LEAPING LAUREANO
Luzardo on IL with pinky fracture after video game mishap
OAKLAND >> Jesús Luzardo’s video game troubles have led to real-life issues for the A’s.
Luzardo was placed on the 10-day injured list with a left pinky fracture suffered while playing a video game, the A’s announced on Sunday. Oakland’s prized lefty allowed six runs, three earned, in a rough threeinning outing on Saturday against the Baltimore Orioles.
It turns out he hurt his hand before his Saturday start, manager Bob Melvin said. The 23-year-old hit his hand on the table while playing video games at his home. He threw before his start, and trainers deemed him OK to pitch. But an X-ray after the game re
vealed the hairline fracture on the pinky finger of his throwing hand.
“He came in, was a little sore, training staff checked him out,” Melvin said. “We threw him in the cage before he went out there. Watched him warm up. He was comfortable pitching. The training staff was comfortable with him pitching and there was a hairline in the pinky finger.”
There is no set timetable for Luzardo’s return, Melvin said. The pinky injury didn’t impact his throwing, he noted, and he won’t be putting on any cast or splint to expedite healing. There is a way to keep his arm in shape because the fracture is on the far side of his throwing hand.
“It depends on how it responds,” Melvin said. “As you can expect, it was a little worse and puffy today, but no idea on a timetable yet.”
Off to an inconsistent start, the A’s young star has a 5.79 ERA in six starts this season. His command was off in his start on Saturday.
Left-handed reliever Adam Kolarek was recalled from the alternate site as the corresponding move.
With Mike Fiers’ return from his back injury this week, the A’s will return to a five-man rotation along with Sean Manaea, Frankie Montas, Chris Bassitt and Cole Irvin. They’ll all stay in turn.
Earlier Sunday, the A’s also placed reliever J.B. Wendelken on the injured list with an oblique injury. Wendelken injured his oblique on his last pitch of his Saturday outing that resulted in a pop up that catcher Aramís Garcia caught at the net. It was initially not ruled an out, but overturned when the A’s challenged.
“Thank goodness that was overturned and he didn’t have to throw another pitch to check it out,” Melvin said. “Once he came in afterwards, it was deemed an oblique strain.”
Wendelken’s 15 appearances currently lead the American League and has a 4.38 ERA with 14 strikeouts and five walks. The A’s recalled right-handed reliever Jordan Weems from the alternate site in a corresponding move.