Marco Scutaro has told the Giants' coaching staff that he wants to play through the pain in his left pinkie.

Scutaro was diagnosed Wednesday with "mallet finger," a type of tendon damage that can often take 6-8 weeks to fully recover from. But the veteran second baseman thinks he'll feel well enough to return to action within the next couple of days. It's a cloudy situation right now for fantasy owners.

Giants manager Bruce Bochy said Wednesday that Marco Scutaro has "mallet finger" tendon damage in his left pinkie.

Scutaro suffered the injury when he was hit by a pitch on Tuesday. He'll have a meeting with Bochy and team trainers once he gets back from the doctor, after which a decision will be made on his status. Fantasy owners would be wise to get a backup plan in place.

Marco Scutaro will visit a hand specialist Wednesday to determine whether he has tendon damage in his left pinkie.

Uh oh. X-rays on Scutaro's left hand came back negative, but he's not out of the woods just yet. The second baseman is currently unable to straighten his pinkie, and it's worth noting that he dislocated the same finger a few years ago. He'll miss at least Wednesday's game and would certainly require a DL stint if tendon damage is found.

X-rays on Marco Scutaro's left hand came back negative.

And the Giants breathe a sigh of relief. Scutaro had to leave Tuesday's game in the seventh inning after being hit by a pitch, but it appears that he just has a contusion. He had the hand wrapped after the game and might miss a game or two, but it looks like San Fran has dodged a bullet.

Marco Scutaro left Tuesday's game against the Pirates in the seventh inning after being hit on the left hand by a pitch.

Scutaro looked to be in pain and noticeably angry as he exited the field with the Giants' trainer. The club has their fingers crossed that nothing is broken. An update on his status should be available soon.

Marco Scutaro went 3-for-4 with a home run in Sunday's win over the Diamondbacks.

It was just his second home run of the season. After posting a 1.033 OPS in May, Scutaro has cooled off considerably. He's batting .211 (4-for-19) over his last seven games.

Marco Scutaro (illness) returned to the Giants' lineup.

Scutaro missed Thursday's game with flu-like symptoms, but is healthy enough to return. He's batting .381 (8-for-21) in his last seven contests.

Marco Scutaro (illness) is not in Thursday's lineup against the Athletics.

Scutaro is dealing with flu-like symptoms and should be considered day-to-day. Nick Noonan is starting at second base in his place.

Marco Scutaro went 0-for-3 with two walks Wednesday against the Nationals, snapping his 19-game hitting streak.

That's fine: Scutaro has now reached base safely twice in 14 games in a row, which is more impressive anyway.

Marco Scutaro went 3-for-5 with an RBI single and a run scored Friday against the Rockies.

Ho-hum, just another multi-hit night for the hottest hitter in the game. Scutaro now has a 16-game hitting streak and has raised his batting average from .215 to .327 in the process. The 37-year-old is not going to provide much in the way of pop or speed, but keep running him out there in all formats until he cools down.

Marco Scutaro will serve as the designated hitter for Tuesday's game against the Blue Jays.

It's a way to give him a bit of a breather. Nick Noonan will start at second base and bat eighth.

Marco Scutaro went 3-for-5 with a double and an RBI as the Giants beat the Phillies 4-3 in 10 innings on Wednesday.

Andres Torres had the game-winning hit in the 10th. Scutaro has hit in eight straight game, collecting 15 hits in that span. It's raised his average from .215 to .282.

Marco Scutaro is again battling some back soreness.

It's a recurrence of an issue that Scutaro had late in spring training. He's in Sunday's lineup, but it could be something that might led to more rest of the next few days. Scutaro is batting just .225/.263/.281 this season.

Marco Scutaro went 0-for-3 with a walk before being replaced on a double-switch Friday.

Scutaro, a postseason hero last year, is hitting just .217/.258/.277 through 83 at-bats. He's in no danger of being replaced as the Giants' second baseman, but he might get replaced by Brandon Crawford in the No. 2 spot in the order if this keeps up.

Marco Scutaro is not in the Giants' lineup on Thursday.

Buster Posey is also getting the day off. Nick Noonan will start at second base and Hector Sanchez will catch.

Marco Scutaro went 3-for-4 with an RBI single in a win over the Cubs on Saturday.

Scutaro began the season just 2-for-23 (.087), but he now has 10 hits in his last 19 at-bats. The 37-year-old isn't likely to duplicate his success from down the stretch last year, but his batting average and multi-position eligibility should come in handy in most formats.

Marco Scutaro is not in the Giants' lineup Thursday.

It's just a routine day off. Nick Noonan is starting at second base in the Giants' afternoon tilt with the Cubs.

Marco Scutaro (back) is back in the lineup Sunday.

Scutaro had sat out the last few days with back tightness, but he's ready to give it a go. The veteran infielder is batting .261/.308/.261 this spring.

Marco Scutaro (back) said Friday that while he's feeling better, his back is still tight and he'll miss at least another day or two.

It doesn't sound like something that should be a long-term concern, but back issues tend to linger over the course of the season, especially with aging veterans like Scutaro. His fantasy value is buoyed by the fact that he'll hit second in the Giants' lineup, but is a much better option as a middle infielder as opposed to a starting second baseman.

Marco Scutaro (back) reported improvement Friday but is unsure when he'll return to game action.

Scutaro was scratched from Thursday's lineup with back tightness. It doesn't sound like something that will be a long-term concern, but it's certainly worth tracking nonetheless.