A’s activate James Kaprielian from injured list

The Oakland A’s starting rotation got some good news Sunday.

The A’s activated James Kaprielian from the 10-day injured list, the team announced this morning. He will start this afternoon against the Texas Rangers.

To make room on the roster, fellow rookie starter Daulton Jefferies was optioned down to Triple-A.

We last saw Kaprielian on July 27, and the next day he felt something in his shoulder. It wasn’t considered serious at the time but he was placed on the IL as a precaution, and indeed he’s back after more or less a minimum stint on the shelf — he was out for less than two weeks and only missed one start, with Jefferies filling in and earning his first MLB win.

This quick return to action is an especially welcome sight in regard to Kaprielian, whose injury history is as lengthy as anybody’s. The right-hander missed three years as a prospect before getting healthy and making it to the majors, and now he’s off to a wonderful rookie campaign. That momentum was briefly stalled by this latest physical setback, but only for a minute it appears.

• Kaprielian: 3.24 ERA, 72⅓ ip, 79 Ks, 27 BB, 11 HR, 4.16 FIP, .301 xwOBA

The A’s rotation has been excellent this season, and Kaprielian has been one cog in that consistently reliable machine. His return also restores Oakland’s depth in this department, as Jefferies can return to Triple-A and be ready for the next time the MLB club needs to call up a starter.

Here’s the updated roster, with the injury report below.

Injury report:

• RHP Trevor Rosenthal, OUT FOR YEAR, entire body (thoracic outlet, hip labrum)
• RHP Mike Fiers, 60-day IL, elbow (no structural damage; shut down for July)
• UT Chad Pinder, 10-day IL, hamstring (likely out thru mid-Aug at least)
• RHP James Kaprielian, BACK IN ACTION, shoulder (activated 8/8)