A’s left fielder Miguel Andujar will undergo surgery to address a core injury, as announced by manager Mark Kotsay this afternoon (X link via Martín Gallegos of MLB.com). The Athletics placed Andujar on the 10-day injured list to make room for infielder Nick Allen, and they can move him to the 60-day IL if needed for a 40-man roster spot.
Andujar was acquired by Oakland Athletics via waivers from the Pirates last offseason, agreeing to a $1.7 million salary to avoid arbitration. After missing the first six weeks of the season due to meniscus repair surgery, Andujar returned in late May and had a solid season. He played 70 games, batting .285/.320/.377, which is roughly league average. His 319 plate appearances this year were his most since his rookie season in 2018, when he hit 27 home runs as the Yankees’ regular third baseman.
Andujar showed significant platoon splits, hitting .411/.459/.536 against left-handed pitchers in 61 at-bats, but only .256/.287/.341 against right-handers. While his production against southpaws might not be sustainable over a large sample, his low strikeout rate of 9.8% in those matchups could make him a candidate for a short-side platoon role next season.
Having surpassed five years of major league service, Andujar would be eligible for a modest raise if the A’s decide to retain him for his final arbitration year. With no guaranteed contracts on the books for next season and only Brent Rooker eligible for arbitration, Oakland Athletics has significant payroll flexibility and could choose to keep Andujar if they believe he has further potential.
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