Mitch Moreland isn’t expected to be with the Oakland A’s until after the All-Star break, manager Bob Melvin said Tuesday afternoon.
Moreland was removed from Saturday’s game against the Boston Red Sox before registering an at-bat as the slated designated hitter. The A’s placed him on the injured list without a for “non-baseball-related issues.”
When asked before Tuesday night’s game in Houston against the Astros, Melvin said he could not provide specifics on Moreland’s situation.
“You know what, I wish I could. I can’t,” Melvin said on Sunday. “That’s as far as I can go. I would like to … and I don’t want to be disrespectful. It’s where baseball is right now, and you have to respect that part of it.”
The roster move of placing Moreland on the IL without a return date mirrors what MLB teams have done the last two seasons when their players have been sidelined by the league’s coronavirus safety protocols.
— Mark Canha update: A’s outfielder and leadoff hitter Mark Canha is making strides toward a return from hip tendinitis and could rejoin the team for the A’s series against the Texas Rangers.
Canha took some swings in the batting cage during the off day on Monday in Oakland and “everything felt good,” Melvin said. He is expected to play catch, do some running and full baseball activities on Tuesday
“How comfortable we are in getting him back in the lineup before the All-Star break will have to do with how he’s feeling each day,” Melvin said. “The fact he’s doing baseball activity right now is a good sign, but I think we’ll probably know more toward the end of this series if we see him in Dallas or not.”
The A’s have been in an offensive skid since Canha landed on the 10-day IL on June 25. Over that span, the A’s are batting a collective .192 and scored 30 runs with a 2-7 record dating back to the Bay Bridge Series in San Francisco.
Canha’s 4.29 pitches seen per plate appearance ranks third-most in baseball and he leads the team with a .375 OBP. Ramón Laureano has been leading off against left-handed pitching and Tony Kemp against right-handed pitching.
“It’s what happens with injuries,” Melvin said. “Especially for a key guy like Mark who’s taken nicely to the leadoff spot. It’s hard to replace that.”
Both leadoff replacements have hit a slump over those nine games, too, with Laureano batting .086 (3-for-35) over this nine-game period without a home run.
“I know Ramón is in a little of a funk right now, but he’s still got good numbers against left-handed pitching and this is a team he’s hit pretty well,” Melvin said. “We’re just trying to get that leadoff spot on that particular day right. We don’t have too many options at this point. It’s been Ramón or Tony at this point.”
