The A's can't outrun it. Another roster spot has been claimed by the injured list — the latest domino to fall in a swath of health problems that have been chasing the team from city to city like something out of a monster movie. This monster is drawn to the top performers on the A's roster, and this time, it has claimed J.T. Ginn. 

Ahead of Wednesday's finale against the Arizona Diamondbacks, the A's placed Ginn on the IL, retroactive to July 18, with a right middle finger blister. With Gage Jump set to start on Wednesday, Ginn was scheduled to start again on Friday night against the Minnesota Twins. 

This is obviously a blow to the club, as Ginn has been the most consistent starter in the rotation for the club since being added to the starting five on April 10. 

Across 109 ⅓ innings, Ginn holds a 3.46 ERA with a 1.22 WHIP and has carried no-hitters deep into games twice this season. 

The hope here is that this blister goes away quickly, and that he is able to return to the rotation when his 15-day stint concludes. 

With the off-day on Thursday, the A's are moving Jacob Lopez up to start on Friday, while Saturday's rotation spot is currently left TBD. Jeffrey Springs will get the ball on Sunday to close out the series and the road trip. 

The A's are currently without All-Star first baseman Nick Kurtz, who could come back this weekend, and utility man Zack Gelof, who has been enjoying a resurgent 2026 when he can stay on the field. Joshua Kuroda-Grauer landed on the IL on Tuesday after undergoing surgery for a ruptured testicle. 

The A's are also missing Luis Severino in the rotation and have been without Jacob Wilson and Tyler Soderstrom in recent weeks.

To take Ginn's roster spot for now, the Athletics have called up Mason Barnett, who has at times played a key role for the club out of the bullpen. In July he ended up struggling to a 13.50 ERA across six innings with a 2.33 WHIP and had given up multiple runs in three of his four outings. 

While Barnett made the start in his return to Triple-A Las Vegas on July 18, going three scoreless innings at Round Rock, allowing just one hit and striking out one, he's not built up enough to be an option in the rotation just yet. He threw just 38 pitches in that game last week, and would end up around 50 in a start in the big leagues. 

He could serve as a multi-inning opener in what ends up being a bullpen game, but it will largely depend upon how Wednesday and Friday's games play out. If Jump and Lopez are able to go five or six frames, then the A's will have plenty of options to consider for Saturday.

If one of them goes just a couple of innings, then there will likely be more roster moves coming. 

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