DETROIT -- A's starters have plenty of company on the disabled list -- and yet another will join them.
Right-hander Daniel Mengden is DL-bound with a right foot sprain, A's manager Bob Melvin announced Tuesday. That means Chris Bassitt will return from Triple-A Nashville for his fifth stint with the big league club and fourth start.
Bassitt, set to face the Tigers at Comerica Park on Wednesday with lefty Sean Manaea pushed to Thursday, allowed a combined 11 runs (six earned) across 9 1/3 innings in his last two starts, after yielding just one run over seven innings in his first outing.
Mengden, meanwhile, will become the seventh A's pitcher to hit the DL this season -- a list that doesn't include a pair of key names on the Minor League DL: Kendall Graveman (right forearm strain) and No. 2 prospect A.J. Puk (Tommy John surgery).
Still, the A's remain above .500.
"I've never seen anything like it, especially at this point in the season," Melvin said. "It's almost double digits at this point now. I don't know how to explain it."
Mengden underwent an MRI on Monday that showed no structural damage, but it's unclear when he'll be able to begin throwing again. He underwent surgery on his right foot in 2017, but his latest injury is believed to be in a different area.
"We'll just see," Melvin said. "We're not sure how long it's going to be. Nothing structural, nothing surgical. He's had an issue with that before and just wasn't comfortable pushing off, so we'll play it by ear and see how long it takes."
Rehabbing left-hander Brett Anderson (left shoulder) is scheduled for a five-inning rehab start for Nashville on Wednesday. Fellow veteran Trevor Cahill (right Achilles strain) threw a 20-pitch bullpen session at the Coliseum on Tuesday, while righty Andrew Triggs (right triceps strain) has yet to resume throwing.
"There's only so many guys you can go through," Melvin said, "so hopefully we start getting some guys back."
Chapman gets cortisone shot
A's third baseman Matt Chapman got his second cortisone shot in as many weeks Monday, this time on the top of his ailing right hand after doctors were able to localize the root of his discomfort.
Should Chapman progress well enough to do so, he'll start swinging a bat on Thursday. Melvin didn't rule out a Minor League rehab assignment for his star defender.