Oakland A’s injury updates: Matt Joyce, Ryan Buchter nearing return

The Oakland A’s have nine players on the disabled list right now, including their best position player and an entire starting rotation’s worth of pitchers. Fortunately, a couple players are nearing their returns to action.

The A’s expect to get back outfielder Matt Joyce and reliever Ryan Buchter on their current road trip, reports insider Jane Lee. Joyce has been out for nearly three weeks with a back strain, but his rehab assignment with Triple-A Nashville is going well. In two games this week (LF Monday, DH Tuesday), he’s 4-for-8 with a double, walk, and strikeout on the road in hitter-friendly Albuquerque. He’s scheduled to join the A’s in Chicago, where they just arrived for a four-game set. In his absence, the other outfielders have been hot.

Meanwhile, Buchter has been out since late-April with a strained shoulder and is going through a longer rehab process. He began on June 11 in High-A Stockton and has made four appearances, with a scoreless inning each time — twice with Stockton, and twice with Nashville (Sat and Mon). The lefty was originally scheduled for six total outings, so he’s presumably still got a couple more coming. The A’s head to Detroit after they leave Chicago, and the hope is that Buchter will be activated against the Tigers.

Also on a rehab assignment is outfielder Boog Powell, out since early April with a knee sprain. He’s been on rehab for nearly two weeks already, including four games for Stockton and three for Nashville (Sat, Sun, Tue). He’s collected a hit in all three games for Nashville so far, going 3-for-10 overall with two walks, three strikeouts, and two steals without being caught. There’s no specific date yet for his return, but he’s on the 60-day disabled list so he’ll require an extra 40-man roster move when he does come back.

Next up is third baseman Matt Chapman, out with a hand problem. He received a cortisone shot on Tuesday and could be swinging a bat soon, reports Julian McWilliams of The Athletic. The whole episode is similar to Chapman’s experience with the same hand during spring training, notes Lee, from the test results to the use of cortisone. On the bright side he dealt with that initial issue well enough to play like an All-Star for two months, though on the downside it clearly wasn’t fully resolved the first time around since it’s resurfaced as a problem again.

Moving on to the rotation, the last update on Andrew Triggs came last week with a successful bullpen session, reports Susan Slusser of the S.F. Chronicle. No specific word yet on an upcoming rehab assignment, but he was scheduled to pitch at extended spring training over the weekend. As for Brett Anderson ...

That leaves three more pitchers without recent updates: Jharel Cotton (out for season with TJS), Daniel Gossett (out the last two weeks with elbow problem; still not throwing), and Trevor Cahill (out indefinitely with Achilles injury; in a walking boot). Also nothing to report on Kendall Graveman, who was originally supposed to be on the minor league DL only briefly but has now been out for nearly three weeks.

Finally, one last note: Khris Davis sat out Wednesday with a stomach bug but was available off the bench, reports McWilliams. The A’s scored 12 runs without him, so no pinch-hitting was necessary. Thursday’s rainout conveniently gives him one extra day to recover.

Summary of the MLB disabled list:

• Joyce: returning in Chicago (Fri-Sun?)
• Buchter: returning in Detroit? (Mon-Thu)
• Powell: on rehab
• Triggs: throwing at extended spring
• Anderson: throwing at extended spring
• Chapman: cortisone shot; swinging bat today?
• Gossett: out for several weeks at least
• Cahill: out indefinitely
• Cotton: out for season

Best of luck to all the injured A’s in their recoveries!