A's get major boost as Wilson (forearm) returns from injured list
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SEATTLE – One of the hottest teams in baseball just added an All-Star back to its roster.
The Athletics, whose 17-8 record since July 24 was second only to the Brewers (19-7) across MLB coming into the day, reinstated All-Star shortstop Jacob Wilson from the 10-day injured list ahead of Friday night’s series opener against the Mariners at T-Mobile Park. Wilson later helped spark a ninth-inning rally that fell short in a 3-2 loss with an RBI single off All-Star closer Andrés Muñoz.
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Though Wilson sustained a left hand contusion after getting hit by a pitch on July 8, he continued playing through the injury for most of the month with sporadic off-days to manage the issue. But after an early exit in the A’s victory over Houston on July 25, Wilson’s injury seemingly worsened. A few days later, a new MRI on Wilson’s hand revealed a left forearm fracture, which landed the rookie sensation on the 10-day IL retroactive to July 26.
Wilson had been slumping out of the All-Star break, and those struggles could be linked to the hand injury. In the nine regular-season games after getting hit on the hand, Wilson was 4-for-38 (.105), a stretch that plummeted his overall batting average from .335 to .312.
“I was definitely in some pain for a little bit,” Wilson said. “I didn’t think anything was really wrong at the time. I thought it was just maybe some swelling. … I played through it trying to manage the pain just because I wanted to be part of the team and play the game I love. But sometimes, when something is bothering you to the point it’s affecting your play, you just have to take the time off to get healthy.”
After a few weeks of limited baseball activities, Wilson began a rehab assignment with Triple-A Las Vegas on Aug. 16, appearing in four games and going 3-for-14 with a home run and a double. More importantly, Wilson was swinging pain-free again, which was what the A’s wanted to see before activating him on Friday.
“When I was hurt, I felt like the ball wasn’t really coming off [the bat] as hot as it usually does,” Wilson said. “It didn’t feel normal coming off the bat when I was hurt. On the homer and the double [at Triple-A], it felt good coming off the bat. The bat speed felt like it was getting back to normal with the timing.”
The landscape of Wilson’s American League Rookie of the Year candidacy has changed quite drastically since his last game. For most of the season, Wilson was viewed as the odds-on favorite to win the award, with fellow teammate Nick Kurtz quickly emerging as a strong competitor. Now, Kurtz -- whose .350/.448/.764 slash line since May 20 led all Major League hitters (min. 200 plate appearances) in all three categories entering Friday -- is the heavy favorite.
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“At this point, it’s just a race for second place,” Wilson said with a laugh. “Kurtz has been incredible to watch. I’m super happy for him and just happy that the A’s will be able to win that award. At this point, I’m going to try to beat everybody for second place. But he’s been incredible and we’re really excited to be a part of this young core that we have.”
Wilson, who still leads all Major League rookies with 115 hits and ranks second among AL rookies in batting average and home runs (10), will get a chance to catch up to Kurtz in that race. Beyond that, though, Wilson’s return gives the A’s lineup a huge boost as the table setter for an already thriving offense that features sluggers like Kurtz, Shea Langeliers, Brent Rooker and Tyler Soderstrom.
“The vast majority of what Jacob does is bat-to-ball skill and his ability to put the ball in play,” manager Mark Kotsay said. “That’s a different element for this lineup. We’re excited to have him back and be a part of this.”
Wilson was part of a flurry of roster moves on Friday, which also saw rookie starter Jack Perkins (strained right shoulder) and left-hander Ben Bowden (strained left lat) both placed on the 15-day IL. Right-handers Joey Estes and Eduarniel Nuñez were recalled from Triple-A Las Vegas, while Max Schuemann was optioned to Triple-A to clear a spot for Wilson’s return.