Danny Valencia to DL with Hamstring Strain; Tyler Ladendorf Gets the Call
Oakland Athletics Roundup: Friday, April 22
On Wednesday, Oakland Athletics third baseman Danny Valencia was injured in a play at the plate, suffering a left hamstring strain as he stood up from his slide. The A’s had hoped Valencia would be able to play through it, but he is set to be placed on the disabled list ahead of Friday’s game against the Toronto Blue Jays.
In his place, utility man Tyler Ladendorf will get the callup. In 12 games for the Sounds, Ladendorf batted .240/.269/.360, with one home run. Chris Coghlan, who has filled in at third since Valencia’s injury, will likely continue to get most of the at-bats, given his experience.
On another note, Lohud.com’s Josh Thomson reported that the Yankees and A’s honored former Oakland Athletics prospect Michael Nolan before the start of Thursday night’s game in the Bronx. The left-hander was shot and killed last fall in a drive-by shooting in Yonkers, New York. The Nolan family was presented with a #47 jersey from the Athletics, as well as a signed Yankees jersey to auction off for The Michael Nolan Memorial Fund.
Prior to tonight's game, the A's and Yankees honored the memory of Michael Nolan and his family. pic.twitter.com/OSYEf4twms
— Oakland A's (@Athletics) April 21, 2016
In Case You Missed It
Thursday Throwback: Trading Manager Chuck Tanner – The Oakland Athletics have a history of making odd trades, but perhaps none have been odder than the deal that sent manager Chuck Tanner to the Pittsburgh Pirates. Rich Paloma tells us about the outcome of that exchange in this week’s Thursday Throwback.
A’s Outplay the Yankees in the Bronx – Mark Sigmon recaps Wednesday’s tilt with the Yankees, and explains how the A’s were able to effectively shut down the Bronx Bombers. Can they continue their success against Toronto this weekend?
#Athletics
#Athletics calling themselves "Road Warriors," Khris Davis says. They take a lot of pride in that.
— Susan Slusser (@susanslusser) April 22, 2016
#Athletics Danny Valencia flying this morning from Toronto to the Bay Area. He'll have an MRI on his left hamstring later in the day.
— John Hickey (@JHickey3) April 22, 2016
Reds did have longest streak w/out being no-hit in the reg. season. That honor now belongs to Athletics, who have not been no-hit since 1991
— ESPN Stats & Info (@ESPNStatsInfo) April 22, 2016
kHRis and... cHRisp? They muscled up for back-to-back solo shots. pic.twitter.com/4A6o9Idun1
— Oakland A's (@Athletics) April 22, 2016
Around the Web
Jays Journal: Series Preview – The Yankees and their fans may not have taken the Oakland Athletics seriously when they rolled into the Bronx last week, but Toronto’s fans are taking a more cautious tune. Keegan Matheson points out that the A’s are heading into the series on a high note, having swept New York after taking two of three from Kansas City – not to mention that the Athletics have won six of six on the road.
Next: The Top 50 A's of All-Time
So can the Athletics continue their success against the Blue Jays? Well, the Yankees were one game under .500 when the A’s came into town and set them back a bit, and that’s exactly where Toronto stands now. Both teams are in second place in their respective divisions, but Oakland is only a game back from the front-running Texas Rangers, while Toronto is three and a half games behind Baltimore.
That said, the Jays’ lineup is filled with names like Edwin Encarnacion, Jose Bautista, – and yes, Josh Donaldson, too. The A’s lineup was one of the worst in the league heading into this roadtrip. Much will rest on the shoulders of the A’s sluggers, but they appeared to be heating up in New York. Can they keep the momentum going this weekend?