Kurtz (thumb), Springs (hip) placed on injured list

The Athletics placed first baseman Nick Kurtz on the 10-day injured list retroactive to Aug. 1 with a strained right thumb, placed left-handed pitcher Jeffrey Springs on the 15-day IL retroactive to Aug. 1 with right hip discomfort, and designated left-handed pitcher Ben Bowden for assignment. The A’s also reinstated right-handed pitcher J.T. Ginn from the injured list and recalled infielder Max Muncy from Triple-A Las Vegas. Right-handed pitcher Chen Zhong-Ao Zhuang, who was designated for assignment on Friday, has cleared waivers and was outrighted to Las Vegas.

Kurtz goes on the IL for the second time this year as he was previously out from July 10 to 24 with a right thumb capsule strain. He went 1-for-18 in six games after returning from the IL and is batting .256 with 21 home runs, 69 RBI and 79 walks in 99 games overall. Kurtz is tied for third in the majors in walks, fourth in on-base percentage, tied for fourth in batting with runners in scoring position (.382), tied for 12th in RBI and 13th in OPS (.879).

Springs is 3-11 with a 6.17 ERA and .870 opponents OPS in 22 starts. He began the season by going 3-0 with a 1.46 ERA over his first four starts but is 0-11 with a 7.56 ERA and 28 home runs allowed in 18 starts since then. The losing streak is a career-high, the longest in the majors this year and tied for 10th longest in Athletics history

Bowden was selected from Las Vegas on Saturday and allowed four runs on two hits and two walks in 1.0 inning on Sunday against Detroit. He is also 1-1 with three saves, a 5.40 ERA and .855 opponents OPS in 32 relief appearances with the Aviators.

Ginn was placed on the IL July 22 retroactive to July 19 with a blister on his right middle finger. He was 3-3 with a 4.78 ERA over his final six starts before the injury after going 3-0 with a 2.28 ERA over his previous four starts. The 27-year-old right-hander is 8-6 with a 3.46 ERA in 22 games, including 19 starts, overall and is scheduled to start tonight against Cincinnati.

Muncy joins the A’s for the third time this year and is batting .223 with five home runs, 20 RBI and a .686 OPS in 48 games. He went 4-for-19 (.211) with a home run, two RBI and four walks in five games with Las Vegas following his most recent option on July 25 and is hitting .318 with six home runs, 16 RBI and a 1.054 OPS in 17 games overall at Triple-A.

Zhuang began the season at Double-A Midland and was 2-1 with a 2.74 ERA in four starts when he was promoted to Las Vegas on May 4. He was 2-5 with a 7.84 ERA in 15 games, 12 starts, with the Aviators and is 4-6 with a 6.42 ERA and .924 opponents OPS in 19 minor league appearances overall.