A’s roster moves: Chad Pinder reinstated from COVID injured list

The Oakland A’s are slowly getting back toward the roster they intended to have this month.

The A’s activated super-sup Chad Pinder from the COVID-related injured list, the team announced Wednesday afternoon.

The rebuilding club already had a lot of new faces after an avalanche of offseason trades and free agent departures, before seeing seven players go on the COVID IL within the first two weeks after Opening Day. Pinder landed on that list April 18, ultimately missing eight games over the span of nine days.

However, most of those COVID absences have now returned, with only hitter Jed Lowrie and reliever Lou Trivino remaining out for that reason. Utilityman Drew Jackson, who was called up as an emergency COVID substitute, also joined the COVID list Saturday.

Before this interruption, Pinder played each of Oakland’s first 10 games, starting eight of them. The 30-year-old was up to his usual tricks at the plate, hitting the ball hard and showing some power but struggling to get on base consistently. On defense he can play anywhere, but so far LF is where he’s been needed, which is fine because he’s great there.

• Pinder. 2022: 9-for-38 (.237), 2 HR, 2 doubles, 0 BB, 15 Ks, 90.3 mph EV

With a familiar veteran returning from the COVID list, one of the emergency subs had to head back to Triple-A Las Vegas. That turned out to be utilityman Christian Lopes, who is now removed from the 40-man roster but doesn’t need to pass through waivers due to a special set of rules for this occasion.

The 29-year-old Lopes arrived last winter as a minor league free agent, and got the chance to make his MLB debut last Wednesday. He made it into four games over the past week, helping out at three different positions (2B, LF, RF), and while he didn’t collect his first hit (0-for-9, with 5 Ks) he did at least draw a walk. Congrats to Lopes on playing in the bigs after a decade in the minors!

Here’s the updated 28-man roster. There are three players on the COVID list (CV), four on the regular 10-day IL, two on the 60-day IL, and one on the Suspended List. Players marked with an asterisk* are specifically COVID substitutes called up under that special set of rules.