WEST SACRAMENTO – Another key member of what is left of this injury-ravaged Athletics core went down on Friday night.
Jacob Wilson exited the A’s series opener against the Rangers at Sutter Health Park in the second inning with a left hand contusion, just one inning after getting hit by a 95 mph sinker from Texas starter Kumar Rocker.
Wilson initially remained in the game after getting checked out by head athletic trainer Jeff Collins and manager Mark Kotsay, coming around to score on a three-run double by Carlos Cortes later in the first inning. He then played the top of the second on defense and made a couple of plays, including a nice grab up the middle on a grounder hit by Elias Díaz. But as his spot in the lineup came back up in the bottom-half, Wilson was replaced by pinch-hitter Alika Williams.
After the game, Kotsay indicated that X-rays on Wilson’s left hand came back negative. He is dealing with some swelling on his left pinky finger and is considered day to day at this point, with a better idea of his status likely to come before Saturday’s game.
This was just another blow in what has been a season largely defined by injuries for the A’s, who are already without offensive stars Nick Kurtz, Shea Langeliers and Brent Rooker.
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Wilson, whose 113-game errorless streak entering Friday remains the ongoing Major League record for consecutive errorless games by a shortstop, has been banged up for most of the season, playing through a couple of different injuries. He’s dealing with a left shoulder issue stemming from a subluxation back in May that will likely require surgery at the end of the season. More recently, the 24-year-old has been affected by patellar tendinitis in his right knee, which has led to Kotsay having to manage his workload over the past couple of weeks.
Should Wilson’s absence be long-term, the A’s would likely rely on a combination of Williams and Donovan Walton to handle shortstop duties going forward. Darell Hernaiz would also be a strong candidate to come up from Triple-A Las Vegas, given his experience and ability to play all around the infield.