Davis held out of loss

Outfielder Khris Davis remained out of Oakland’s lineup Wednesday because of a stomach bug.

Manager Bob Melvin said that Davis, the A’s first player to hit 40 homers in a season since 2000, was improving, but Davis wound up not appearing in Oakland’s loss.

Davis was so ill Tuesday that he was sent home from the ballpark. He was at the stadium Wednesday, and the team has a day off Thursday.

With Davis ill, Danny Valencia again hit cleanup. Stephen Vogt hit second in the order and rookie third baseman Ryon Healy was in the third spot, his second time batting there. Cause of death announced: The Maricopa (Ariz.) Medical Examiner’s office said Wednesday morning that A’s minor-leaguer Sean Murphy’s April 25 death was the result of natural causes.

Murphy, 27, died of hypertrophic cardiomyopathy, a thickening of the ventricles of the heart. The condition is not uncommon and often goes undiagnosed. Cardiomyopathy caused the death of former Oakland pitcher Joe Kennedy on Nov. 23, 2007.

“It’s good news that no foul play was involved and drugs and alcohol weren’t a factor,” said A’s reliever Sean Doolittle, who was friends with Murphy. “But it’s still really sad to think a 27-year-old athlete just died suddenly of a heart attack, essentially. He was at the complex, working out. In a way, it leaves you with even more questions. My heart goes out to his family and his fiancee.” Briefly: Sonny Gray (forearm, elbow) will throw to hitters Saturday and could pitch a few innings for Oakland next week. … Reliever J.B. Wendelken will get a second opinion after an MRI exam on his right forearm showed a torn ulnar-collateral ligament, which would require Tommy John surgery . ... The A’s got no more clarity on the replay reversal they briefly protested Tuesday; a similar play two years ago against Toronto was called the opposite way because, as in the third inning against the Astros, the changed call led to the force coming off. “We thought we had it, but they thought differently,” Melvin said of what would have been an unassisted double play by first baseman Yonder Alonso.