Denzel

Clarke

The procedural move frees up a spot on the Athletics’ 40-man roster with Clark expected to be sidelined until at least mid-July after suffering a high-grade hamstring strain earlier this month while on a rehab assignment.

Clarke is expected to be sidelined until after the All-Star break in mid-July after suffering a setback while playing in a minor league rehab game for Triple-A Las Vegas last week. The 26-year-old defensive stalwart has been diagnosed with a high-grade hamstring strain that is going to keep him out for a significant amount of time.

It’s a tough break for the 26-year-old defensive wizard who was nearing a return from a bone bruise that had him shelved since April 22. He won’t be re-evaluated until after the All-Star break which means he’s going to be out for a while. If there were any concerns about the playing time for Henry Bolte once Clark returned, the runway has now been cleared.

Clarke has been on the injured list since April 22nd with a midfoot bone bruise. He will likely need a couple of games to ensure that his foot can hold up to playing back-to-back games in the outfield. After that, the A’s will have a dilemma on their hands. Clarke was really struggling as a hitter, slashing .170/.228/.189 with a 40 percent strikeout rate. However, he is also an elite defender. If the A’s want to call up Clarke, they’d need to send one of Carlos Cortes, Lawrence Butler, or Henry Bolte to the minors.

Clarke has been on the IL since Apr. 22, and he’ll likely require a fair amount of time on a rehab assignment before being activated. With Carlos Cortes thriving as a starter against right-handers, Clarke’s playing time might not be what he’s used to when he does return.

Clarke has really struggled offensively to start the season, slashing .170/.228/.189 with a 40 percent strikeout rate. He plays elite defense in center field, but you have to wonder how long the Athletics will keep putting his bat in the lineup.

Clarke was also 3-for-16 with no extra-base hits for Team Canada in the WBC. Interestingly, Clarke has struck out just twice in his 24 plate appearances for the A’s, which seems like a good sign for someone who fanned 38% of the time in 47 games a rookie. However, he’s just pounding everything straight into the ground. Clarke’s superb defense will cause the A’s to be patient with him, but he could well be one of the league’s worst hitters. At some point, he’s going to need to show something offensively.

Clarke joins the Aviators as they kick off the Pacific Coast League’s Championship series on Tuesday night against Tacoma. The 25-year-old defensive wizard has been out since mid-July recovering from a pair of adductor strains. It’s theoretically possible he makes it back to the Athletics’ lineup at some point later this week before the regular season wraps up.

If all goes well, Clarke “could potentially go out on rehab during the A’s next road trip,” which would be next week. Clarke has been sidelined since the end of July, so he might need at least a week on a rehab assignment, which could give him one week of games with the Athletics before the end of the season.

It’s a brand new strain for Clarke, who was working is way back from the exact same issue that put him on the shelf back in mid-July. The 22-year-old defensive wizard remains without a return timeline at this juncture.