MESA, Ariz. -- The Feb. 15 arrival of Robbie Grossman greatly diminished Nick Martini's chances of breaking camp with the A’s. Now, a knee injury has made it seemingly impossible.

Martini has been diagnosed with a right knee sprain, according to manager Bob Melvin, and the outfielder will be shut down for two weeks before being reevaluated. The A’s also leave for their season-opening trip to Tokyo in two weeks.

The timing is far from ideal for the 28-year-old Martini, who injured himself when he collided with the wall in pursuit of a fly ball Tuesday.

“For me, personally, it’s pretty big,” Martini said. “I don’t feel like I’m a guy that can or wants time off at any point. It is a setback, but hopefully I come back stronger.”

Though highly productive in his time with the A’s last year, Martini was already considered as the likely odd man out -- there are a few of them; see Dustin Fowler and Franklin Barreto -- in a crowded outfield.

The A’s appear ready to open the season with a group of five outfield options: Grossman, Ramon Laureano, Stephen Piscotty, Mark Canha and Chad Pinder.

“It’s about creating the depth for reasons like this,” Melvin said. “Nick was a big part of what we did last year. If Grossman wasn’t here, we wouldn’t be as deep at that position. You just feel bad for him.”

Martini, who had three hits in nine Cactus League at-bats, hit .296 with a home run and 19 RBIs in 55 games over four stints with the A’s in 2018, adding 21 walks in 179 plate appearances for a .397 on-base percentage.

“He was having a good spring again and doing everything you would expect him to do,” Melvin said. “It’s disappointing for us, disappointing for him, but if ever there was a time to have it, it would be earlier in the season than later.”

Anderson solid in first start

It was an uneventful spring debut for lefty Brett Anderson on Thursday. He wouldn’t have it any other way.

“Try not to get hurt,” said Anderson, who did just that.

He also tossed three scoreless innings against a Cubs lineup that featured mostly regulars. The lefty limited them to two hits and one walk while fanning three.

“Efficient,” Melvin said. “Ball’s on the ground, he had a good feel for his breaking ball. For not having been out there in a while, pretty impressive.”

Anderson is readjusting to the routines of Spring Training again after missing most of camp last year as a late sign; he didn’t ink a deal with the A’s until March 20. This time around, he missed just one workout, signing Feb. 12.

“It’s just about feeling good with all my pitches and being able to throw my breaking ball for strikes,” he said. “Today was a pretty good start.”

Worth noting

• Melvin said Khris Davis (left calf) is “feeling a lot better” and continues to get at-bats on the Minor League side. There’s still no timetable for him to see Cactus League action.

“We want to make sure he’s 100 percent before we get him out there,” he said.

Up next

Rotation candidate Aaron Brooks and the A's will host the Rockies at Hohokam Stadium on Friday, with first pitch scheduled for 12:05 p.m. PT. Right-handers Yusmeiro Petit and J.B. Wendelken and lefty Jerry Blevins are also scheduled to pitch in the game.