Athletics Await MRI Results on Chapman After Injury Sidelines Him
One of the classic managerial moves is to give proven players a day off when they are in the middle of slumps.
The A’s had no plans to do that with Matt Chapman, not with Chapman the best defensive player in the American League and as such a boon to the A’s pitching. Sure, he struck out 10 times in his first 11 at-bats after the A’s resumed play Friday after five days off.
But take him out of the lineup? No chance.
That is, until the injury bug struck.
What drove Chapman to the bench mid-game Sunday was a right hip strain. Manager Bob Melvin said the two-time Platinum Glove winner had had some problems with the hip from time to time.
But in making the second out of the fourth inning, he exacerbated it. He made a spinning throw after moving to his left to grab a Jurickson Profar grounder for the inning’s second out.
Chapman was trying to do some on-the-fly stretching exercised to get loose before the top of the fifth inning. The A’s medical crew was watching, and when they didn’t like what they saw, Melvin sent utility specialist Chad Pinder out to play in Chapman’s stead.
For Chapman, it was time to have his hip checked out in the form of an MRI. For the A’s, it is time to wait for the news and decide what’s next.
“It’s not great timing, period, to lose a player like that,” Melvin said. “We’ve actually been pretty fortunate with few injuries. To lose a guy like Chappy would hurt if it was an extended period.”
The A’s pitchers are as good as they are in part because of their infield. Oakland is already playing without shortstop Marcus Semien, although there is hope he could be back come Tuesday or Wednesday.
Now, with the Astros coming into town for a five-game, four-day series that starts Monday, two of their three best infield defenders are likely on the shelf.
“It’s been bothering him some, but that (Profar) one got him to the point where he had to come out,” Melvin said when asked about the level of severity in Chapman’s injury. “He’ll have an MRI. We’ll see. I have no idea.
“You see a lot of teams with injuries right now. We’ve actually been pretty fortunate. Maybe (Semien) will return at some point in time in the Houston series. But to lose a guy like Chappy, that would hurt if it was for an extended period.”
Melvin downplayed the idea that the hip probable was at the core of Chapman’s 0-for-11 with 10 strikeouts since returning from five days off made necessary with pitcher Daniel Mengden having tested positive for the COVID-19 coronavirus.
“I don’t think that had anything to do with it,” Melvin said. “(But) it might be a better question for him. I’m just getting word from the trainer.”
Follow Athletics insider John Hickey on Twitter: @JHickey3
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