Las Vegas got a look at one of the Athletics’ young stars, who returned to the team for the second half of its six-game series in its future hometown.
The A’s announced on Friday that shortstop Jacob Wilson, the team’s 2023 first-round pick, has been reinstated to the active roster. Wilson played shortstop and hit fifth in the A’s lineup Friday against the Colorado Rockies.
“I think the most important thing was making sure the shoulder was in a good spot,” Wilson said pregame on Friday. “It felt great. It’s right where we want it to be and ultimately, that was the decision making of bringing me back for this series.
“I’m just happy to be back, and it feels good. I feel confident.”
The A’s placed Wilson on the 10-day injured list on May 12 with a left shoulder subluxation. Wilson, the No. 6 overall pick in the 2023 draft, was hitting .292 with three home runs and 19 RBIs for the A’s before he was placed on the injured list.
“For Jacob, his rehab went well,” A’s manager Mark Kotsay said pregame on Friday. “Most concerns were just how his shoulder was going to respond, how the strength was going to come back. Everything seems to be really well.
“He’s excited to be here. We’re excited to have him as he’s been a big part of the group and the success of the group.”
Rooker ‘wasn’t improving’
To clear up Wilson’s spot, the A’s put designated hitter Brent Rooker on the 10-day injured list with a “bone bruise in his left knee,” according to a release from the team.
“For us, the knee just wasn’t improving,” Kotsay said. “It wasn’t, for the most part, staying stable. It was getting worse. From that point, we decided to (put him on the injured list).”
Rooker did not play in the A’s wins against the Milwaukee Brewers on Tuesday and Wednesday at Las Vegas Ballpark. Rooker was on the injured list for two weeks in April with a strained right oblique.
Kostay said Rooker got a cortisone shot and is hopeful that can help with the healing process.
“The outlook right now is there’s a chance we get (Rooker) back in 10 days,” Kotsay said. “But we’re going to definitely make sure this thing is is healed before we make the decision to put him back out there.”
Wilson feels ‘stronger’
Wilson spent four games this week with the Triple-A Las Vegas Aviators on a rehab assignment. He watched the 15-14 marathon A’s loss to the Brewers on Monday, staying up past midnight to watch the game while with the Aviators on their road trip in Omaha.
“I had to stay up to keep watching it,” said Wilson, who went 2-for-12 in his stint with the Aviators. “It was incredible just seeing what the boys were doing. … We know the damage hitter can do (at Las Vegas Ballpark), so I’m excited to be apart of that.”
Wilson was an All-Star in 2025 and finished last year with a .311 batting average, 13 home runs and 63 RBIs. He entered Friday with a 79-game errorless streak, which is an A’s record for a shortstop.
“It’s been some time since I got to play (May 10) and it’s always a great feeling being able to come back healthy and come back stronger than when I left,” Wilson said.
Contact Alex Wright at awright@reviewjournal.com. Follow @AlexWright1028 on X.
