The Athletics made a pair of roster moves Tuesday that sent Mark Leiter and Joshua Kuroda-Grauer to the injured list while bringing Hayden Juenger and Max Muncy back from Triple-A Las Vegas.
Leiter was placed on the 15-day injured list retroactive to July 19 with a right hip impingement, the same issue that sidelined him earlier this season. He had already spent time on the IL from June 17 to July 3, then returned to throw 4.0 scoreless innings across four appearances.
Over his last 18 outings, the right-hander has been scored upon only once, posting a 0.50 ERA in that stretch. Overall, he owns a 4.28 ERA in 36 relief appearances.
Kuroda-Grauer’s move comes after a much more serious scare. He was hurt Monday night when he fouled off a pitch in the fifth inning, then underwent emergency surgery at St.
Joseph’s Hospital in Phoenix to repair a ruptured testicle. The club said he is resting comfortably.
The infielder, who was selected from Las Vegas on June 29, has been one of the A’s more surprising bats in his first taste of the majors, hitting .417 with eight multiple-hit games in 16 games.
Juenger is back in the big leagues after a busy season that already included a debut with Toronto. The right-hander allowed three runs on two hits and two walks in 2.0 innings over two appearances for the Blue Jays, then cycled through Buffalo, a DFA, and a trade to the A’s on June 27 in exchange for catcher Owen Carapellotti.
After landing with Las Vegas, he went 2-0 with a 7.50 ERA in five games for the Aviators. Before that, he had gone 1-2 with three saves, a 2.59 ERA and a .628 opponents OPS in 21 games with Buffalo.
In 26 minor league games overall, he has a 3.56 ERA and a .699 OPS, along with 32 strikeouts and 15 walks in 30.1 innings.
Muncy is also back with the A’s for a second stint this season. He hit .227 with five home runs, 20 RBI and a .699 OPS in 46 games before being optioned to Las Vegas on July 8.
He responded by going 7-for-20 with two home runs and five RBI in five games for the Aviators. Across 12 games at Triple-A this year, including a rehab assignment from May 30 to June 7 while he was on the A’s injured list, the 23-year-old is batting .362 with five home runs and 14 RBI.
In Other News...
As Suddenly Have A Scary New Injury Concern With Kuroda-Grauer
Kuroda-Grauers rapid start has been one of the more encouraging developments for the Athletics since his MLB debut, which is why his latest trip through a game against the D-backs drew immediate attention. The rookie has been performing well enough to put himself firmly on the radar, and the As have had plenty of reason to keep watching how his bat and glove translate as he settles into the majors.
The concern arrived after he fouled a ball off his groin during the game, then stayed in briefly before being replaced on defense in the sixth inning. Oakland announced the injury afterward, and while the club has not yet offered a longer-term update, any pause for a player who has been producing this well is enough to make his status worth monitoring closely. [Read more 🡒]
Another A's IL Move Leaves This Thin Roster In A Tough Spot
The Athletics roster took another hit this week when right-hander Mark Leiter Jr. landed on the 15-day injured list retroactive to July 19 with a right hip impingement, while infielder Joshua Kuroda-Grauer also went on the 10-day IL after surgery. For a club already working with little margin for error, the timing only sharpens the strain on the depth chart and forces the front office to keep shuffling pieces just to cover innings and infield reps.
Hayden Juenger and Max Muncy were brought back up in the corresponding moves, giving Oakland a couple of fresh options as it tries to patch things together. Leiters absence is especially frustrating because the hip issue has now surfaced again this season, and with the trade deadline approaching, every missed outing matters for a pitcher whose value was already under pressure. [Read more 🡒]