Marco Scutaro could return after All-Star break

The San Francisco Giants spent so much of their season getting by just fine, despite a couple players who were struggling and some apparent holes in the lineup. The biggest area of concern, more and less glaring as the season wore on, has been the second base position.

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There is good news, then, as Marco Scutaro is preparing to return from a mysterious back injury that has kept him out for the entire season thus far. As reported by Andrew Baggarly of CSN Bay Area:

"The second baseman is moving forward in his rehab from a chronic lower back issue, and hope is becoming authentic that he’ll join the active roster by the time his minor league rehab assignment reaches its 20-day limit July 13, which is the last day before the All-Star break."

Baggarly also reports that Scutaro could be set to begin a rehab assignment on Sunday if all continues to go well with his progress.

The Giants have struggled to fill Scutaro’s spot at second and at the top of their lineup. Just this week manager Bruce Bochy said that he will shift Hunter Pence to the lead-off spot and bat Brandon Belt second when he returns. It seems safe to assume that Bochy would love to move Scutaro and his elite contact skills back into one of those spots if he can return later this month.

In 2012 Scutaro was one of the most important players on a World Series championship team, including winning the NLCS MVP. He followed that up with a stellar 2013 in which he batted .297/.357/.369 in 127 games. If he returns soon, the Giants will hope he has the magic tough once again as they try to hold off the Los Angeles Dodgers at the top of the NL West.