A's outfielder Coco Crisp to see neck specialist, season in doubt

Oakland Athletics outfielder Coco Crisp to see neck specialist in Dallas, season could be in doubt.

Oakland Athletics leftfielder Coco Crisp is set to see a neck specialist in Dallas and could be shut down for an extended period of time, according to multiple media reports.

Crisp left Tuesday’s game against the Houston Astros after playing just three innings because of neck pain. Crisp was hurt after landing hard trying to make a diving catch off Houston outfielder Colby Rasmus' double. He sat out Wednesday's game and is not expected to play during a four-game series against the Tampa Bay Rays starting on Thursday.

Crisp started the season on the disabled list after undergoing arthroscopic surgery to remove a bone spur and chips in his right elbow.

He missed 36 games last season because of issues with his neck and hit a career-low .246 in 126 games. He has been on the disabled list five times since the 2010.

“I’ll try to come back sometime this year," Crisp told the San Jose Mercury News. "And if not, then next year."

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He was reinstated to the active roster on May 6 and has just two hits in his 45 at-bats this season.

Crisp, 35, is owned $22 million over the next two years and has a $13 million vesting option for the 2017 season that is based on plate appearances and/or games played this season and 2016.

“It's rough to have been battling this since last year," Crisp said, according to the San Jose Mercury News. "You want to be healthy. Rehab was the process we went with last year and I was doing OK. Now I'm going out there to see what the next steps are.”

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The team will use Sam Fuld and Craig Gentry during Crisp's absence, but the A's have limited options on their 40-man roster to replace Crisp if he were to land on the disabled list.

Oakland (14-28) has the American League's worst record and is 13.5 games behind the Astros in the AL West.

- Scooby Axson