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Top Oakland Athletics starting pitcher Rich Hill has a "real[ly] mild groin strain," says Bob Melvin (via Joe Stiglich, CSN California) after coming out of Sunday's contest against the Detroit Tigers in the middle of facing catcher James McCann with one out in the top of the 7th inning. Melvin adds that he wasn't certain whether it would be enough to keep Hill out of his next start (Connor Letourneau, San Francisco Chronicle), and that Hill wanted to stay in the game (Matt Kawahara, Sacramento Bee).
MLB.com reporter Mark Chiarelli:
The A's are checking on Rich Hill here. He looked a bit uncomfortable/was shaking out his leg earlier in the game.
— Mark Chiarelli (@Mark_Chiarelli) May 29, 2016
If Hill should miss his turn, which would be on Saturday in Houston (barring an offday reshuffle), the A's would not necessarily need to call up an extra starter. The schedule for the next week could instead look like:
- Monday: Kendall Graveman
- Tuesday: Eric Surkamp
- Wednesday: Sean Manaea
- Thursday: OFF
- Friday: Jesse Hahn
- Saturday: Kendall Graveman
- Sunday: Eric Surkamp
The A's have the whole week to figure out if they want to skip Hill's start, though he's already declaring himself ready to go:
Hill says he's day to day. Asked if he thinks any chance he'd miss a start, he replies: "I don't feel that way."
— Joe Stiglich (@JoeStiglichCSN) May 29, 2016
Melvin adds that Hill wanted to stay in game when trainer visited. Hill says groin issue first surfaced around 4th. #Athletics
— Joe Stiglich (@JoeStiglichCSN) May 29, 2016