SEPTEMBER 15: Pinder’s done for the regular season with a Grade 1 hamstring strain, but the A’s are hopeful he’ll be ready for the playoffs, Slusser tweets.
SEPTEMBER 13: Pinder has been formally placed on the IL, the A’s announced. Orf’s contract was selected in a corresponding roster move.
SEPTEMBER 12: The Athletics made Chad Pinder a late scratch from the second game of tonight’s doubleheader with the Rangers, and Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports that Pinder is likely headed to the 10-day injured list due to a right hamstring strain. A’s manager Bob Melvin confirmed the news to Slusser and other reporters this evening,
Losing a versatile bench piece like Pinder isn’t good in any circumstance, though losing him now is particularly inopportune for the A’s since Matt Chapman’s season was just ended by hip surgery. The A’s are now without both an All-Star third baseman and their top backup infielder, who likely would have been in line for a lot of work at the hot corner with Chapman gone.
Rookie Vimael Machin started third base in tonight’s nightcap, and as Slusser notes, new acquisition Tommy La Stella also has quite a bit of third base experience. Oakland picked up La Stella as a second base upgrade, but La Stella could now conceivably slide over to play third base every day, while Tony Kemp and Machin could handle second. Noted prospect Sheldon Neuse could also be called up to play either second or third, and in the event of a second base platoon, the right-handed hitting Neuse is a more logical fit for a platoon with Kemp than Machin, as both Kemp and Machin are left-handed batters.
Eric Campbell and Nate Orf are the only other infielders with MLB experience at the Athletics’ alternate training site, and either would have to be added to the 40-man roster to be called up. The A’s have an open 40-man spot already, plus Chapman or A.J. Puk (who will undergo shoulder surgery) could be moved to the 60-day IL to remove them from the 40-man and create more space for further additions, be they internal promotions or external signings.
Pinder took a .231/.286/.404 slash line into today’s play, with the utilityman also adding two homers over his 56 plate appearances. Now in his fifth season in Oakland, Pinder has contributed near-league average offensive production (a career .244/.302/.431 slash line that has resulted in a 98 wRC+ and 98 OPS+) while also playing all over the diamond at every position except pitcher and catcher.
Jake Lamb, come on down.
Was thinking the same thing or the Panda hell maybe both. Hey in October anything can happen. And with Panda,s experience and success in the post season I take a flyer plus he is not bad pinch hitter off the bench. And Lamb just the past success and the power have atleast got to think about giving him a shot.
I don’t think players added after 8/31 are eligible for postseason. Not sure if there is a loophole on that rule.
Believe its 9/15 this year
Looks like the Astros left their stench on the A’s.
Why not Sheldon N?
I wonder why Orf over Campbell? At least Campbell has a little more MLB experience
Look, I know that the timing wasn’t good with Chapman being out, but Pinder isn’t any good. I mean, he’s versatile but a .302 lifetime OBP in over 1,000 ABs? He sucks.
Did you also read in that same sentence that he’s still close to a league average hitter and a solid defender? He’s a 2.6 WAR/650 PA player on average, which makes him a slightly above average overall contributor. Say what you want, but when you lose one of your top players, it hurts to lose an adequate replacement for that player as well.
Kinda puzzling that they give an almost 27 yr old rule 5 pick vimail machin more at bats and consecutive games than franklin baretto ever saw in sparse opportunities. Yes machin has some defensive versatility and a decent plate approach but they essentially chose machin and tony kemp over the talented but out of options Mateo and baretto, who were younger and better prospect pedigree
Mateo perhaps. The only thing Franky Barretto connects on is air. He’ll be out the league by 27! Mark my words.
Barreto has struck out 15 times in 27 ABs in 2020. He hasn’t walked more than once in a season since 2017. He has zero walks in 2020.
You obviously haven’t watched the A’s over the past 20+ years? This is what they do
No, the A’s walk, hit, pitch and ply defense. Barreto does none of these things.
If the Astros win the world series with a losing record,does that make up for their cheating?
There goes the season