Mitch Haniger injury update: Health status of Giants star after fractured forearm

It appears that the San Francisco Giants may be without veteran outfielder Mitch Haniger for the foreseeable future after being hit by a pitch during last night's game. The 32-year-old cannot seem to avoid the injury bug as he was diagnosed with a right forearm fracture, which will likely result in a lengthy trip to the IL.

"Mitch Haniger has left the game after being hit on the arm by a pitch" - @NBCSGiants

The news is disappointing for Mitch Haniger as he has battled through several severe injuries over the past few seasons, limiting him to 254 games over the past four seasons.

The injury came in the third inning of last night's matchup with the St. Louis Cardinals. Haniger was hit on the right forearm by a pitch from Jack Flaherty, which instantly forced him out of the game. Unfortunately for the veteran outfielder, a right forearm fracture will result in a lengthy stint on the IL.

As if Haniger's injury wasn't enough, San Francisco Giants third baseman J.D. Davis also exited the game. The former New York Mets veteran suffered a sprained right ankle while sliding into third base. Davis' injury also occurred in the third inning, right before the hit-by-pitch that broke Mitch Haniger's forearm.

"What happened to @SFGiants JD Davis? Sprained right ankle. And it looked worse than that in the 3rd at @Cardinals just before Haniger got hurt the pitch after. @KPIXtv" - @vernKPIX

The San Francisco Giants took a risk when signing Haniger as a free agent this offseason knowing his long, yet, unlucky injury track record. The veteran outfielder signed a three-year, $43.5 million deal, which includes a $15.5 million player option for the 2025 season. The contract showed a commitment to the outfielder, who was an All-Star with the Seattle Mariners in 2018.

The injury to Mitch Haniger may expedite the MLB debut of top outfield prospect Luis Matos

While no one wants to see a player injured, there could be a slight silver lining to the disappointing update surrounding Mitch Haniger's health. With a lengthy IL stint likely for the veteran outfielder, the San Francisco Giants may look to one of their top prospects to fill the void: Luis Matos.

"Luis Matos is the hottest hitter on planet Earth. Superb hit tool and burgeoning power. .396/.434/.660 over the last four weeks and that doesn’t include this shot for his 10th of the year. He’s a top 25 points league prospect for me." - @Upper_Beck

One of the top prospects in the entire San Francisco Giants organization, the 21-year-old Luis Matos has been dominating the minors this season. In 223 at-bats between Double-A and Triple-A, Matos has produced a dazzling .350 batting average with 10 home runs, 36 RBIs, and 15 stolen bases.