Jacob Wilson Exits A's Game Early

May 15, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Athletics second baseman Jacob Wilson (5) looks on from the dugout in the sixth inning against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images | Jayne Kamin-Oncea-Imagn Images

Of all the players that the Athletics could ill afford to lose for an extended period, the frontrunner for the American League Rookie of the Year has to be at the top of the list. In the bottom of the third inning, with Lawrence Butler on second base, Jacob Wilson was hit by a pitch on his left forearm.

While he stayed in the game initially, he was eventually pulled from the game in the bottom of the fifth inning. The A's announced that he was pulled with a left forearm contusion.

It was clear that Wilson was in a bit of pain after getting drilled by a 85.9 mile per hour Kyle Hendricks sinker in his wrist/forearm area. As he took first base, he was shaking his arm, and when he took the field, he was able to make the necessary plays, but notably declined to help throw the ball around the horn after an out.

We won't have an update on the timeline for this injury until after the game at the earliest, or potentially even ahead of tomorrow's game. The hope is that Wilson was pulled from the game in order to be able to ice his injury and hopefully limit the amount of time, if any, that he would have to miss.

If Wilson were to miss any time, the A's would likely roll with Max Schuemann at shortstop on a fairly consistent basis, while potentially calling up Max Muncy to serve in a bench role, if Wilson were to land on the IL. Schuemann ended up playing short when Wilson was injured in his MLB debut, and ended up hitting .308 with a .400 OBP in July.

This season Schuemann has been in more or a pinch-run/utility role for the A's, getting into 32 games total, but recording just 44 plate appearances thus far. He's batting .256 with a .341 on-base and a .777 OPS in his small sample of playing time.

When we spoke with Schuemann earlier in the year, he talked about how his mindset has had to be different this season, going from regular playing time to needing to be ready to go each and every day in a variety of situations. Now there is a chance that he could see a little extra playing time, at least in the short-term.

For the A's on the whole, they'd have to go with the "next man up" mentality. Not necessarily to fill-in at shortstop, but to replace the value of Wilson's bat in the lineup. Heading into Wednesday's games, Wilson had been the A's best bat this season.

Lawrence Butler has been making better contact and spraying the ball around the diamond a bit more, while No. 1 prospect Nick Kurtz has been having much better at-bats of late, which included an opposite field home run on Wednesday night. If they can up their production just a touch, and perhaps another bat steps up as well, the A's may be able to withstand any potential time missed by Wilson.