(SAN FRANCISCO, AP) — San Francisco Giants right-hander Tim Lincecum is scheduled to undergo treatment and further evaluation on his tight back once the team returns to AT&T Park.
The Giants were preparing to leave Kansas City early afternoon Central time before an off-day World Series workout later Thursday in the Bay Area, a schedule that has worked so far for Bruce Bochy’s club to stay fresh by not flying all night.
“He is doing OK,” athletic trainer Dave Groeschner said in a text message Thursday.
Lincecum will be checked out further to determine his status, Groeschner said.
Game 3 is Friday night at AT&T Park, with the best-of-seven Series tied at 1-1.
The two-time NL Cy Young Award winner was walked off the field by Groeschner during the eighth inning of San Francisco’s 7-2 loss in Game 2 when his lower back tightened up on him. Lincecum retired five straight before exiting during Salvador Perez’s at-bat.
He hadn’t pitched since Sept. 28, not called upon out of the bullpen during the NL Division Series against Atlanta or the NLCS versus St. Louis. Lincecum missed pregame introductions before Game 1 Tuesday because he was vomiting.
Lincecum said after Wednesday’s loss at Kauffman Stadium that he didn’t think the long layoff contributed to tweaking his back, noting he experienced more tightness than pain. He felt his back tighten up on the lower left side on one pitch “and it didn’t look so good so I decided to stop.”
“I don’t think so because I’ve been on the mound a few times in bullpen sessions,” he said. “I’m trying to go full bore in those. I don’t think it has anything to do with that.”
The 30-year-old Lincecum, San Francisco’s 10th overall draft pick in 2006 who was in the majors by the next May, pitched the Game 5 World Series clincher at Texas and was a key reliever during the 2012 title run and four-game sweep of Detroit. While Lincecum pitched his second no-hitter in 11 months against the Padres on June 25, the struggling four-time All-Star was moved to the bullpen in late August.