The A’s announced on Friday evening that shortstop Jacob Wilson was being activated off the 10-day IL, but that DH Brent Rooker would replace him on the list with a bone bruise in his left knee:
Wilson’s return should provide an immediate boost on both sides of the ball. The second-year shortstop was batting .292/.311/.398 with three home runs and a pair of stolen bases. It could have been a coincidence but the team’s defense took a step back as well while he’s been on the shelf’s The 24-year-old will immediately slot right back in as the starting shortstop after missing just over a month of action thanks to that shoulder injury. That’ll push Alika Williams back into a reserve role, where he profiles better.
As for Rooker, the move isn’t entirely surprising after he missed recent games with that knee injury. The former All-Star has struggled this season as he’s slashing just .200/.281/.398 in 48 games. He has 10 long balls but has seen stats across the board drop off for a second consecutive season. On the bright side the injury doesn’t sound too serious and he could be back well before the end of the month. Hopefully this time off will allow the 31-year-old time to reset, make some adjustments and come back looking like the Brent Rooker of old. In the meantime the A’s will likely rotate different guys in the DH spot depending on matchups, which could make the roster more flexible in a way.
