Friday, November 06

Hello! Welcome to another edition of the A’s beat newsletter.

WEST SACRAMENTO – Ryan Lasko has made very encouraging progress in his recovery from a devastating spinal cord injury.

Lasko is a patient at Kessler Institute for Rehabilitation in New Jersey as he rehabs from spinal decompression and stabilization surgery. Lasko collided with a teammate while attempting a diving catch that left him without feeling in his lower half. He posted an update on his condition via his Instagram account on Monday morning.

“Just wanted to give a quick update!” Lasko wrote. “I’m currently feeling much better. I have sensation from my feet up to my knees, along with a lot of involuntary leg movements. I also have been getting some sensation in the side of my thighs, hamstrings and back. I currently have about 75% usage of my left hand and about 50% in my right. I’m very happy with my progress and, once again, so thankful for all the love and support. It has continued to help me get up every day and work my hardest.”

This is a significant step in the right direction for Lasko, who suffered a fracture of his C6-C7 vertebra as a result of his collision with Double-A Midland teammate Devin Taylor during a game on June 30. Dr. Jonathan Poggi, who performed the surgery that night, said there is hope that Lasko will regain full feeling in the lower half of his body, though as is often the case with spinal cord injuries, that is expected to be a long process.

The A’s remain fully supportive of the 24-year-old outfielder. Last week, all players, coaches and staff of the entire organization -- from the Arizona Complex League all the way up to the Major League team -- donned a green “22 strong” T-shirt with Lasko’s name and number emblazoned on the back.

Many A’s players and coaches have continued wearing that shirt every day, including before Monday’s series opener against the Red Sox at Sutter Health Park.

“We continue to keep thoughts and prayers for Ryan and his family,” manager Mark Kotsay said. “The update is awesome. … Organizationally, when the injury occurred, I said that we were going to do everything in our power to support him and his family through this long recovery and make sure that we show that support, whether it is through a T-shirt or a text message. A lot of our guys have reached out to Ryan and made sure that he knows we’re behind him and praying for him.”

“There’s always the possibility of him having to fill a role in the rotation, for sure. He did a nice job [Sunday]. His line would have been better had he been cleaner holding baserunners on, which is an emphasis that we continue to pound. We continue to try to get him to understand the impact in the game when you give free bases away. They cost you runs. … I thought he threw the baseball better than we’ve seen him in the past, but there were still a lot of center-cut, middle-square fastballs he threw; some that got hit, some that he got away with. But the slider looked a little bit better. He got some swing-and-miss. Overall, coming into a game in the second inning out of the bullpen, I thought he handled himself very well.” -- Kotsay on Luis Morales, a former A’s top prospect who rejoined the team from Triple-A Las Vegas and pitched against the Twins over the weekend

Ahead of their relocation to Las Vegas in 2028, the A’s have entered a strategic partnership with Team61 to connect Korean baseball to the global stage.

Team61 is an investment consortium that includes Suga of the Korean pop group BTS and is led by former Major League pitcher Chan Ho Park, making him the first Korean owner and investor in an MLB franchise. Park will also become a senior advisor to A’s owner John Fisher, advising the ownership group around player development and Asia strategy initiatives.

“During my playing career, I introduced Korea to Major League Baseball and Major League Baseball to Korean fans, and I saw firsthand how even a small point of connection can create meaningful change,” Park said in a press release. “Korea is now a baseball powerhouse with outstanding fans and a strong player-development system. Through exchanges with Las Vegas, which is opening a new era in Major League Baseball, I hope more opportunities will be created for the next generation of players. We are grateful for this opportunity to collaborate with the Athletics to lift up Korean baseball to the next level.”

The partnership marks the beginning of shared growth between the Athletics as they prepare for a new era in Las Vegas, and Korean baseball as it expands its relationship with Major League Baseball and pursues long-term development.

“South Korea is an exciting country for baseball, and we are thrilled to partner with Chan Ho Park and Team61 to support their continued future success,” Fisher said. “Just as he pioneered and broke ground for Korean and Asian baseball players in America, we believe that this partnership with Chan Ho to pioneer Korean ownership in baseball will have long and lasting positive impacts.”

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