The San Francisco Giants have been hit with a string of injuries, as they placed shortstop Nick Ahmed and outfielder Austin Slater on the injured list (IL). Ahmed is dealing with a left wrist sprain, while Slater suffered a collision with the wall during a game.

Ahmed's injury has been bothering him for some time, and it ultimately forced him to leave Thursday's game against the Colorado Rockies early. Despite receiving pre-game treatment, Ahmed aggravated the injury on his first swing, hampering his ability to play defense effectively.

Fortunately, Ahmed's injury is not expected to keep him out for an extended period beyond the mandatory 10-day minimum. However, wrist-related injuries can sometimes linger, which was the case for Ahmed even prior to Thursday's game. Losing their starting shortstop for even ten days is a significant blow to the Giants.

Ahmed, who signed a minor league contract with San Francisco in the offseason, has started in 35 of the team's 40 games this season. While his defense remains strong, his offensive performance has been lackluster, with a batting line of .236/.274/.291, resulting in a 66 weighted runs created plus (wRC+).

The absence of power in Ahmed's bat has led some fans to question why top prospect Marco Luciano hasn't been given a longer look in the major leagues. Luciano, however, had an underwhelming Spring Training, preventing him from making a stronger case. In Triple-A this season, Luciano has shown improvement in his on-base percentage and walk rate but has yet to display significant power.

Meanwhile, Casey Schmitt received the call-up to replace Ahmed on the active roster, primarily due to a lefty-heavy pitching schedule. Manager Bob Melvin explained that Schmitt's numbers against left-handed pitchers in Triple-A suggested he would be the better fit. However, Melvin also indicated that the team is exploring various options during Ahmed's absence, including the potential involvement of Luciano.

As the Giants deal with the absence of Ahmed and Slater, the team is hopeful that catcher Patrick Bailey will be cleared to play soon. Bailey has been on the concussion-related IL for the past seven days after taking a foul ball off his mask. He has been participating in baseball activities and caught Blake Snell's bullpen session on Friday, taking precaution by wearing a new style of mask with added padding.

While the potential return of Bailey is a positive development for the team, the Giants may encounter another injury-related setback as Slater's collision with the wall could land him on the IL. Slater, who has struggled offensively this season, hitting only .128/.306/.128, will now focus on his recovery and regaining his health.

The Giants find themselves dealing with a growing list of injuries to key players, but they remain determined to navigate through these challenges and find ways to keep their momentum going. With Ahmed and Slater joining the IL, the team will rely on the likes of Schmitt and possibly Luciano to step up and contribute in their absence.

As the season progresses, the Giants will need their injured players to return to full health and regain their form to stay competitive in the highly competitive National League West division.