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A's Notes: Luis Morales Shines as Springs Leaves Early, Langeliers Heads to IL
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- A's Notes: Luis Morales Shines as Springs Leaves Early, Langeliers Heads to IL
(Jeffrey Becker-Imagn Images)
After Sunday's 11-8 loss to the Minnesota Twins to wrap up a 2-4 road trip, A's manager Mark Kotsay provided an update on left-hander Jeffrey Springs , who left that start in the second inning with right hip discomfort. Springs said that the muscles were really tightening up on him and he wasn't confident he'd be able to finish the inning.
"He wanted to go through it, but obviously the risk of injuring the hip further in any situation like that you're gonna get the player out," Kotsay said.
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Springs will be evaluated on Monday.
Right-hander Luis Morales took over for Springs in the second inning with one away and runners on first and second. He'd allow three runs to score before the inning ended, with two of them being charged to Springs. Morales finished with 4 ⅔ innings, giving up four hits, three runs (two earned), walking one, and striking out five.
"Overall, for him, he's been down in the minor leagues, he's made progress," Kotsay said. "Today was better. He was in the zone. The slider looked better. He got swing-and-miss, and he helped us in a game where it could have easily gotten out of hand."
Primarily utilizing his fastball and slider on Sunday, Morales was averaging 98.6 mph with the heater, an increase of 2.3 mph over his season average. Last year he averaged 97.2 mph. His slider was particularly effective, generating nine whiffs on 20 swings, good for a 45% whiff rate.
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Morales finished with 87 pitches (59 strikes), and was filling the strike zone at a nearly 68% rate. Over his previous three outings this season, he's held strike rates of 54%, 49%, and 58%, so this is a very welcome change for the A's, who may need another starter in their rotation in the coming days.
He began the season in the rotation, but after his first two starts he totaled just 7 ⅓ innings and allowed 10 earned runs on 13 hits, eight walks, and five strikeouts. That resulted in a 12.27 ERA and led to the A's making a change, optioning Morales to Triple-A Las Vegas and inserting J.T. Ginn into the rotation.
Update on Shea Langeliers
The morning began with the A's placing All-Star catcher Shea Langeliers on the injured list with a torn meniscus in his right knee and according to the New York Post , he is deciding whether to undergo season-ending surgery. Even if he opts against surgery, the return timeline wouldn't be a quick one.
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"We're getting him evaluated," Kotsay said of Langeliers. "He'll go see a doctor tomorrow. Obviously the diagnosis has been announced somehow. For us internally, we're looking at this situation and making sure he gets the best advice, the best care, and hopefully the quickest recovery."
Given the A's slim postseason hopes, Langeliers won't have any extra pressure to return to the lineup as quickly as possible and will be able to decide which path is best for himself.
The doctor who Langeliers is set to see on Monday is down in Los Angeles , though a name was not provided.
