April 25: The A’s have now made it official, placing Gelof on the IL and recalling Hernaiz as the corresponding move.
April 24: A’s second baseman Zack Gelof has been diagnosed with a left oblique strain, tweets Martín Gallegos of MLB.com. The second-year infielder is likely headed to the 10-day injured list.
Oakland hasn’t provided a specific timetable for Gelof’s return, nor have they announced the variety of the strain. Even Grade 1 strains (the lowest severity) usually require multiple weeks to recover. The A’s will be hoping for a relatively quick return for one of their most talented hitters.
Gelof, a second-round pick out of UVA in 2021, was arguably the A’s best player as a rookie. He earned his first MLB call around the All-Star Break. Gelof popped 14 homers with a .267/.337/.504 batting line in his first 300 plate appearances. While he’ll need more than a half-season of strong play to establish himself as an organizational building block, his performance was a rare bright spot for a team that limped to a 50-112 record.
The right-handed hitter has started this year slowly. He’s fanned 33 times in his first 101 plate appearances, hitting .196/.260/.337. Gelof drilled a two-run homer to break a scoreless tie in the ninth and secure a 2-0 win over the Yankees on Monday before an 0-4 showing yesterday. Abdominal soreness led the A’s to scratch him from tonight’s lineup and send him for testing that apparently revealed the strain.
Gelof had started all 24 games at second base before tonight. Manager Mark Kotsay went with Abraham Toro at the keystone this evening. Toro had otherwise played either third base or designated hitter this season. If the A’s stick with Toro at second base, they could turn to Tyler Nevin at the hot corner. They recently optioned 22-year-old infielder Darell Hernaiz, who hit .103/156/.103 in his first look at MLB pitching. He seems the most logical candidate to be called back up if the A’s want to add another infielder to the big league roster. Jessica Kleinschmidt tweets that Hernaiz was removed from tonight’s Triple-A contest, seemingly in preparation for a promotion.
Its too bad. Gelof is looking like a very solid piece for the young talented A’s…
It is a dumpster fire in Oakland. No one is hitting over .240 that qualifies, Esteury Ruiz was sent down because of a wrist band and Rooker is still on the bench for it.
Why would any city want this team?
I am excited to see A’s games in Sacramento. It is an an opportunity to see the best teams in the world play against the A’s.
This idea that Brent Rooker is riding the pine is total BS. He hit a three run homer at Yankee Stadium yesterday. He was out for 10 days on the injury list and still leads the team in home runs with five.
The A’s handling of Ruiz this year has been disgraceful.
Between sending him down with a 1.300 OPS and using him as a short-side platoon player on a roster with few other viable major league outfielders, they’ve done him and his career a grace disservice.
They should be getting him as much exposure as possible and allowing him to learn through his growing pains. Instead, they’re treating him like journeyman scrub.
They’re calling up Jack MeHoff
Why not? Everyone else is going to the IL.
Anyone still saying that the A’s make the playoffs to close out the coliseum with a run?
Are you sure those weren’t the voices in your head saying that, because I’ve not heard anyone saying anything close to the A’s making the playoffs.
I will boldly say that they won’t lose 100 games this year. But I am thinking high 60s in wins is upside.
I’ve heard people saying that the astros fall, rangers suck because of pitching, mariners too many Ks, and angels because they are the angels
A’s should still lose 100 games but not be white Sox type of bad
I’ll still make a bet with anyone that they will be a .500 team at the end of the season.
Seems oblique injuries have been on the rise the last few years. Perhaps not the case but seems that way.
Glad the NY media is on Oakland fans side and showing the sell the team banners.
My fear is that Zach Gelof is the second coming of Jemile Weeks.
The Athletics are looking way better than the White Sox these days. A’s have some hope in the young guys they have, White Sox are in the tryouts segment of their current rebuild…