SF Giants’ Ramos expected to return from injured list on Sunday

SAN FRANCISCO — Left fielder Heliot Ramos is expected to return from the injured list on Sunday for the Giants’ series finale against the Atlanta Braves — and will likely be playing a different position when he returns.

“Nothing’s been confirmed yet, but obviously, his work is done with (Triple-A Sacramento),” said manager Tony Vitello on Saturday afternoon. “He did real well last night. So, good to see him. All the guys were kind of fired up to see him in the locker room. Conversation was at a high, so we’ll see what the next step is, but his time on the field will be soon.”

San Francisco’s lineup dynamics have changed over the last month since Ramos’ last game in mid-May.

Before Ramos’ injury, rookie Bryce Eldridge was receiving inconsistent playing time, partly due to the roster’s inflexibility. But in Ramos’ absence, utility man Casey Schmitt has stepped in as the team’s starting left fielder, opening up the designated hitter spot for Eldridge.

Since Ramos last played, Eldridge has hit .319/.414/.540 with five home runs and 15 RBIs. With Eldridge establishing himself as an everyday player, the Giants will have to move some pieces around to keep their budding face of the franchise in the lineup.

When asked if it’s a priority to keep Eldridge in the lineup, Vitello replied, “Yeah, to an extent.”

“Most guys are going to get a day off here and there, and there are some matchups,” Vitello said. “The other thing, too, is we don’t have a crystal ball as a group, but all we do is talk and try to get a little bit of a read for what a guy’s thermostat is at. When you play as many games as we do, there’s going to be hot streaks, cold streaks and in between.

“He’s a threat, there’s no doubt about that,” Vitello said of Eldridge. “Where he’s really solidified himself is in an area that I don’t know that anybody could’ve predicted this quickly is getting on base via the walk. Against righties, it’s not one-to-one, but it’s pretty close with the walks and strikeouts. So, even on a day where he’s not seeing it as great, or he hits a ball hard but it’s right at somebody, he can always get on base.”

To accommodate the current roster, Ramos will likely see a fair amount of time in right field upon returning. Ramos in right, in turn, allows the far less experienced Schmitt to remain in left field. Ramos much more major league experience in left field (264 games) than right field (24 games), but he’s also played 103 games in right in the minors.

With Ramos playing right, Jung Hoo Lee will move back to center field from right. In the offseason, the Giants moved Lee from center to right after signing Harrison Bader to a two-year, $20 million deal in an effort to improve their subpar outfield defense.

“He’s about as flexible as it gets with that, and I think he feels confident in both spots,” Vitello said.

Bader, who hasn’t played since May 29 due to left plantar fasciitis, shouldn’t factor into the Giants’ outfield equation anytime soon. Vitello said Bader has made progress with his running progression but doesn’t have a ballpark estimate as to when the center fielder could start a rehab assignment.

Ramos, 26, hasn’t played since May 15 when he sustained a right quad strain against the Athletics. He started a rehab assignment with Sacramento on June 17 and played seven games, hitting .346 with a home run and three doubles.

Over 44 games with the Giants this season, Ramos is hitting .267/.307/.424 with four home runs and 20 RBIs. Following a very slow start to the season, Ramos hit .292/.333/.530 with four homers and 13 RBIs in the 26 games preceding his injury.