A's place Ginn (elbow) on IL, but aren't ruling out return before season's end

SEATTLE -- The Athletics have officially lost their top starting pitcher to the injured list, potentially for the remainder of the season.

Ahead of Saturday’s game against the Mariners at T-Mobile Park, the A’s placed J.T. Ginn on the 15-day IL with a right elbow impingement. The IL placement was expected, as manager Mark Kotsay indicated Friday afternoon that Ginn -- who has not pitched since his start on Aug. 26 against the Twins -- was making minimal progress and would be evaluated by team doctor Michael Freehill, who traveled north to make the diagnosis on Saturday.

“He’s made improvements every day, but it’s going to take a little bit longer than what we anticipated,” Kotsay said. “It’s the best of a worst-case scenario. He’s feeling good enough to play catch.”

The A’s are leaving the door open for Ginn to return from the IL and potentially make one more start, with the final homestand of the season at Sutter Health Park, which begins Sept. 22 against the Angels, the target for that.

Whether or not Ginn makes one more start, he has already put together a breakout campaign. The 27-year-old right-hander holds a 3.71 ERA in 27 games (24 starts) with 121 strikeouts across 183 1/3 innings, which is by far his largest workload in a season as a professional.

Jack Perkins rejoined the A’s without ever actually leaving. Optioned to Triple-A Las Vegas on Friday afternoon, Perkins stayed back at the A’s team hotel in Seattle expecting to join the Aviators at the end of the weekend. Instead, he was officially recalled as the corresponding move.

It’s unclear at this point how the A’s will fill Ginn’s rotation spot. As of now, Gage Jump and Jacob Lopez are listed as Sunday and Monday’s starters, while Tuesday and Wednesday’s probables remain TBA.

Even if Perkins takes back his original slot in the rotation, there would still be one more opening. Joey Estes is a candidate on the current roster to fill that spot. Veteran Dallas Keuchel, who is currently part of the rotation at Triple-A Las Vegas, is another option.

“We’ll wait,” Kotsay said of the rotation decisions. “We’ll have a better idea tomorrow as to how we’ll go forward in the Toronto series. … We’ll fill Tuesday and Wednesday with guys we’ll know more about tomorrow.”

The A’s also optioned right-hander Kade Morris to Triple-A Las Vegas on Saturday and recalled right-handed reliever Seth Johnson.