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The Oakland Athletics placed third baseman Danny Valencia on the 15-day disabled list with a left hamstring strain on Friday, retroactive to April 21. Valencia suffered the injury popping out of a slide after getting thrown out at home plate in the fourth inning of Wednesday's contest against the New York Yankees. It has not been announced whether Valencia will need more than the minimum time off.
While a corresponding move has not been officially announced (see April 22 update), Tyler Ladendorf was not in Thursday's Nashville Sounds lineup, and he's the most logical choice for a callup. The San Francisco Chronicle's Susan Slusser bet her Twitter cred on it:
Melvin says corresponding move tomorrow. Doesn't say whom but clear it's Ladendorf.
— Susan Slusser (@susanslusser) April 22, 2016
Ladendorf, 28, showed good defense at the premium positions of shortstop and center field this spring, and can play all over the field. The A's have been trying to give Jed Lowrie time off from the field lately, and both Ladendorf and Chris Coghlan can play second and third base.
Ladendorf was hitting .240/.269/.360 with Triple-A Nashville in 12 games at the end of April 20. Ladendorf made 2015's Opening Day Roster and got 18 plate appearances in nine games, including a triple for his first hit. He went 4-for-17 with a walk and two strikeouts. Ladendorf probably would have been an ideal call up at multiple points of last season had it not been for a severe ankle injury that led to a surgery and kept him out of action from April 21 to August 7.
It's an unfortunate hit to the A's offense, as Valencia was one of the better producers for a club that's struggled to put runs on the board in this young season, hitting .294/.345/.353 for a wRC+ of 107. Valencia will be eligible to be activated from the disabled list on May 6, which would be the first game of a three-city road trip against AL East opponents.
Update: April 22
The A's officially announced Tyler Ladendorf's call up:
#Athletics place Danny Valencia on the 15-day disabled list retroactive to yesterday; recall Tyler Ladendorf from Nashville.
— Oakland Athletics (@Athletics) April 22, 2016
