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Wilson Begins Hitting Progression, but Hernaiz Has Complicated His Return
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- Wilson Begins Hitting Progression, but Hernaiz Has Complicated His Return
(James A. Pittman-Imagn Images)
A's shortstop Jacob Wilson has been out of action since May 12 after dislocating his shoulder against the Baltimore Orioles on May 10. On Monday, the A's revealed that he will be starting ground ball work this week.
"It's a good sign," A's manager Mark Kotsay said when asked what he thinks about Wilson beginning baseball activities. "From the time we diagnosed the injury, he's made a good amount of progress. Obviously we're not gonna talk about timelines here, but we can talk about him hitting off the tee today, which was the start of his hitting progression, which went well."
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In the meantime, Darell Hernaiz has received the majority of the starts at short, his natural position, and in that time he's been the A's second-best bat behind Nick Kurtz . In his 12 games played heading into Monday, Hernaiz was batting .333 with a .400 OBP and a 121 wRC+, scoring six runs and recording two RBI.
Even with Hernaiz surging at the plate, Wilson figures to reclaim the shortstop job upon his return. That said, Hernaiz's play could have the A's choosing to give Wilson as many games as he needs on a rehab assignment.
How the A's decide to deploy Hernaiz when Wilson comes back depends upon how much they want to mix and match. Hernaiz's next-best position would likely be third base, where Zack Gelof has been receiving regular at-bats. Gelof's natural position is at second base, and he's also added center field to the mix this season.
Gelof could remain at third with Hernaiz getting starts at second when a left-hander is on the mound in a reduced role, or Gelof could also return to second base while Hernaiz takes third.
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The A's could also move things around a bit more, putting Gelof in center against left-handers, with Colby Thomas and Henry Bolte being used on the corners, effectively giving Tyler Soderstrom fewer at-bats. The 24-year-old has gone 7-for-49 (.143) against southpaws this season with a .192 OBP.
Soderstrom's approach in key spots and ability to use the whole field when things are going well has made him an RBI machine for the A's. His 117 RBI since the start of last season rank second on the team behind Kurtz.
In every opportunity he's been given — especially over the past two seasons — Hernaiz has shown the A's coaching staff and front office that he's a piece they need to find playing time for. How that looks when Wilson returns is the only question remaining.
Where Should Hernaiz Play?
With Wilson working his way back, Darell Hernaiz's playing time could be cut drastically. Where should most of his playing time come from? Join AthleticsRoundtable — it's free — and let us know how you're fitting him into the lineup. Never miss an article by following Jason us @ByJasonB !
