TODAY: Herrmann’s surgery was a success. Per a team release, “The surgery was performed by Dr. Douglas Freedberg and involved a chondroplasty procedure to Herrmann’s central trochlea of his right knee as well as cleaning up loose bodies in the knee.” He is set to be reevaluated sometime in the coming couple of weeks.
March 6: Athletics catcher Chris Herrmann is headed for arthroscopic surgery on his right knee, manager Bob Melvin and trainer Nick Paparesta revealed to reporters Wednesday (Twitter links via Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle). There’s no timetable for Herrmann’s return at present, as the extent of the damage won’t be fully clear until doctors are performing the operation. What’s currently known is that Herrmann requires a cartilage cleanup, the removal of some bone spurs and the repair of a fissure in the problematic knee.
The Herrmann injury likely ensures that non-roster invitee Nick Hundley will make the Opening Day roster alongside holdover Josh Phegley. Top prospect Sean Murphy could conceivably have been an option, though Slusser tweets that the organization doesn’t want to rush him at this point. The 24-year-old Murphy has logged just one full season in Double-A and only three games of Triple-A ball to this point in his career, so it’s not a surprise that the organization feels he’s in need of continued development. If the A’s choose to look outside the organization, defensive standout Martin Maldonado remains unsigned and could certainly give the Oakland organization an experienced, glove-first option behind the dish.
Herrmann, 31, signed a one-year, $1MM contract with the Athletics back in early December after being non-tendered by the division-rival Astros, who’d previously claimed him off waivers from the Mariners. Last season was a productive one for Herrmann with Seattle — albeit in a small sample at the MLB level. In 87 trips to the plate as a Mariner, he slashed .237/.322/.421 with two homers, four doubles and a pair of triples. While he’s had some brief flashes of success in the Majors — most notably with the D-backs in 2016 — Herrmann’s career .205/.282/.351 batting line in 898 PAs between Minnesota, Arizona and Seattle doesn’t exactly stand out.
Both Herrmann and Phegley are out of minor league options, so once Herrmann is healthy, the A’s will need to make a decision as to how to proceed with their catching corps, as it’s highly unlikely that Oakland would look to carry that pairing and Hundley for a significant period of time. Beyond that, Murphy may well force his way onto the big league roster in 2019, which will only add another layer to the decision.
Must be time to revisit those Swihart for Matt Chapman talks…….
Only redsox fans would think swilhart is worth a Chapman instead it probably is a Rodney for Swilhart deal.
…sarcasm…sarcasm…..
Take JBJ, Devers, and ERod…the As can throw in Lauraneo.
Swihart for Trout
Gotta make it a little more enticing for the Red Sox than that large contract player.
Swihart for Arenado
It’s hard for me to believe that Martin Maldonado doesn’t have a job.
Gold Glove winning catchers typically don’t have this hard of a time finding work.
How is Martin Maldonado still unemployed?
Hundley is better.
I doubt he is, fielding bible awards, Maldonado 7th. Hundley, not a single top ten vote. Twenty three catchers got votes. Hundley not even one.
If Murphy rakes out of the gate in AAA like he did in AA last year, the A’s need to call him up immediately. As much as I like Phegley and I think he can improve offensively, his days wearing green and gold will be coming to end soon.
I agree. Phegley has had, few, but some great times. But it’s all about passing the baton to murphy, should Murphy choose. If not, it’s a hole position, cause there ain’t nothing else
Hundo’s in the driver’s seat!
As an A’s fan since childhood in 1977……………spend some damn money already!
On whom?
Murphy is ready-now and is easily the best C in the org, the A’s are just playing the scumbag cheapskate move with him.
Murphy is not ready “now”. No need to start his clock early.
If he’s the best C in the org, and the MLB team is contending, its abhorrently stupid to worry about clock starting.
Also, the A’s don’t usually do this – they put Anderson+Cahill in the opening day rotation after neither of them pitched past AA. Bailey too.
He hadn’t even hit in AAA. No need to rush him up
It’s Josh Phegley’s time. He has never had an opportunity to show himself so this his is it for him…
Phegley was mentored by Lucroy, and is actually pretty good. Yes, give him a long look.
Except he’s not very good.
Phegley is an absolutely terrible hitter though. I’d rather have Maldonado.
Phegley’s had a ton of opportunities, his problem is he can’t stay healthy
Look within at times of kneed.
Jon Lucroy really sounds good about now. I still don’t understand why Billy didn’t re-sign him as he was such a good fit for our pitchers last year.
It was a little odd the A’s did not go after him, especially that it would not cost a lot of money to get him. Yet, at this point in his career, he is not much better than phegley or Hundley. Also, phegley has become a good pitchers catcher. The pitchers like him behind the plate which is why the A’s kept him. They’re hoping his bat can get back something close to his minor league numbers. He’s having a nice showing in spring right now.
Lucroy did not want to sign with Oakland again after putting up a .554 OPS at home. Dude can barely hit now, and he’s extremely terrible playing half his games in Oakland.
If the A’s would give him just a 2/12 deal he would take it. Bad catchers don’t get much of a choice where they go
Jason Castro/Tyler Jay for Frankie Montas?? Especially since it seems like Luzardo is gonna win the 5th spot in the A’s rotation.
2019 Montas is not the 2018 Montas, he’s a primo breakout candidate now after adding a splitter that he is currently dominating hitters with.
If anyone is trade bait it’s Mengden, whom yes, I would do that Castro/Jay trade for in a heartbeat. However, both Phegley and Hundley are playing well enough and Murphy is probably a month of minors seasoning away from the bigs, the A’s can afford to stand pat.
Yeah, I definitely agree with that. No way are the A’d trading Montas and giving the final rotation spot to Mengdon. He’s been pitching great in spring. I loved the reddick hill trade. Hopefully Cotton can pitch good again with that great changeup and Holmes turns into the pitcher the A’s thought they were getting. Next years rotation looks potentially impressive if all stay healthy and not traded.
Luzardo, Manaea, Puk, Montas, Cotton with Holmes, Fiers, Kaprillian, Dunshee as possibilities too.
Here’s what I don’t get. How in the world did Herrmann pass a physical with bone spurs a knee fissure (cartilage removed from kneecap rubbing on bone) and hanging cartilage in his knee?
Seems like a knee X-Ray would be an obvious part of a physical for a catcher you’re signing.
Has a surgery ever been announced as unsuccessful?
They used to say, … “The operation was a success, but the patient died.”
They should sign Gattis with Herrmann out
Not saying it’d be smart on the A’s part, but I could see them moving on from Montas in favor of Mengden. However the more I think about it, I don’t think a “near failure” like Jay paired with Castro would be enough to get a deal done, but perhaps maybe Castro/Blankenhorn (2B/3B/OF) for Montas seems fair.