Athletics first baseman Matt Olson has undergone hand surgery, per a club announcement. The procedure “involved a right hamate excision,” according to the team.
Olson’s timeline to return to competitive action is not yet clear, though there are plenty of comparable situations to look to for precedent. Hamate removals are rather common for hitters; the typical prognosis is a return within six to eight weeks, though that’s only a general expectation.
Soon to turn 25, Olson was looking to follow up on a strong first full season of MLB action. He played in all 162 games in 2018, slashing .247/.335/.435 (117 wRC+) and swatting 29 long balls in 660 plate appearances.
Instead, he’ll be sidelined for a decent chunk of the early action. While it seems reasonable to hope he’ll be at full health for most of the season, hamate procedures are generally associated with some reduced power for a time once a player returns to action.
It’s not clear just yet how the A’s will fill in while Olson is sidelined. Mark Canha is the only other player on the 40-man roster with extensive experience at first base. Old friend Danny Valencia is still on the open market, as is Logan Morrison, if thought is given to outside additions. The organization may also look at players that are just now being made available by other organizations.
ouch tough loss
Wow. I wonder how long the recovery is on that?
Sean Murphy had the same surgery last summer and missed about 7 weeks
The same injury happened Giancarlo Stanton a few years back. it says 2 1/2 to 6 weeks. for the injury to be fully healed. .fishstripes.com/2015/6/29/8859347/giancarlo-stanto…
My wife is a PT and she said 6-8 weeks is the exact time frame. It just depends on the person
This would’ve never happened had they not played overseas the A’s should sue the league /s
How do you figure that?
The games not being day games and on turf really is a terrible anti-Mariners/A’s fan combo. If they were day games it would be like 8pm West Coast time. Then both teams come back to play more meaningless games? What a stupid execution.
That’s a rough break for a power hitter. It usually takes several months after swinging again to get the power back after a hamate injury.
Depends on the player, looked it over abit. Even when a player comes back, there is significant time needed to get back to their “normal” Best of luck to him…
That’s a rough break for a power hitter. It usually takes several months after swinging again to get the power back.
Just in time for the A’s big second half surge, like they do every single time they have a good team. Right down to getting Seattle to rub their noses in the dirt in April like they always do, here we are again.
Yup, everything is still right on time. A’s still winning 90+, easily.
The rotation looks uncertain but luckily for them the only other wildcard #2 contenders on paper thats good are rays, MAYBE angels, twins. Lots of rebuilding teams in AL after that
They do every year? Like 2015, 2016 and 2017?
Canha, pinder or even profar will be play first base. This might open regular at bats at 2b or LF for baretto which might be a good thing for him
Olson down, Fowler up. More time for both Fowler and Barreto. Might not be a bad thing, they both might make things really interesting if they play well.
MLBTR is way wrong, the A’s have a TON of depth at 1B. What MLBTR needs to be doing is scolding them for not signing Keuchel and Kimbrel. Yes that’s right, AND.
Also where are the extensions for Davis, Treinen, Olson and Chapman? The owners of this team are such massive cowards for never investing in players. Moneyball was a anti-player narrative, it was about a GM saving his penny pinching owner money. Gross.
Huh? I wrote that Canha is the only 40-man guy with “extensive experience” at first. Is that wrong? Does Pinder playing there for four innings for the first time in the majors make it wrong?
I never suggested they need to go wild looking for a replacement, just briefly touched upon some of the possibilities if they do.
Pinder, Canha and Profar have already been discussed as options by the team. They aren’t acquiring any hitters, period. They should, however, stop insulting their fans by trotting out a starting rotation made up of five 5th starters and sign Keuchel.
Semien’s error total just went up +20
Nailed it. Profar just lost his Gold Glove too.
Go get Dominic Smith from the Mets. Great spring and blocked by Pete Alonso. I bet Mets would speculate on Puk or listen on outfield prospect or Murphy.
Mets are planning a dual-platoon with both Alonso and Smith playing almost every single game together because they are R-L and if a RP comes in they will make a switch. Smith might also see time in LF if both are mashing regardless of playing time.
That’s a great way to stunt the development of promising young players
Chad Pinder literally just played there yesterday, in an MLB game.
I think Pinder due to his excellent athleticism and defense, goes there and the A’s bring up Dustin Fowler to help out with the OF time Pinder was scheduled for out there. Canha 1B vs LHP, A’s aren’t totally screwed but we are about to see how good Olson made Semien look last year. Watch Semiens errors suddenly reappear…..
Angel fan be like “maybe if lucky we can compete for 2nd place now”….
The Angels could always compete for second place. This site says that in every chat. You might be the worst poster on this board.
A Billy Beane team always has tons of options at 1b and CF. Not always anywhere else, however…
According to what alternate history are you getting this information? Other than Coco Crisp and Mark Kotsay name a better than average CF for the A’s in the last 20 years.
Taking a chance on LoMo wouldn’t be such a bad idea.
I have Olson at $6 in my fantasy baseball. Not sure if I should keep him now. 13 team league.
Lol no way Valencia comes back after destroying Billy Butler’s dome a couple years back.
I know trading with a division rival is very frowned upon but M’s got 2 guys (Bruce and Encarnacion) who can play first base and are on short deals. Plus mariners wouldn’t ask for a huge return. They’ve been trying to move both these guys for awhile and this is the opportunity they’ve been waiting for.
The A’s would take either of those guys if the Mariners paid 100% of their salaries.
Good points but I don’t see the A’s bailing the Mariners out like that.
Don’t really think it would be bailing them out. Encarnacion only has a year left and is still a quality MLB hitter.