CLEVELAND — The Athletics are running out of healthy outfielders.
Oakland placed outfielder Josh Reddick on the 15-day disabled list with a sprained right wrist on Wednesday, where he joined center fielders Coco Crisp (hamstring) and Chris Young (quadriceps). The A’s have seven players on the disabled list and have used the DL nine times in just over a month.
“We never expected to have three of our outfielders on the DL at the same time,” A’s manager Bob Melvin said before Oakland played its third game of a four-game series against the Indians, who won the first two.
Reddick hurt his wrist colliding with the wall in foul territory while chasing a pop on April 7 at Houston. He missed three games, but the injury was not improving and the A’s decided to put him on the DL.
Reddick returned to Oakland for treatment. He was batting just .152 — third lowest in the AL — with one home run and 14 RBIs in 29 games.
The A’s also recalled first baseman Daric Barton from Triple-A Sacramento. To clear a spot on the 40-man roster, the A’s released left-hander Jordan Norberto.
Barton was in the starting lineup at first Wednesday night and Brandon Moss started in right field with Yeonis Cespedes in center and Seth Smith in left.
Melvin knows there’s nothing he can do about the injuries except hope they slow down.
“It’s just part of it,” he said. “That’s the way baseball is. Very rarely is everybody going to be 100 percent. Putting together the roster by the front office was based on flexibility and be able to combat injuries.”
Melvin said Moss’ versatility makes the injuries a little more tolerable.
“A guy like Brandon makes it a lot easier, he can go from first base to the outfield so we still have four good outfielders here right now,” Melvin said.
Moss has played three games in the outfield and 11 at first.
Barton was hitting .287 with three home runs and 21 RBIs in 29 games with Sacramento. He also ranked third in the Pacific Coast League with 24 walks. The 27-year-old was with the A’s this spring training but was designated for assignment on March 29.
Norberto also began the season with Oakland but was optioned to Sacramento March 29. He appeared in just three games for the River Cats, allowing six runs and walking seven in 1 1-3 innings before being placed on the disabled list April 13 with a strained left elbow.
Norberto was acquired from Arizona at the trading deadline in 2011. He went 4-1 with a 3.37 ERA in 45 appearances over two seasons with the A’s.
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