Elephant Rumblings: Chad Pinder could return from injury in time for playoffs, Stephen Piscotty day-to-day

Good morning, Athletics Nation!

The Oakland A’s are dealing with a sudden barrage of injuries two weeks before the postseason begins, but they got some updates on Tuesday that were as positive as could be hoped for.

It’s already known that third baseman Matt Chapman is out for the season, having surgery to repair a torn labrum in his hip. But now he’s had the operation and it went well, reports Susan Slusser of the S.F. Chronicle. He’ll start his rehab right away, and his recovery will take around four months — encouraging news in terms of being ready for 2021.

Meanwhile, the other two recent injuries might not be season-ending. Super-sub Chad Pinder is on the injured list with a strained hamstring, but it’s only a Grade 1 strain, the lowest on the three-tier scale, reports Slusser. He definitely won’t play again in the regular season, but he might return in time for the playoffs.

As for right fielder Stephen Piscotty, who exited Monday’s game with a knee sprain, he’s considered day-to-day, reports insider Martin Gallegos. The other option would have been putting him on the IL, so presumably this lesser measure is an encouraging sign. Head trainer Nick Paparesta also notes extra caution due to Piscotty’s history of patellar issues, via journalist Ben Ross.

In short, Chapman has a timeline to be ready for next season, Pinder will miss the rest of the mostly meaningless regular season but could be back when games start to matter again, and Piscotty might not be hurt too bad after all. That’s about the best news we could have hoped for all around.

Oh, and (healthy) newcomer Jake Lamb is 3-for-7 with a homer, two doubles, a walk, and three runs scored.

A’s Coverage

• Slusser: A’s Matt Chapman looking at four months’ recovery time after hip surgery ($)
• Kawahara: A’s Stephen Piscotty ‘day to day’ with knee sprain; Chad Pinder (hamstring) could return for playoffs ($)
• Gallegos: Chapman’s rehab; Pinder in playoffs?
• Bleav podcast (Ben Ross): Guest is Susan Slusser
• Simon: Sean Murphy turning a negative into a positive for Athletics
• Lockard: ‘True definition of a player’s coach’: Bobby Crosby rising quickly for the A’s ($$$)
• AN: Should A’s and Mariners have played Monday amid smoke and unhealthy air?
• Game #49: Exhausted A’s fall 3-1 to Rockies

MLB News & Interest

• AN: 2020 MLB postseason schedule announced
• Sanchez: Exciting Latin stars ‘hungry for the game’
• Today in Baseball History

Yesterday Game Highlights

Tuesday: Loss! And I don’t know what this was, but Matt Olson should probably win the Platinum Glove this year now that Chapman is out.

Smoke update

Cool, thanks for STARTING to think about this the day AFTER the A’s played a doubleheader in it

COOL STORY

I mean at some point does the league issue an actual apology to the A’s and Mariners? This is tacit admission that they screwed up on Monday.

As far as I’m concerned, Soria still hasn’t blown a save in 2020

Best of Twitter

POUNDTOWN

The full bracket (see link in MLB News section for more details)

... And the backup plan

Listen to this player from the surprising Denver Nuggets and you’ll hear every player from every contending A’s team ever. But also this is here for what Julian pointed out at the end of the clip, which is pure gold (that’s a nugget pun and an A’s colors pun simultaneously, nailed it).