The Athletics shortstop Jacob Wilson is headed back to the injured list and is probably done for the year, reports Martín Gallegos of MLB.com. Wilson has been dealing with left shoulder issues this year and is headed to Sacramento to see a doctor. No move was announced before this afternoon’s game in Kansas City, so it appears the A’s are playing short-handed. They start a series in Houston tomorrow and should add someone else to the roster in Wilson’s place before then.
Wilson suffered a left shoulder subluxation in May and was placed on the IL at that time. He was able to come back a month later but then right thumb inflammation put him back on the shelf a few weeks later. The thumb issue led to a fairly minimal stint on the shelf but the shoulder problems have returned, as soreness has caused him to miss the club’s past four games, including today’s contest.
The next steps aren’t entirely clear, as Wilson is still going for more evaluation, but it seems 2026 will go down as an injury-induced step back for him. Last year, he cemented himself as a big leaguer. He doesn’t walk much or have a ton of power but is tough to strike out, in a Luis Arraez-style profile. He hit .311/.355/.444 for a 121 wRC+. This year, around the injuries, his line is down to .266/.298/.388 and an 88 wRC+.
In the short term, the injury doesn’t mean too much. The A’s are playing out the string on an awful season. They flirted with contention for a while but a huge chunk of the team was felled by injuries, causing them to nosedive in the standings. They are now 49-78, the worst record in the majors. They will likely cover short with guys like Darell Hernaiz, Alika Williams and Donovan Walton to wind down the campaign.
If the injury requires surgery and a long-term recovery, that would obviously be more notable. Time will tell on that. Even if Wilson is healthy by next year’s spring training, it’s possible there are some shake-ups coming in the club’s infield. Wilson’s defensive metrics at short have not been strong. He has minus-21 Defensive Runs Saved in his career, including minus-7 this year. Outs Above Average had him at minus-3 last year but a strong 9 OAA this year.
The A’s have one of the top prospects in the league in Leo De Vries, acquired from the Padres as part of last year’s Mason Miller deal. He is only 19 years old but has been at Double-A for all of this year. A promotion to Triple-A in the near future wouldn’t be shocking. Though he’ll only be 20 next year, a big league call-up in 2027 seems feasible.
Defensively, evaluators consider De Vries athletic enough to cover short. His work still needs some refinement, though that’s not surprising for such a young player. The A’s will presumably give him a shot at the big league level when he is called up.
Given Wilson’s shaky marks, he could perhaps be moved to second or third base to accommodate De Vries at some point down the line. At second base, Jeff McNeil has received most of the playing time this year. He’s a 34-year-old having a down season. He has a 2027 club option that will surely be bought out. At third, Zack Gelof might be the answer, but he also has experience at second base and in the outfield. In short, there’s room for Wilson and De Vries to co-exist in the infield together going forward.
Photo courtesy of Scott Marshall, Imagn Images
