Happy Monday, Athletics Nation!
What is up with Jacobs and forearms these days? We barely got All-Star shortstop Jacob Wilson back nearly a month after he was diagnosed with a forearm fracture, and now the future is uncertain for rookie starting pitcher Jacob Lopez, just as he was establishing himself as one of the A’s best pitchers.
Perhaps the baseball
gods simply won’t abide both Jacobs playing for the A’s in good health at the same time: after all, it was right about the time Wilson was placed on the IL that Lopez began looking like an ace on the mound. The 27-year-old lefty made four consecutive scoreless starts beginning on July 26 against the Astros, making him the first Athletic to do so since Cory Lidle in 2002.
Lopez pitched 25 ⅔ consecutive scoreless innings before finally allowing a run in the second inning of his start against the Twins on August 19; he still managed to pull off a quality start and his fourth consecutive win that day, striking out nine and issuing a single walk. He was positively masterful in his two preceding starts, striking out 19 without a single base on balls in 14 ⅔ innings.
So when Lopez melted down in yesterday’s 11-4 loss against the Mariners yesterday, it was hard not to suspect something was amiss. Jacob only managed six outs on Sunday while allowing six hits and six walks en route to yielding nine earned runs. After his exit, Jacob was diagnosed with forearm tightness that he said he “felt a little bit after the start in Minnesota.”
Lopez, who underwent Tommy John surgery in 2021, said his discomfort “feels different…more in my flexor” this time around. Perhaps this is a hopeful indication, but until further workup is done it will be impossible to say how this will impact Jacob’s playing time. Fingers crossed that the injury proves minor.
Have a terrific week, AN.
A’s Coverage:
- Athletics drop Series Finale, 11-4
- Athletics defeat Mariners 2-1 in ten innings
- A’s Fall in Series Opener, Lose 3-2 to Mariners
- Lopez diagnosed with forearm tightness after rough start
- A’s get major boost as Wilson (forearm) returns from injured list
- Morales continues to impress with 1st quality start
- 2024 second-rounder swats first Double-A homer
- Latest Athletics injuries and transactions
MLB News & Interest:
- BBWAA To Institute Relief Pitcher Of The Year Award In 2026
- 10 players exceeding expectations in 2025
- Frankie Montas Done For 2025 Due To “Pretty Significant” UCL Injury
- Jacob deGrom Is a Litmus Test for Hall of Fame Voters
- Zack Wheeler Recommended For Thoracic Outlet Syndrome Surgery
- Red Sox Outright Abraham Toro
- IL Activations: Chapman, Yates
- Rangers Place Marcus Semien On IL, Activate Adolis Garcia
- Today in Baseball History
Best of X:
Estes offered gracious words about Robles.
He also pitched four scoreless in his MLB return.
