ATLANTA – Eduardo Nuñez hoped that his tight left hamstring would hold up when he returned to the lineup Monday night. Then he was challenged to beat out an infield hit in the first inning.

“The first play,” he said, shaking his head. “I didn’t expect that. That was tough. It was a little tight.”

That’s the way this season has gone for the Giants: when they aren’t hanging a breaking ball, giving away a run with a misplay or coming up short in RBI situations, they’ve lost games because they’re under a bad astrological sign. Or something.

Nuñez looks around the clubhouse and he sees talented, quality players who have good years ahead of them. That’s why he is willing to throw out this season as an aberration.

That’s why he would be eager to re-sign with the Giants after this season.

“We expect to win,” said Nuñez, who turned 30 last week and will be a free agent after the season. “We have these type of players. For every tough moment, we’re still good. It’s been all of the players slumping at the same time. It’s unbelievable.

“But I hope yes. I hope yes (to return next year). I really like the team. I really like the group we have here. I like how they treat me here. It’s first class, everything, the coaches – they’re all unbelievable.

“When you’re around a lot of great players, you want to be better. With (Brandon) Crawford, these guys don’t make errors. You want to make all the plays that they do. They make you work to get better.

“I came up with the Yankees. (Derek) Jeter, (Mariano) Rivera, (Andy) Pettitte, all those guys talk about is winning. That’s what I want to do. I love it here. ”

Nuñez’s thoughts on next season grew out of a question about the July 31 trade deadline, and if he has allowed himself to think of the likely possibility that he will be moved – just as he was last year when he was in the midst of an All-Star season with the Minnesota Twins.

He said no, because he knew the Twins were rebuilding at the time – as it turns out, they became competitive far sooner than most anyone anticipated – and the Giants expect to contend every season.

“We can win, and if not this year, then next year,” Nuñez said.

He said he knows his speed is a needed attribute on a club that lacks overall athleticism. He would take a super utility role on a contending team over an everyday, one-position spot on a rebuilding one.

“Look at Kris Bryant,” he said of the Cubs’ third baseman and outfielder. “He won the MVP, and he played all over.”

Right now, Nuñez isn’t playing anywhere. He will test his hamstring with some agility drills and sprints on Friday. If he feels any lingering tightness, he’ll go on the 10-day disabled list.

He acknowledged he had trouble with his first step at third base Monday night after he remained in the game. He said he needs to be nearer to 100 percent to make the kind of speed-based contribution that the Giants require of him.

“I like when people challenge me, and I like to challenge people,” Nuñez said. “If I get a base hit, I want to get a double. I want to challenge the catcher. So if I don’t have that in me, my game can change.”

Even if the Giants were to trade Nuñez, it wouldn’t be the first time a player was dealt as a rental and then re-signed after the season. Giants manager Bruce Bochy said he would wholeheartedly welcome Nuñez as part of the plan next year.

“He’s a good athlete and he’s a lot of fun to be around, has a great sense of humor,” Bochy said. “He plays the game with passion. He worked hard to play left field and he has what you love in a good athlete. He runs well, he’ll steal a base, he has some pop, he has a good arm and he’s a good defender.”

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The Giants did not mess around with their draft signings. They have completed deals with 27 of their 40 players, including their top seven draft picks. Each of their first three picks were high school players, who typically take longer to sign because they have verbal college commitments and a bit of leverage. But clearly, John Barr and Co. did their homework.

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The Giants are in a rain delay as of this writing. The leading edge of the remnants of Tropical Storm Cindy hit SunTrust Park just 20 minutes before the scheduled first pitch.

Even if the Giants and Braves get this game in, the Giants are likely in for a world of hurt on Thursday. That’s because the Braves scheduled a 7:35 p.m. EDT game on getaway day – something that will be outlawed next season, according to the Collective Bargaining Agreement reached over the winter.

The Giants were looking at getting home around 3 or 4 a.m. Friday in the best-case scenario. If they face the prospect of delays and a very late night here Thursday, they might not get home until 7 a.m. or later – and have to play a homestand opener that night against the New York Mets.

“My biggest concern,” said Bochy, ” is if we end up getting caught up in a delay.”

The Giants don’t play the Braves again this season and a makeup would be almost impossible. (The clubs have one mutual off-day on Aug. 10, before the Giants start a road trip at Washington and Miami.) Even though both teams are well out of contention, the league strongly prefers that every club play a 162-game schedule. So the Braves probably won’t be quick to call it off Thursday and let the Giants go on their merry way.

West Coast teams have dealt with this for years. They had to schedule day getaway games for East Coast teams that lose three hours as they fly home. But whether you gain hours or lose them in flight, you’re still putting that amount of travel on your body. Under the rules to take effect next year, any time an opponent is looking at a flight of more than 2.5 hours, the home team has to schedule a day game in the series finale.

The players pushed hard for this. It’s the issue they scream about more than any other. It’s good that the union made sure to address it. But game times change all the time based on the whims of TV (hello, ESPN Sunday Night Baseball). So there’s really no excuse that the league couldn’t go through the schedule this season and pick out egregious games like Thursday’s that could be moved up to accommodate the visitors.

Why should fans care? Well, it is a fairness issue, for one. Also: players like Buster Posey probably will need an additional day off, and if you’ve paid for a ticket to see him play, you want to see him play. The product suffers when the players are less rested than they could be.

Now, having stated all that … the Giants are in for a day-night doubleheader Thursday if this rain doesn’t let up tonight.

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