The Athletics spent Wednesday night at Sutter Health Park with baseball on the field and heavy news hanging over the clubhouse.
Before their series finale against the Dodgers, the A’s were dealing with the aftermath of a frightening injury to Minor League outfielder Ryan Lasko, who was critically hurt Tuesday night while playing center field for Double-A Midland in Frisco, Texas. Lasko went after a ball in the gap and collided with right fielder Devin Taylor on a diving attempt. He stayed down for about 10 minutes before being carted off and taken to Texas Health Presbyterian Hospital Plano, where he underwent spinal decompression and stabilization surgery for a C6-C7 vertebra fracture.
Lasko, the A’s No. 18 prospect according to MLB Pipeline, is in stable condition. He currently has no feeling in his lower half, though Dr.
Jonathan Poggi said there is hope that sensation could return. That process, Poggi said, is expected to take a significant amount of time.
“The positive in the statement from the doctor is that there is not a definitive statement saying he’s not going to regain feeling in his lower half,” manager Mark Kotsay said. “We send prayers to him, to his family, to his teammate, and the team, really.
This is a trying and emotional time for them. We need to be there to support them, and I know we are.
[A’s director of player development] Ed Sprague flew down [to Texas] this morning. Lasko’s family was with him there.
All the teammates are going to go visit him at some point and show support.”
A’s general manager David Forst also issued a statement Wednesday morning, saying the organization had been in touch with Lasko’s mother, Patti, and was offering support to the family. Forst thanked Noah Huff and Audy Merrick, the Midland athletic trainers, for their actions on the field, and also recognized the Frisco RoughRiders and the paramedics at the scene.
He said the club was encouraged by updates from Dr. Poggi and would keep all of its medical resources focused on Lasko’s recovery.
Forst added that Ed Sprague would arrive in Frisco and that mental health professionals would be available to the Midland players.
“We ask that you respect the privacy of the Lasko family and our players at this time. We will provide medical updates as they become available.”
Lasko is 24 and was selected by the A’s in the second round of the 2023 MLB Draft out of Rutgers University. He also spent time in big league camp this spring, where he stood out to Kotsay and the coaching staff with his defense, which scouts have described as elite.
“He’s a competitor,” Kotsay said. “He’s emotional.
Both of those things, I can vividly recall just being around him. And then just his passion for baseball.
… The biggest thing we can all do is hope and pray that he recovers the feeling in his lower half and always be there to support him.”
The A’s also shared an update on another pitching prospect Wednesday: No. 4 prospect Wei-En Lin had successful surgery Tuesday with Dr. Neal ElAttrache to reconstruct his left ulnar collateral ligament.
Lin, 20, started the season at Double-A Midland before moving to Triple-A Las Vegas, and he posted a 3.23 ERA with 54 strikeouts in 53 innings across the two levels. He will rehab in Arizona with the A’s player development medical staff.
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