Oakland Athletics outfielder Boog Powell will miss “several weeks” with a right knee sprain, according to Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle.
Melvin says Boog Powell will miss several weeks with a right knee sprain.
— Susan Slusser (@susanslusser) April 11, 2018
Powell was placed on the 10-day disabled list on Saturday after injuring his knee against the Rangers on Friday.
Mark Canha was called up from Triple-A Nashville to fill the void, so don’t expect any other corresponding roster moves as a result of the news.
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The Athletics will likely roll with a Jake Smolinski, Trayce Thompson and Canha rotation out in center field while Powell is out.
Powell was hitting .167 (4-for-24) with a double and a triple in seven games this season prior to the injury.
Smolinski has received the bulk of playing time out in center field since Friday, but the newly acquired Thompson is expected to get the start tomorrow against Dodgers left-hander Alex Wood.
As of now, the Athletics plan to keep prospect Dustin Fowler down in Triple-A, bringing him along slowly and ensuring he’s ready before throwing him into the big leagues.
Fowler will get the opportunity to start down in Nashville, something he wouldn’t be able to get with the A’s. It’s the right decision, and the Athletics should be in no hurry to bring him along.
Fowler is hitting .286 (6-for-21) with three RBIs and two steals in five games with Nashville.
Long-term implications?
Powell’s numbers at the plate were underwhelming before he got injured, and he made a few basic mistakes on defense that good center fielders generally don’t make.
His absence means the Athletics will get a good look at some other options, and that may threaten Powell’s spot on the roster. Thompson will get an opportunity to show what he’s got. In the past when presented with such an opportunity he’s thrived, with both the White Sox and Dodgers.
Thompson began as a bench option, before working his way into the starting lineup on a nightly basis. He’s someone to keep a close eye on over the next few weeks.
Next: Athletics place OF Boog Powell on the 10-day DL
Mark Canha, on the other hand, could be an option too. He’s struggled in recent seasons but has shown flashes of being a competent major league hitter.
It’s a long-shot, but don’t count Canha out of the equation.
Smolinski, for now, seemingly has a roster spot on lock down but that could change quickly if he struggles to get on base.