Elephant Rumblings: Matt Chapman’s torn hip labrum and future outlook

Good morning, Athletics Nation!

The Oakland A’s have suffered a barrage of injury news over the last several days, and along the way they’ve lost Matt Chapman for the year, Chad Pinder to the injured list, and Stephen Piscotty for an undetermined amount of time.

It can be hard to keep up with all the details, so let’s double back to Chapman. You might already know that he’s having hip surgery, but specifically his injury is a torn labrum in the hip, reports Susan Slusser of the S.F. Chronicle.

Slusser notes that the operation is considered “straightforward” and often results in a full recovery, citing Sean Manaea and Mark Canha as two current A’s who have been through it before.

Canha went into further detail about the procedure and its effects, per Slusser and Matt Kawahara, mentioning that “[a]fter six months, I felt good to go.” If that holds true for Chapman, then he’d be healthy again by mid-March.

In the meantime, Oakland has a third base position to fill without Chapman and Pinder. They have multiple options at hand, including rookie Vimael Machin, recent callup Nate Orf, or simply moving second baseman Tommy La Stella across the diamond and using Tony Kemp at the keystone.

But the A’s also picked up a new candidate in free agent Jake Lamb, and Lamb had an impressive debut in the second game of Monday’s doubleheader by smashing a homer and a double. The 2017 All-Star could also help out at DH if the outfield ends up losing a man in Piscotty.

A’s Coverage

• Slusser podcast: Guest is broadcaster Dallas Braden
• Slusser and Kawahara: In advance of Chapman’s hip repair Monday, Canha recalls his own surgery ($)
• Hickey: Labrum Surgery Veteran Canha a Sounding Board for Athletics’ Chapman
• Seamheads podcast: Lockard and Berman talking injuries and replacement options
• Injury: Stephen Piscotty leaves Monday game with right knee sprain
• Roster moves: A’s call up James Kaprielian for doubleheader, among other roster moves
• Game #47: A’s blow early lead, fall 6-5 in opener of doubleheader
• Game #48: Mike Minor shuts out Mariners 9-0, A’s salvage doubleheader split

MLB News & Interest

• Drellich: Manfred hopeful fans can attend playoffs; says Mets sale is an ‘opportunity’ ($$$)
• Cooper: Three Ways To Revamp The Archaic Baseball Operations Contract Structure ($$$)
• McTaggart: Justin Verlander works to return; Lance McCullers back Wed
• Today in Baseball History

Yesterday Game Highlights

Monday #1: Loss! Blew a big lead, too. But Ramon made a sweet catch!

Monday #2: Win! Minor threw a shutout.

... and Jake Lamb hit a homer in his debut!

Best of Twitter

Lamb over Neuse, for now

This cost Ramon a grand slam, but you know what? It’s exactly what Ramon would do to someone else, so I guess what goes around comes around. Well played, Kyle Lewis.

That famous Seattle counterculture