A’s activate Chad Pinder from injured list
Pinder missed a month to a sprained knee
Chi is back!
The Oakland A’s activated Chad Pinder from the injured list on Friday, the team announced. To make room on the active roster, infielder Vimael Machin was optioned to Triple-A. Pinder isn’t in the evening’s starting lineup.
This is a big addition for the A’s. Pinder was a breakout candidate entering the season, coming off an iconic playoff performance last October and then a monster spring. He was 3-for-10 with a homer when he sprained his left knee in the fourth game of the year, costing him the rest of April and half of May.
- Pinder, 2021: 3-for-10, HR, 5 Ks, .410 xwOBA
He also shined on defense before his injury. He made two run-saving catches in the outfield on Opening Day, and the play on which he hurt himself a few days later was a leaping grab at the wall.
In addition to Pinder’s sparkling work in the outfield, the super-sub is also an option on the infield, where he spent his entire minor league career. That could come in handy if the A’s want an alternate option to Elvis Andrus (32 wRC+) on a given day.
Among incumbent outfielders, Ramon Laureano has been dealing with a thumb issue that cost him one game on Sunday, though he’s started every game since.
Meanwhile, Machin heads back to the minors after a stint as the utilityman on Oakland’s bench. In nine games, the lefty batter went 1-for-20 with two walks and seven strikeouts, and on defense he helped out at each of 2B, SS, and 3B. Before physically reporting to Triple-A, he will remain with the A’s on their road trip as part of the taxi squad, but on paper he’s in the minors and not on the team right now.
Here’s the updated roster, with the injury report below.
| Pitchers | Hitters |
|
Starters Chris Bassitt (R) Sean Manaea (L) Frankie Montas (R) Cole Irvin (L) James Kaprielian (R) IL: Jesús Luzardo (L) IL: Mike Fiers (R) Relievers Lou Trivino (R) Jake Diekman (L) Yusmeiro Petit (R) Sergio Romo (R) Burch Smith (R) Deolis Guerra (R) Reymin Guduan (L) Adam Kolarek (L) IL: A.J. Puk (L) IL: J.B. Wendelken (R) 60-IL: Trevor Rosenthal (R) |
Catchers Sean Murphy (R) Aramis Garcia (R) Infielders 1B: Matt Olson (L) 2B: Jed Lowrie (S) SS: Elvis Andrus (R) 3B: Matt Chapman (R) DH: Mitch Moreland (L) UT: Tony Kemp (L) Outfielders Mark Canha (R) Ramon Laureano (R) Chad Pinder (R) Stephen Piscotty (R) Seth Brown (L) |
Injury report:
- RHP Trevor Rosenthal, 60-day IL, thoracic outlet surgery (July at least)
- RHP Mike Fiers, 10-day IL, elbow (shut down 5/8, for a couple weeks)
- RHP J.B. Wendelken, 10-day IL, oblique (no timetable yet)
- LHP Jesús Luzardo, 10-day IL, finger (week-to-week; end of May?)
- LHP A.J. Puk, 10-day IL, biceps (on rehab in Triple-A)
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UTChad Pinder, BACK IN ACTION, knee (activated 5/14)