Tuesday, August 26

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WEST SACRAMENTO -- The season is winding down, but an audition to determine how the Athletics’ infield will look beyond 2025 might just be getting started.

After seemingly getting back on track during his recent stint in the Minors, Zack Gelof was recalled from Triple-A Las Vegas on Monday ahead of the series opener against the Tigers at Sutter Health Park. Veteran infielder Luis Urías, who spent the majority of the year as the A’s starting second baseman, was designated for assignment.

Urías’ departure opens up second base. But just because Gelof got the start there on Monday night does not mean he automatically assumes the everyday role.

Darell Hernaiz, who impressed A’s manager Mark Kotsay with his ability to fill in at shortstop over the past month, shifted to second base for all three games over the weekend in Seattle with the return of All-Star rookie sensation Jacob Wilson. Brett Harris also was recently recalled from Triple-A. Though he’s mainly a third baseman, Harris also has some experience playing second in the Minors.

On Monday, Gelof, Hernaiz and Harris were all in the A’s starting lineup, with Hernaiz manning third base and Harris at first base on a rare day of rest for Nick Kurtz. Those three will likely shuffle around the infield over the final month of the season as the A’s seek to get a closer evaluation of the trio of homegrown players.

“Wilson will also need some rest as we go,” Kotsay said. “There will be enough opportunity to utilize a rotation. It’s about performance, and we’ll also look for the best matchups for those opportunities as well.”

It wasn’t long ago that all three ranked highly in the A’s prospect rankings. Hernaiz earned a call back to the Majors this season after batting .305 in 96 games at Triple-A. Harris, meanwhile, returned on Aug. 15 after hitting .282 with 12 homers and an .869 OPS with Las Vegas.

As for Gelof, this season has been anything but ideal. The 25-year-old was looking to return to his 2023 rookie breakout form after a down ’24 campaign. After working hard this spring on making adjustments to address his swing-and-miss issues, Gelof sustained a hook of the hamate fracture as a result of getting hit by a pitch on his right hand during the final week of Spring Training. He then suffered a setback in May due to a stress reaction in his ribs while rehabbing in the Minors.

Making his season debut on July 4, Gelof was optioned back to the Minors after going 2-for-25 in eight games with the A’s.

Following a slow start back at Triple-A, Gelof found his groove over the past couple of weeks, earning PCL Player of the Week honors for the week of Aug. 11-17. Overall, Gelof hit .259 with 11 homers, 28 RBIs and a .897 OPS in 33 games with Las Vegas after the July 13 demotion.

“He’s been swinging the bat better since he went down, for sure,” Kotsay said. “He’s been slugging the baseball. The power’s back. He’s done a nice job of being able to put himself in this position to come back here and get an opportunity to finish the season with us and leave a great impression going into the offseason.”

Which pitcher has the most postseason appearances in A's franchise history?

A. Rollie Fingers
B. Dave Stewart
C. Rick Honeycutt
D. Huston Street

“We had a good conversation today. I thanked him for everything he did. Coming here, when we signed him, it wasn’t really to play second base every day. It was to be a guy that could fill a role. He ended up taking over that job and playing really well for about two months until he got hurt. Coming back from that injury, it wasn’t consistent playing time. Some guys outperformed and took advantage of opportunities. I hope that, if there’s a chance for him, that he can get on a roster and provide some impact and help a club get to the playoffs. He’s a great kid. I enjoyed him every day. He came prepared to play and was a great teammate to everybody. So I can definitely see him getting another chance somewhere.” -- Kotsay on Urías, who hit .230 with eight home runs in 96 games for the A’s this season

On Saturday, Sept. 13, the A's will induct the class of 2025 into the Athletics Hall of Fame. The "Big Three" of pitchers Tim Hudson, Mark Mulder and Barry Zito, along with former Kansas City and Oakland A's broadcaster Monte Moore, will be enshrined.

For more information visit:

https://www.mlb.com/athletics/tickets/promotions

• A’s No. 4 prospect Luis Morales thrived under the bright lights in Seattle with his most impressive outing yet as a big leaguer. More >>

• The A’s received a major boost to their high-powered offense with the return of Wilson. More >>

• Hogan Harris’ big save in a tight spot on Saturday night highlighted what has been a strong collective performance by the A’s bullpen after the trade of All-Star closer Mason Miller to the Padres. More >>

A. Fingers (27 appearances)

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