Injury Updates on Tyler Soderstrom, J.T. Ginn

Apr 18, 2026; West Sacramento, California, USA; Athletics left fielder Tyler Soderstrom (21) looks on after striking out during the eighth inning against the Chicago White Sox at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: Scott Marshall-Imagn Images | Scott Marshall-Imagn Images

WEST SACRAMENTO -- While left fielder Tyler Soderstrom is out of the lineup on Wednesday night against the Kansas City Royals, the news coming out of the clubhouse is good.

Manager Mark Kotsay said before the game, "He's okay. Just described it as kind of a whiplash. I don't expect it to be an extended period of time at all. With today just not feeling great and the day game tomorrow, there's a chance he might not be in there tomorrow as well. But fully expect him to be back for this weekend."

Soderstrom was pulled from the game on Tuesday after diving for a ball in left field and coming up empty. When he landed, there was no bracing for impact, and he was shaken up a little bit when he returned to the bench. He was promptly removed from the game and replaced by Carlos Cortes, the American League Player of the Week.

Cortes returns. Soderstrom is out. pic.twitter.com/7RNtwSqzcn

— Jason Burke (@ByJasonB) April 29, 2026

Cortes is back in the lineup in left on Wednesday night, batting third against Royals righty Michael Wacha. Off the bench last night, Cortes collected a single and a walk, and was also hit by a pitch, getting on base in all three plate appearances.

Cortes became a lineup regular when Brent Rooker hit the injured list on April 10, and since that date, he has hit .385 with a .439 on-base percentage and a .712 slugging percentage. In terms of wRC+, he has been the sixth-best bat in baseball with a 213 (100 is league average). He showed some of these tools last season, but he's making the most of his extra playing time this year.

J.T. Ginn good to go for weekend series against Cleveland

Sep 18, 2025; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Athletics pitcher J.T. Ginn (70) throws a pitch against the Boston Red Sox in the first inning at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-Imagn Images | David Butler II-Imagn Images

Ginn was removed from his start early on Sunday with right arm soreness, but he was feeling good on Wednesday and threw a full bullpen with no limitations.

After his bullpen he said, "I feel good. Think everything's normal, so just continue with the normal stuff."

Kotsay added, "Ginn's 'pen went great. So we'll line Ginn up back in the rotation on his normal day, which will be Friday."

That will leave Jacob Lopez — who was skipped over in the rotation this turn in favor of Aaron Civale on Tuesday — to make the start on Saturday against the Guardians. The A's had off days on Thursday of last week and Monday to begin this week, leaving them with an opportunity to give a struggling starter like Lopez a couple of days to reset.