Oakland Athletics Injury Update: A Ton of News
The Oakland Athletics disabled list seems like a “who’s who” of A’s. The team is missing their closer, their leadoff man, two starting pitchers, and a prized offseason acquisition. Some of these injured players are close to returning, which will be a giant boost to a team that has been struggling.
On Tuesday, A’s closer Sean Doolittle threw off a mound for the first time since straining his rotator cuff. He threw 21 pitches, all fastballs, after throwing sliders in a side session beforehand.
He took another step forward on Thursday, as he threw a 25-pitch bullpen session for the first time. Doolittle is scheduled to throw another bullpen on Sunday, and if all goes well, he could be cleared to face live hitters, likely in a simulated game scenario.
The optimistic side of Doolittle’s timetable has him back in mid-May, but the more realistic option is more towards the end of May or beginning of June.
Pitcher Jarrod Parker has been making rehab starts in Class-A Stockton as he recovers from Tommy John surgery. His first start came on April 23rd, and he threw 55 pitches in 3.2 innings, while giving up four hits and three runs.
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On Tuesday, in his second outing, Parker’s pitch count was upped to 72 over five innings, and he gave up five hits and three runs (two earned) while striking out seven. If Parker continues on the path he is going, he is expected to be back in the major leagues by the end of May.
Pitcher A.J. Griffin has also been recovering from Tommy John surgery, and has been doing his rehab in Arizona. He is scheduled to visit Oakland soon, where he will throw for management. His next step will depend on how he looks during that session.
Outfielder Coco Crisp is recovering from elbow surgery he underwent in early-April, and he is set to take batting practice on Friday for the first time since the injury. He has been hitting off tees and playing catch from 105 feet. If everything continues to progress normally, he should begin rehabbing at Class-A Stockton next week.
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Utility man (but mostly starting second baseman) Ben Zobrist underwent surgery to repair a partially torn meniscus in his left knee. There is no specific timetable for Zobrist, but the normal rehab period is four to six weeks.
For reference, Chicago Bulls’ point guard Derrick Rose underwent the same surgery earlier this year, and returned in six weeks. He and the team were cautious with his rehab, and it’s not out of the question that Zobrist can be back in four weeks if they’re more aggressive.
On Wednesday, just one day after the surgery, Zobrist wasn’t limping, had only minimal swelling, and spent 20 minutes riding a bike, according to John Shea. Modern medicine, right?
Prior to the injury, Zobrist, the big offseason acquisition, was hitting .240 with a home run, five doubles, and eight RBI. His last game came on April 24th, when he started and went 0-4 with a walk while trying to “test” his knee.
Tyler Ladendorf would likely have been the guy to replace Zobrist, as he is also a utility guy. However, an injury to Ladendorf prevented that. He suffered a grade-three high ankle sprain and was forced to undergo surgery to have a plate inserted into the ankle. Ladendorf will be out for a few months.
In his first career big league call-up earlier this year, Ladendorf went 2-10 with a triple, a pair of RBI, and three runs scored. He was also hitting .364 in Triple-A Nashville.
Nate Freiman, who has spent parts of the last two seasons in the major leagues, is dealing with a lumbar strain. In extended Spring Training earlier this week, Freiman played first base and took four at-bats. He is also slated to begin rehabbing next week.
The Athletics haven’t gotten off to a great start this year, as they are 9-13, and 5.5 games behind the Houston Astros for first place. The team has had their struggles with injuries, but they should be getting some players back within the next month. If they can continue to keep their head afloat until then, the AL West should remain wide open.