Tim Lincecum may miss rest of San Francisco Giants season

SAN FRANCISCO -- Two days after Giants fans pondered the potential retirement of one former staff ace, then were alerted to the possibility of another Sunday.

Former two-time Cy Young Award winner Tim Lincecum disclosed before Sunday's 7-5 loss to the St. Louis Cardinals that his degenerative hip has not responded as well as he'd hoped to treatment.

"The bad days are outshining the good ones," is how he put it.

Those days began shortly after he was placed on the disabled list on June 28, the result of having gotten nailed in the right forearm by a line drive.

Shortly thereafter, Lincecum was diagnosed with a degenerative hip, something he was told he could pitch through.

Turns out, that hasn't been the case. Despite, by his count, numerous shots in the hip, he remains in a lot of pain a full two months into his recovery.

Another painful day at the ballpark Sunday prompted the disclosure that his 2015 season might be over.

And maybe his career? That must be considered a possibility, especially considering the 31-year-old is in the final year of a two-year, $35 million contract.

The Giants on Friday placed right-hander Matt Cain on the disabled list because of nerve pain in his right elbow. He also might be done for the year.

Cain is still owed $47.5 million guaranteed over the next three seasons.