Sean Manaea out with bad shoulder, dealing Oakland Athletics another blow

The Oakland Athletics are in the midst of a magical season, but it could be beginning to crumble as they lose their ace, Sean Manaea.

The Oakland Athletics have defied the odds, staying in the pennant race with unexpectedly solid starting pitching. But the A’s took another hit Tuesday with the new that young ace Sean Manaea will be out indefinitely with rotator cuff tendinitis.

For the A’s, 2018 began with the team losing both A.J. Puk and Jharel Cotton to season-ending injuries. The season outlook went from bad to worse.

This season Manaea is 12-9 with a 3.59 ERA in 27 starts. The left-hander leads the team in wins and starts and has been the most consistent presence in the starting rotation.

There is still some hope that Manaea could return at some point this season, perhaps in time for the playoffs. But could the A’s current playoff spot be in serious jeopardy without Manaea? In addition, fellow starter Brett Anderson was placed on the 10-day DL.

Two tough pills to swallow in the same day.

Manaea was placed on the 10-day DL on Sunday and is set to seek a second opinion on his shoulder in the coming days. Regardless, the timetable is uncertain and manager Bob Melvin did not seem too optimistic when discussing the situation with his best starter.

The A’s are currently in Houston, playing the Astros for control in the AL West. Only 2.5 games separate the two and the next two games are the last time the teams will see each other in 2018.

Down the stretch, other starters will need to step up to replace the production Manaea was providing. It is a huge blow to an already banged up pitching staff, but there is no reason to write off the A’s just yet.