Matt Chapman left Sunday’s game against the San Diego Padres early, feeling pain in his right hip after diving and twisting to make a play on a ground ball. An MRI revealed Chapman is dealing with right hip tendinitis, manager Bob Melvin said prior to Monday’s game.
Chapman will not hit the injured list, and is considered day-to-day. He could return at some point during the five-game series against the Houston Astros, though he is expected to miss, at least, most of it.
“It takes a lot to get him to come out of a game,” Melvin said. “And then the timing of it, missing this series, is unfortunate. He’s frustrated.”
Chapman had been experiencing pain in his right hip during the previous series in Houston on Aug. 28, and perhaps before that. But, the pain felt worse when the A’s returned to the Coliseum field for work outs after the five-day hiatus.
“He was comfortable playing on it until that throw, but at this point we have to back off of it now.
“It’s not the most ideal person to be out right now. But the fact of the matter is, we’re going to have to deal with it for a while and pull it out,” Melvin said.
Tommy La Stella plays third base in Chapman’s place Monday. He’s experienced all over the infield, having played third in 119 games through his seven-year career — he played third in 30 games last season with the Los Angeles Angels.
Chapman had been struggling at the plate, and some on the defensive end, prior to this injury. Since the series in Houston — which turned into a doubleheader after two game postponements due to protest and Daniel Mengden’s COVID-19 diagnosis — Chapman was batting .176 and had struck out in 10 of his last 11 at bats. He also committed his fifth error of the season.
Did the hip injury impact his performance? Chapman has not yet been made available for comment.
“Sitting here and listen to him tell me the timeline, I would say yes,” Melvin said. “I don’t know if he would tell you that. He would defer and say you have to fight through it, that’s what baseball is all about. But sitting here now I’d say yeah.”
Mike Fiers will not face the Houston Astros
The stars did not align. Mike Fiers, who blew the whistle on his former team’s sign stealing system this past winter, will be the only A’s starter not pitch against the Astros this regular season.
Yes, the A’s will play the Astros five times this week, but new acquisition Mike Minor will pitch the second game of Tuesday’s doubleheader. This means Fiers will miss out entirely.
The rotation for both teams this week is as follows:
Monday: Christian Javier vs. Chris Bassitt.
Tuesday, Game 1: Zack Greinke vs. Frankie Montas
Tuesday, Game 2: TBA vs. Minor
Wednesday: Luis Garcia vs. Jesús Luzardo
Thursday: Jose Urquidy vs. Sean Manaea
