X-rays were negative on Matt Chapman’s left foot/shin area after the Athletics third baseman fouled a ball off himself during today’s 8-6 loss to the Rangers. Chapman’s last plate appearance took place in the third inning, though he returned to the field in the next inning before being removed from the game prior to the top of the fifth. A’s manager Bob Melvin told The San Francisco Chronicle’s Matt Kawahara and other reporters that Chapman likely won’t play on Sunday out of precaution.
Since the A’s don’t play on Monday, Chapman would get a full two days of recovery time, with an eye towards returning when the Athletics begin a road series with the Royals on Tuesday. It has been an inconsistent season overall for Chapman, though he has been one of Oakland’s hotter players in the second half, batting .223/.338/.538 with 13 home runs in his 154 plate appearances entering today’s game.
More from the AL West…
- Mike Fiers has missed almost the entire season due to injury, though the veteran righty might yet be able to return to the Athletics before the 2021 campaign is out. Fiers threw 25 pitches during a live batting practice session on Friday, and Bob Melvin told reporters (including MLB.com’s Martin Gallegos) that Fiers is set for a Triple-A rehab outing this week. A right elbow sprain has sidelined Fiers since May 6, so he would almost surely be returning as a reliever if he does get back to Oakland’s active roster, since there doesn’t seem to be enough time for Fiers to ramp up for a starting pitcher’s workload. Between that elbow sprain and an early-season hip issue, Fiers has tossed only 9 1/3 innings in 2021, with a 7.71 ERA.
- After being placed on the Astros’ COVID-related injury list on August 31, Zack Greinke is scheduled to return and start on Tuesday when the Astros face the Rangers. Greinke, his wife, and his two sons all tested positive for the coronavirus despite being fully vaccinated, the right-hander told reporters (including The Houston Chronicle’s Chandler Rome), and all are now recovered. Greinke has a 3.66 ERA/4.55 SIERA over 159 2/3 innings this season, as one of the league’s best walk rates (5.0%) has helped Greinke succeed despite a 17% strikeout rate, his lowest K% since the 2005 season.
- Alex Cobb threw three simulated innings yesterday, and Angels manager Joe Maddon told Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register (Twitter links) that Cobb could potentially be activated off the 10-day IL for a start this week. Cobb has been out of action since July 30 due to right wrist inflammation. Despite this missed time and an earlier injured-list stint due to blister problems, Cobb has been one of the Angels’ better starters this year, with a 3.82 ERA/3.65 SIERA, 53.8% grounder rate, and a career-best 25.7% strikeout rate over 77 2/3 innings.
- Also from Maddon, he announced that right-hander Chris Rodriguez has been shut down for the remainder of the season. Rodriguez has been on the minor league IL due to a lat strain for almost a month, and he also spent a month on the Angels’ injured list due to shoulder inflammation earlier this season. Injuries have plagued Rodriguez for much of his pro career, though he did make his MLB debut this year, and posted a respectable 3.64 ERA over 29 2/3 innings (starting two of 15 games).
Please God activate Fiers for the final 2 series against the Astros.
– All Astros fans and players
What a sad life you have …
What a sad sense of humor you have
what a sad thread
Meh. 50-50 at best since it wasn’t funny in the first place. We see that same stupid joke 10-20 per year.
Is no worse than the trash can jokes
Prayers and thoughts for a speedy recovery.
Is Mike Fiers the one that snitched? I doubt he’ll find a contract after this year, unless it’s in the Korean League or something. What did he snitch about again though? I don’t remember, and I am trying to remain outraged at the same time.
He was insulted that Lunhow somehow did him dirty when he was released or whatever. He’s a cheater like everyone else in the league that was caught…cuz we know it wasn’t just the Astros, Sawx, and Yanks.
Nah, he’s not a cheater (unless he was banging on trash cans). He was just salty because he stunk up the second half in 2017, was left off the playoff roster, didn’t throw a single pitch in the 2017 post season, and he still made out with 400k, a ring, parade, and a gRiLL. Then turns around two years later and rats them out even though he knew they weren’t stealing sings anymore.
He did the right thing but not at the right time. If wife beaters can still find employment then he should too assuming he can still pitch on a high enough level.
But he broke the trust of the players/teams. Can’t compare what he did to wife beaters. He’s not good enough to be able to air dirty laundry to the media and still get signed with a major league contract. However, I could definitely see him suing if he doesn’t sign claiming collusion. Dude is not a good guy.
“Greinke, his wife, and his two sons all tested positive for the coronavirus despite being fully vaccinated.”
*sigh*
At least he has his vaccine papers to show the Gestapo.
All teams cheat it’s pretty close minded to think it was just the Astros. Look no farther than how hard the commissioners office is fighting to keep the Yankees letter sealed, they want to be able to sweep all the cheating under the rug. Last thing MLB can survive is the fact that all or close to all teams cheat. Think what you want but I take the word of all current and former players who have mentioned the dodgers, Brewers, Yankees and others as cheaters.
Just goes to show u that the “vaccine” isn’t actually a vaccine.
No, a lot of players took the Johnson & Johnson vaccine because it is 1 dose. It only has a efficacy of 66.9% against moderate symptomatic, but it still a high rate against bad case or death even in compromised people. But 66.9 is not near 100%. Even the other vaccines are not 100 percent . but are much better at preventing the spread. All are good at keeping Hospital stays and deaths away.
Hope Rodriguez can come back healthy next season and be a part of the Angels rotation. His stuff is filthy, but has had a hard time staying healthy to date.
Agree. I see him more as a closer though. I feel his throwing motion is too violent to be sustainable as a starter. He can go the K-Rod route.
It should be very clear by now that the MLB scapegoated the Astros and the media had a feast. And a few baseball players are pathetically hypocrites (Fiers, Judge, Bellinger, Bauer…)
Bellinger is the worst of them all. It’s obvious the guy gained the most of any of the players/teams doing the same stuff.
Let’s not forget the hypocrisy of Joe Kelly reaping the benefits of the cheating 2018 Boston Red Sox and then being the “big man” to stand up against the Astros. WOW!!!
Bauer used the sticky grippy to prove a point to the MLB and it worked
Life is b***h. Fiers may be out of baseball after spending most of the time in the IL. Bauer may be out of baseball too. Bellinger is having a once in a lifetime season. Judge and the Yankees may be out of the playoff this year. The immaculate Dodgers may lose the WC game after spending money like fools and winning a Mickey Mouse WS. Life is a b***h.
Cool
Astros fans need to just stop defending their team. They cheated other teams out of a chance to win a WS. They got caught.
And it’s pretty hypocritical to tell everyone to forget about the cheating, but to never forgive Fiers.
Your teams’ disrespect of the game is a permanent stain on the Astros. The ring is tainted forever. Try to not be such scumbags moving foreword.
That’s rich. You did hit the nail on the head in saying they got caught, because to bury your head and ignore all evidence, not to mention basic logic and proven history, that other teams cheat and “disrespect” the game is absurd. Some teams did it with steroid monsters, some with Apple watches and others, well they’ve lawyered up to suppress the evidence.