Giants closer Will Smith should be throwing by the weekend

Giants manager Bruce Bochy offered health updates Wednesday on reliever Reyes Moronta (right shoulder), closer Will Smith (back), outfielder Alex Dickerson (oblique) and Johnny Cueto‘s status after his first start since undergoing Tommy John surgery over a year ago.

Bochy said the surgery to repair Moronta’s right labrum Tuesday was a success, and indeed went better than anticipated.

The righty reliever collapsed after throwing a pitch in the sixth inning of an August 31 contest with the Padres, and underwent surgery with orthopedist Dr. Neil ElAttrache in Los Angeles.

Bochy said ElAttrache initially believed both the joint capsule and the labrum were damaged but in the course of surgery, ElAttrache found that only the labrum was in need of surgical intervention.

Smith is scheduled to start throwing again Thursday after dealing with back inflammation over the last several days, according to Bochy.

Smith said he’s feeling significantly better and is on the way back:

“Probably by this weekend is the goal, that’s what we’re shooting for.”

Cueto will make his next start on six days rest in Boston next week as he continues his triumphant return from Tommy John surgery last August. He got back on the mound for the first time in 2019 Tuesday against the Pirates and tossed five shutout innings allowing just one hit and striking out four. 

Bochy said Cueto is doing well after the outing and played catch Wednesday.  The off-day Monday and the team’s preference to avoid working Cueto too hard, too quickly is what factored into giving him the extended rest between starts:

“We’re going to try to keep him somewhat on a regular schedule but with him coming off of surgery and throwing well, [there’s] no reason to ramp him up.”

The skipper said Dickerson has been increasing baseball activities as he works back from an oblique injury and is possible for a return this weekend:

“He took some swings in cage and he’s making progress so we’ll just have to get him out here on the field and ramp it up a little bit. It looks like he’s on his way.” 

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Julie Parker is SFBay’s San Francisco Giants beat writer. Follow @SFBay and @InsideThePark3r on Twitter and at SFBay.ca for full coverage of Giants baseball.