SAN FRANCISCO — By the looks of it Tuesday afternoon, Jung Hoo Lee didn’t seem to be a man destined for season-ending surgery.
The Giants’ 25-year-old center fielder was all smiles as he walked through the home clubhouse before the second game of their series against the Dodgers. His dislocated left shoulder hung from a gray team-branded T-shirt, free of any supportive sling, while he joked around with some of his teammates.
Lee’s upbeat demeanor struck a different tone than the official update released by the club an hour or so later, which confirmed that he had suffered structural damage in his shoulder when he crashed into the center field wall in the first inning of Sunday’s win over the Reds.
Whether or not Lee requires surgery will be determined by a meeting with Dr. Neal ElAttrache in Los Angeles on Thursday, though consultations with the renowned orthopedic surgeon often end on the operating table.
“I’d like to have more information for you but I don’t,” manager Bob Melvin said. “We’re getting a second opinion to make sure we have all our Ts crossed, Is dotted, that sort of thing.”
The Giants will announce the next steps determined by Lee’s visit with Dr. ElAttrache on Friday, when he will also take questions from reporters and speak publicly for the first time since the injury.
For now, the only clues to be had regarded his body language. Pointed out that his sidelined center fielder appeared to be in good spirits despite the difficult situation, Melvin responded, “He’s trying to be.
“He’s not happy about it. He wants to be out there with his new team, a fan base that embraces him. He loves playing here. So it’s hard on him.”