OAKLAND -- The A's will be without third baseman Matt Chapman indefinitely, forcing a shift in their infield alignment.
Veteran Jed Lowrie, the everyday man at second base, has been asked to pick up coverage at third, allowing infield prospect Franklin Barreto -- recalled from Triple-A Nashville on Saturday -- to clock time at second.
A's manager Bob Melvin said Lowrie was immediately on board with the idea.
"I'll tell you what, for a guy that has a chance to make an All-Star team this year, when I brought it up to him, he was, 'Let's do it,'" Melvin said. "He's doing the best he can for his team, and it's really admirable. No questions, just, 'Whatever you need me to do,' and we appreciate that.
"For a guy that has the versatility and has played the position before, it helps us out, but for him to be up for it from the second we talked about it, is really appreciated by the team and the staff."
Lowrie played three innings at third last fall following a Chapman ejection, but Saturday marked his first start at the position since 2015, when he played the corner regularly for the Astros.
"I haven't done the reps, so just try to acclimate as quickly as possible," Lowrie said. "When you take ground balls every day at one position, your body is used to it. You're using the same muscle group every day. It's just different."
Chapman was added to the disabled list Saturday with a right thumb contusion and is scheduled for an exam with hand surgeon Dr. Steven Shin in Los Angeles on Monday. That didn't stop Chapman from taking ground balls Saturday morning. The tireless infielder, who had played in each of the club's first 69 games before sitting out Friday, was hitting .368 in June.
Chapman saw Shin in November and again in Spring Training for the same issue. He received a cortisone shot in February and could potentially get another to alleviate the discomfort.
This is Barreto's third stint with the big league club this season, but the first that could provide an extended opportunity. He was hitless in six at-bats in five games over his previous two tours with the A's. He is the A's No. 3 prospect, according to MLB Pipeline.
"This has been one of our top prospects for years now, and he's still only 22 years old," Melvin said. "The times he's been here, he hasn't gotten the opportunity to play almost every day, so this will be a nice opportunity for him, and I'd like to see him get off to a good start, because he's a very talented player."
Right-hander Josh Lucas joined Barreto from Triple-A Nashville ahead of the A's matchup with the Angels, as righty Carlos Ramirez was optioned.
Worth noting
Right-hander Brett Anderson (shoulder) threw all of his pitches in a bullpen session Saturday morning and could be nearing a Minor League rehab assignment, Melvin said.