Being Swept in Doubleheader Doesn't Measure up to Possible Loss of Semien

The Oakland Athletics have grown used to being able to put Marcus Semien at shortstop every day. But his 275-game consecutive game streak ended in the second game of a doubleheader Saturday when left side pain forced him to the bench. Matt Chapman filled in at shortstop, but the A's now await the result of an MRI on Semien, their team leader.

The A’s losing a doubleheader to the second-place Astros would have been a headline grabber in normal times.

It’s 2020, and normal times will have to come back somewhere down the line. The primary issues for the A’s aren’t the 4-2 and 6-3 seven-inning losses they took Saturday in Houston.

After all, the A’s came into the doubleheader with the best record in the American League, and even after being swept still have a 2½- game lead over the Astros in the American League West.

Instead it was the possible loss of shortstop Marcus Semien, who is at the heart of the A’s offense and defense.

Semien, who finished third last year in the Most Valuable Player voting, had played in 275 consecutive games after playing in Game 1, and was in the lineup as usual, leading off, in Game 2. But just a few minutes before first pitch, the A’s put out a new, Semien-less lineup.

With the trade deadline coming up Monday, A’s fans were all over social media wondering if he’d been dealt. He hadn’t. But there is concern that the left-side soreness that forced him to the bench for Game 2 is something that will keep him out of the Oakland lineup for a while.

“He felt it a little bit during the (first) game,” manager Bob Melvin said of Semien’s left-side soreness. “He went to warm up in the cage and was struggling with it. So, we took him out. He’s seeing a doctor and he’s getting an MRI as we speak. We’ll know more tomorrow.

“We don’t want to lose two games; it doesn’t feel good. We lost our shortstop today. But you go through stretches where there’s some adversity, and this is one of those days.”

Semien went hitless in the first game, which was reduced to seven innings under the new doubleheader rules. Before that, however, he’d been among the A’s most impactful hitters. In the previous three games he was 7-for-13 with a double and a homer, lifting his batting average 32 points from the .202 where it had been stuck.

In a normal time, the A’s would have simply inserted Franklin Barreto in at shortstop. But just Friday night they traded the shortstop/second baseman to the Angels for Tommy La Stella, who arrived in Houston Saturday and started Game 2 at second base.

Playing shortstop in Game 2 was Matt Chapman. The Gold Glove winner at third base both of the last two seasons handled himself well, including getting off a throw to the plate to cut down base runner Kyle Tucker in the first inning. That was after starter Frankie Montas gave up a three-run triple to Tucker, however, putting the A’s in a Game 2 hole out of which they wouldn’t dig.

It was Tucker in Game 1, too, doing the damage, hitting a three-run first inning homer off Chris Bassitt. In fact, Tucker drove in more runs in the first innings alone than the A’s scored all day in 14 innings. At the end of the day, though, Semien’s status was front and center.

“We had to scramble a little bit,” Melvin said. “Chapman hadn’t played shortstop in some time.”

Chapman, who was a high school shortstop, played 10 games at shortstop for Double-A Midland in 2016, and hadn’t been there since.

“We get it done how we can, but that’s a tough one for us,” Melvin said of having to substitute for Semien, which also involved rookie Vimael Machin starting in Chapman’s place at third base.

It could be more of the same Sunday. Chad Pinder, who can also play shortstop, is off on paternity leave after his wife, Taylor, gave birth to the couple’s first child, Christopher, early Saturday morning. Pinder is expected to join the team in Seattle Tuesday after the team enjoys a day off Monday.

Meanwhile, the A’s have to be a little concerned about opening day starter Montas. He had a 1.57 ERA in his first four starts, then missed a start because of upper back tightness. He returned after 10 days and has made three starts in which he’s lasted a total of 9.2 innings while allowing 18 runs. His ERA is now 6.06.

He and Melvin both say he’s fine physically.

“It was mostly location,” Montas said. “I was missing my spots. And they really hit it when you make mistakes.”

After a second-inning homer to George Springer put the A’s in a 5-1 hole, Montas did seem to recover some. He retired the next seven men he faced in order.

“I was just trying to continue to pitch,” Montas said. “I’m still trying to learn my way.”

Montas tried to look at the bright side of missing Semien, saying, “I think Chapman did a pretty good job. You know whatever position you put him in, he’s going to do his best. Semien, I want him in there, but …”

That “but” could linger over the A’s for a while if Semien isn’t able to return. He has 20-plus homer power – he had a career-best 33 bombs last season – and he’s developed into a productive leadoff hitter was well as being a strong defensive player.

Not someone who’s easily replaceable.

Follow Athletics insider John Hickey on Twitter: @JHickey3

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