SEATTLE -- The Athletics’ outfield defense took a hit as Denzel Clarke was placed on the 10-day injured list prior to Wednesday’s series finale against the Mariners at T-Mobile Park.
The official diagnosis for Clarke was a mid foot bone bruise in his right foot. That injury, however, stems from what the A’s training staff described as an acute-on-chronic situation in his right big toe, which Clarke had been managing for some time now.
“He’s been dealing with it a little bit,” manager Mark Kotsay said. “I think it just got to the point where he felt like it was impacting his abilities. They got a scan last night, and that was the diagnosis.”
To fill Clarke’s spot on the active roster, the A’s recalled outfielder Colby Thomas from Triple-A Las Vegas. Thomas, a former top prospect who debuted in 2025 and played 49 games with the A’s, has been on a tear to begin his season in the Minors, batting .309 with five homers, three doubles and 19 RBIs in 17 games for Las Vegas.
While Thomas played mostly against left-handers towards the end of his big league stint last season, Kotsay indicated that the club could look to get the 25-year-old slugging outfielder some more reps against righties this time around.
“I’ve heard good things,” Kotsay said of Thomas' start to the season. “The expectation level for Colby is to continue the growth and continue improving on his year from last season in the big leagues. He’s going to get some opportunities against right-handed pitching, and we do love the ability to match him up against lefties as well.”
Clarke has struggled offensively, but any replacement for him is a downgrade from a defensive standpoint. He entered Wednesday continuing to rank among the game’s top defenders, with his two Outs Above Average (OAA) tied for third most among Major League center fielders.
That said, the A’s do feel good about their options in center field. Zack Gelof, recently recalled from Triple-A, has impressed in his expanded versatility as an outfielder and was the club’s starting center fielder for its first two games in Seattle. Gelof, along with Wednesday’s starting center fielder Lawrence Butler, and Thomas will each get a share of time at the position in Clarke’s absence.
“We’re going to try to fill that void with a few different options,” Kotsay said. “We feel like Gelof has done a nice job. I know [outfield coach Ryan Christenson] is confident he can cover some ground out there. … Colby has had a pretty good start to his Triple-A season and he can also play all three outfield spots. While Denzel’s out, you’ll see a combination of those three guys in center field.”