SAN FRANCISCO _ The Giants will move forward without closer Hunter Strickland, who fractured his right pinky in a fit of anger following Monday night's 5-4 loss to the Miami Marlins.
"After the game, he had a little snap and punched a door," Giants manager Bruce Bochy said Tuesday before the Giants played the Marlins in Game 2 of a three-game series. "He fractured his hand. So he's probably going to be out six to eight weeks."
Bochy said it was similar to the injury which sidelined Madison Bumgarner when he took a comebacker in the final game in spring training. Like Bumgarner, Strickland needed surgery, which was being performed Tuesday. Bumgarner was out more than two months before making his initial start of the season on June 6.
The injury occurred, according to Bochy, after Strickland left the mound after his fourth blown save of the season. With the Giants leading 4-2, Strickland walked two batters and gave up three hits in 1/3 of an inning, leaving with a 5-4 deficit.
When Strickland left the mound, he had a brief exchange with Miami outfielder Lewis Brinson, who had one of the hits during the inning and was at third base. Brinson had taken a pitch near his chin early in his at-bat and flipped the bat following his hit.
By the time reporters arrived, Strickland had composed himself and took responsibility for the loss, calling it "unacceptable."
Strickland was vague about the Brinson exchange, only conceding, "I was in the moment and I wasn't too happy with myself."
Bochy said he didn't hear about the injury until he'd gotten home after Strickland went to the trainer's room for X-rays.
Strickland, 29, has had issues controlling his emotions in the past. Most notably, Strickland threw at Washington's Bryce Harper last season three years after the outfielder had hit a home run off him during a playoff run which resulted in a World Series championship in 2014.
Bochy said right-handed pitcher Pierce Johnson was en route from Triple-A Sacramento but wasn't expected to make it in time to be available.
During Strickland's absence, Bochy said left-hander Tony Watson and right-hander Sam Dyson would be considered for a closing role, with one probably getting the lion's share of the opportunities.
Mark Melancon, signed during the off-season as a closer, is still working through an elbow problem and Bochy didn't consider him "resilient" enough physically to be the full-time closer. With Melancon out, Strickland was given the role as closer.
Strickland has 14 saves for the Giants, and was on one of the best stretches of his career. Coming in to the Marlins game, had allowed just one unearned run over his previous nine appearances covering 81/3 innings. He'd converted 12 of his previous 13 chances, with the one blown save coming because of a defensive error.
"I think as he became our closer, he really grew as a pitcher, handling his emotions well, tight situations, which you have to. You have to be able to control your emotions," Bochy said. "We talk about this so much, how important it is for players, particularly the closer, has got to have emotional control.
"We all get frustrated, and that was a tough loss, a gut-wrenching loss that I'm sure he felt full responsibility for us and he just didn't think before he acted because the frustration was built up in him and unfortunately this happened."
Bochy said he has not yet talked to Strickland, who was being treated medically by the time he arrived at AT&T Park.
"I'm thoroughly disappointed," Bochy said. "Trust me, I'm crushed. This guy was just growing as a pitcher and player and a person. But I know Hunter, he cares, he cares deeply and he let his emotions get away from him after the game and had a temporary snap there."
Strickland becomes the latest Giants player to be placed on the disabled list, including Bumgarner, Melancon, Jeff Samardzija (twice), Johnny Cueto (twice), Joe Panik, Hunter Pence, Mac Williamson, Brandon Belt and Alen Hanson and Evan Longoria.
Samardzija has pitched in a rehab start and could be nearing a return after he has another one. Cueto threw 40 pitches in a simulated game Monday and came back feeling strong. He could be headed for a rehab assignment soon.
Longoria had surgery for a left hand fracture Tuesday morning and is expected back Friday or Saturday to begin his rehab, Bochy said.
