AP) — San Francisco Giants outfielder Angel Pagan will have season-ending surgery to repair a bulging disk in his back.
Manager Bruce Bochy said the operation will be Thursday in Los Angeles. Recovery is expected to take about three months, so Pagan would not be available to the Giants in the postseason.
San Francisco entered Tuesday night with a magic number of two to clinch a playoff spot.
Pagan missed his fourth straight game when the Giants played the NL West-leading Los Angeles Dodgers. He sat out six of the team’s previous seven games on the current trip, and missed 44 games earlier in the season because of his back.
Bochy said Gregor Blanco will likely fill Pagan’s leadoff spot. Pagan declined to talk to reporters.
“It’s just time to get something done,” Bochy said. “This thing’s been nagging him for three or four months. It’s just not getting any better. We want to get it done now so he’ll be a full go in spring training.”
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