Sonny Gray Injury: Updates on Athletics Pitcher's Trapezius and Return
The Oakland Athletics announced May 22 they placed starting pitcher Sonny Gray on the 15-day disabled list with a strained right trapezius. However, he's ready to return to the mound.
Continue for updates.
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Gray Will Start vs. Astros
Sunday, June 5
Athletics manager Bob Melvin confirmed on Saturday that Gray will start Sunday against the Houston Astros, per Jane Lee of MLB.com.
The A's officially reinstated Gray from the disabled list on Sunday morning "and optioned RHP J.B. Wendelken to Triple-A Nashville."
Gray Participates in Baseball Activities
Thursday, May 26
Gray played catch on Thursday, which was the first time he had done so since being placed on the DL, according to Ken Rosenthal of Fox Sports, who added he is eligible to be activated on June 6.
Gray Comments on Injury, Recovery
Sunday, May 22
Gray told reporters he received a cortisone shot after Friday's start against the New York Yankees. He said he believes the injury is "minor" and doesn't expect to miss more than the minimum 15 days.
Gray also told reporters his trapezius started to bother him after a bullpen session in Tampa Bay last weekend.
Injury Added to Disappointing 2016 Season for Gray
The Bay Area News Group's John Hickey noted how unlucky Oakland has been with injuries this year:
Gray entered 2016 as the ace of the A's staff. He won 14 games for the second season in a row last year and finished with a 2.73 ERA.
In doing so, the 26-year-old relied on his defense. He ranked 13th among qualified starters in ground-ball percentage (52.7), and opposing hitters averaged .255 on balls in play, the fifth-lowest mark in baseball. As a result, his FIP (3.45) and xFIP (3.69) told a somewhat different story than his ERA.
The BABIP gods can be fickle from one season to the next, so repeating his third-place finish in American League Cy Young Award voting could be difficult for Gray.
His performance this year is a testament to that fact. In nine starts, he is 3-5 with a 6.19 ERA and 5.09 FIP, which is the 12th-highest mark among qualified starters. He also leads the majors by a wide margin with nine wild pitches.
The Athletics need Gray to be excellent again if they are to have any chance of contending for the playoffs. In their rotation, Rich Hill continues to defy skeptics, but neither Sean Manaea nor Kendall Graveman inspires much confidence. Henderson Alvarez has also missed the start of the season while recovering from shoulder surgery.
That lack of depth is what makes Gray's return all the more important. Oakland's fortunes don't hinge solely on the 2015 All-Star, but getting him back in the fold could help the team avoid a completely lost season.
Stats are courtesy of FanGraphs.
