A's right-hander Sonny Gray will be shut down from throwing for three weeks with a lat strain, manager Bob Melvin told reporters in Arizona on Thursday.
That means Gray is assured of starting the season on the disabled list and most likely would miss most of April as well.
Needless to say, it's a significant blow to a club that was hoping to wipe the slate clean after injuries decimated the pitching staff throughout last season. Despite an off-year in 2016 that included two trips to the disabled list, Gray was looked upon as a pitcher who could bounce back and once again anchor Oakland's rotation.
The lat strain is being characterized as moderate. After a sharp outing in his Cactus League debut, Gray issued four walks and three wild pitches in his second start Tuesday.
The A's will now lean on a core of Kendall Graveman, Sean Manaea and Jharel Cotton to lead their rotation out of the regular-season gate, with Graveman a strong candidate for the Opening Day assignment based on his solid performance last year.
Considering the fifth starter spot was already up for grabs, Gray's absence leaves two spots open at the back of the rotation. Jesse Hahn, Andrew Triggs and Raul Alcantara appear the leading candidates for those two spots, with young right-handers Paul Blackburn and Daniel Gossett also in the mix.
