Giants suffer double injury blow for season run-in
![San Francisco Giants pitcher Barry Zito looks down after giving up a solo home run to the New York Mets Angel Pagan in the first inning of their MLB National League baseball game in New York](https://d.ibtimes.com/en/full/808675/san-francisco-giants-pitcher-barry-zito-looks-down-after-giving-solo-home-run-new-york-mets.jpg?w=736&f=c6cd170fdd8d653418d2cac13e089c86)
The defending World Series champion San Francisco Giants suffered a double injury blow on Monday with the loss of two key players set to hamper the team's chances of a title repeat.
All-Star second baseman Freddy Sanchez, who dislocated his shoulder on June 10, will undergo season-ending surgery on Tuesday, while starting pitcher Barry Zito is returning to the disabled list because of a nagging right foot sprain.
Sanchez, a .289 hitter this season and an infield mainstay, had been working his way back to full fitness in the hope of returning to the line-up but was unable to restore comfort in his throwing shoulder.
"We were still optimistic that he could find a way to rehab and get to a point where he could help us," Giants manager Bruce Bochy told the team website (sanfrancisco.giants.mlb.com).
"But as each day went by, we knew his chances were diminishing. It's at a point where we have to make a decision to make sure he's ready for next year."
Zito was sidelined earlier this season with his foot injury, but came off the DL on June 28 and strung together a few solid starts before losing form.
Compiling a modest 3-4 record and a 5.62 ERA this season, the left-hander has allowed 19 runs in 15 2/3 innings over his last three starts, walking eight batters.
National League West division-leading San Francisco (61-48) will activate left-hander Jonathan Sanchez to fill the void left by Zito, who has not been given a return date.
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