A's Place Clarke, Muncy on the IL

Before Monday's game against the Texas Rangers, A's manager Mark Kotsay said that the club planned to place centerfielder Denzel Clarke on the IL with a right adductor strain that will keep him out for at least a couple of weeks. In the fifth inning of Monday's game, Max Muncy was hit with a fastball on the right wrist/hand, though initial X-rays revealed no break. The official injury is a right hand fracture.

Both players have officially been added to the 10-day IL ahead of Tuesday's game in Texas, with the A's calling up outfielders Colby Thomas and Carlos Cortes.

Kotsay mentioned on Monday that the A's would likely run with a rotation in center during Clarke's absence. The two names he put out there were Lawrence Butler, who was in center on Monday, and Max Schuemann, who has been there a few times this season as well.

With Muncy landing on the IL, we'll likely see a mix of former Yankees Gio Urshela and Miguel Andujar at third. Both are trade candidates in the coming week. While Andujar was in right field on Monday night, the A's bringing up two outfielders likely indicates that he'll be used on the infield while Muncy is out.

There is no timetable for either player's return at this time, but Kotsay did mention that he hopes Clarke will be able to return this season, so there seems to be a possibility that he'll be out for an extended period.