The Athletics announced before their game against the Twins on Friday that they reinstated infielder/outfielder Chad Pinder from the 10-day injured list. He’s taking the roster spot of infielder Vimael Machin, whom the team optioned to Triple-A Las Vegas.
The Athletics have gone since April 4 without Pinder after he suffered a sprained left knee, robbing them of a versatile defender and useful offensive contributor. Dating back to his major league debut in 2016, the 29-year-old has lined up at every position but pitcher and catcher and hit .245/.302/.432 (99 wRC+) with 45 home runs in 1,138 plate appearances.
Pinder carries little experience at shortstop, though he could eventually be an option for an Oakland team that’s in serious need of a boost at the position. A’s shortstops entered Friday dead last in the majors in wRC+ (22) and fWAR (minus-0.8) across 156 PA, all of which have been taken by Machin and starter Elvis Andrus. Machin hit a miserable .050/.136/.050 without a home run in 22 trips to the plate before the A’s demoted him. Andrus, meanwhile, went into the day with a woeful .177/.224/.234 line and no home runs of his own in 134 PA.