Elephant Rumblings: Laureano off the IL, Oller on it

Happy Wednesday, Athletics Nation!

Ramón Laureano was activated from the injured list yesterday and took the field for the A’s for the first time since August 14. Meanwhile, Adam Oller was placed on the 15-day IL due to a rib injury.

Per Matt Kawahara at the San Francisco Chronicle, Oller’s absence means that James Kaprielian is back in the rotation just days after being moved to the bullpen; he had yet to make a relief appearance for the A’s, though per manager Mark Kotsay, Kaprielian may yet see some action out of the bullpen in the future.

According to Oller, who was diagnosed with costochondritis of the right rib, the injury resulted from a “freak accident” while he was stretching with a foam roller ahead of his last start. Oller hopes to be throwing again in a week, and could use a few good starts to polish his stat line, which so far lacks the sheen one would expect from an established big leaguer:

• Oller, MLB 2022: 6.01 ERA, 73⅓ IP, 44 Ks, 37 BB, 17 HR, 6.52 FIP

Kaprielian has been inconsistent in 2022 and should also hope to solidify his role as a starter with a strong September.

• Kaprielian, 2022: 4.79 ERA, 109 IP, 76 Ks, 51 BB, 16 HR, 5.20 FIP

It’s nice to have Ramón back on the squad to finish the season. He got off to a pretty good start yesterday in his first game back with an RBI single and a run. Welcome back, Laser!

A’s Coverage:

• Brener: Series preview: A’s welcome defending champion Braves to town
• Kawahara: A’s lose wild 10-9 affair in Matt Olson’s return to Oakland ($)
• Kawahara: A’s James Kaprielian rejoins rotation as Adam Oller heads to the IL ($)
• Rubin: Shea Langeliers’ rise softens blow of Matt Olson’s return to Oakland Coliseum ($)
• Rodriguez: How Koufax influenced Stewart’s patented intimidating stare

MLB News & Interest:

• Adams: MLBPA Receives Majority Support To Represent Minor Leaguers, Requests Recognition From MLB
• Franco: Mark Littell Passes Away
• Buchanan: MLB rising prospects: James Outman likes to cycle; Grayson Rodriguez nears a return
• Stark: Joe Maddon sounds off on analytics in baseball: It’s not the info, it’s the imposition ($)
• Adams: The Rangers’ Breakout Slugger
• McDonald: Yankees To Place Anthony Rizzo On IL, Select Ronald Guzmán
• Today in Baseball History

Best of Twitter:

Roster moves.

Bring ‘im on up, Guv’nor!

Number 34 will be retired on Sunday!

Olson has good taste in cuisine!

The A’s paid tribute to their former All-Star first baseman.

Good karma leads to big home runs.

Apparently, they had just called it.

Back to back dingers got the A’s back in it last night.