Canha on return: ‘Let’s just go for it’

A’s outfielder Mark Canha said he is “optimistic” about a return from the injured list during this weekend’s series against Cleveland.

Canha has missed 16 games since he was placed on the IL on June 25 with a left hip strain. He went through a pregame workout on the field Friday. Beforehand, manager Bob Melvin said: “If all goes well then potentially this weekend sometime.”

Canha said after taking batting practice he does not feel a minorleague rehab assignment will be necessary. “Nah, let’s just go for it,” he said. “I told Bob I always feel a little rusty (after) the AllStar Break anyway. … There was a lot of time off, but I got my body taken care of and it feels good; feels like everything we did worked.”

While Canha was listed with a left hip injury, he said he originally left the June 24 game at Texas with right hip discomfort. He later had both examined and said Friday “my hips just had some inflammation in there.” He received plateletrich plasma shots in both hips.

Canha had seasonending left hip surgery in 2016 but said the hip structurally is “still in good shape.” He wanted to rejoin the A’s for their last series before the AllStar Break at Texas but said “it didn’t really feel perfect yet, so I decided to wait until after the break.”

Moreland returns: The A’s reinstated designated hitter Mitch Moreland from the injured list and first baseman Frank Schwindel was designated for assignment.

Moreland was placed on IL on July 4 for an unspecified reason and missed the A’s last seven games before the AllStar Break. Schwindel played in eight games with Oakland, going 3for20 with a home run.

The A’s optioned Schwindel to TripleA on Monday. However, in reinstating Moreland, they needed to clear a 40man roster spot after adding infielder Jacob Wilson to the 40man roster with Moreland out. Moreland did not count against the 40man roster during his absence.

Stadium watch: With negotiations ongoing between the A’s and city of Oakland ahead of a key Oakland City Council vote Tuesday on the team’s ballpark proposal, Canha was asked to share his thoughts on the issue.

“I’m just thinking I hope that somebody can do it, somebody can step up for the city of Oakland,” said Canha, who is from San Jose and attended Cal. “I’ve lived in Oakland the past two years and people say hi to me on the street all the time. And that question comes up, random people will just ask me, ‘Hey are the A’s going to stay?’ And they want the team here. So I hope somebody can step up for the city of Oakland.”