A's Gelof needs surgery to fix hamate fracture, no timetable for return
Athletics second baseman Zack Gelof will begin the 2025 season on the injured list after sustaining a fractured hook of the hamate bone in his right hand, manager Mark Kotsay confirmed Sunday, according to Martín Gallegos of MLB.com.
Gelof will undergo surgery to repair the fracture Monday in Los Angeles. The A's were unable to provide a firm timetable for his return.
Gelof suffered the injury when he took a Paul Sewald pitch off his hand in Wednesday's Cactus League game against the Cleveland Guardians. Although initial X-rays were reportedly negative for fractures, the A's sent him for additional tests when his hand didn't improve. An MRI taken Saturday revealed the fracture.
The injury halted what's been an excellent spring training for Gelof after he took a step backward in 2024 by recording an AL-worst 188 strikeouts and having his OPS drop over 200 points from his rookie season. But the 25-year-old appeared to look like his old self in camp, hitting .297/.395/.486 with two homers and eight RBIs over 43 Cactus League plate appearances.
"You looked at the progress in spring training with the at-bats, and we felt good about where he was at," Kotsay said, per Gallegos. "This changes some things with the roster. We're exploring the different options right now."
With Gelof out, the A's will need a new second baseman for Opening Day and beyond. Veteran Luis Urías, who joined the West Sacramento-based club as a free agent this offseason, or utility player Max Schuemann are the most likely choices.
Infield prospect Max Muncy - not to be confused with the Los Angeles Dodgers star of the same name - is another internal option. He was informed Sunday that he made the Opening Day roster after a strong spring, according to Martín Gallegos of MLB.com.
A second-round pick of the A's out of Virginia in 2021, Gelof is a .231/.294/.412 hitter with 31 homers and 81 RBIs across 847 big-league plate appearances since 2023.