Samardzija shut down for a week with strained pectoral muscle

The San Francisco Giants can breathe a sigh of relief after an MRI conducted on right-handed starting pitcher Jeff Samardzija on Thursday revealed a strained right pectoral muscle, according to MLB.com's Chris Haft. He'll be shut down for a week.

Samardzija was first believed to have a shoulder injury and was likely to begin the regular season on the disabled list before the true diagnosis was revealed, according to manager Bruce Bochy.

"I think he's been dealing with it," Bochy explained. "He hasn't said anything, but that's who he is. He's such a tough guy and a strong man that he kept pitching with it."

However, the 33-year-old Samardzija could still begin the season on the DL. If that were the case, San Francisco could turn to in-house options such as Derek Holland or Tyler Beede to fill the void.

Samardzija has been a workhorse for the Giants rotation over the past two seasons, pitching 411 innings, which included 207 2/3 last year.