A's Place Luis Severino on 15-Day IL With Shoulder Strain

The Oakland Athletics placed right-hander Luis Severino on the 15-day injured list with a right shoulder strain Monday afternoon. The move opens a spot for right-hander Michael Kelly to be recalled from Triple-A, marking his second return to the big league roster in just over a month.

Severino’s exit came after he threw only 23 pitches in the first inning of his start against the New York Yankees on Friday. During his warmup for the second inning, trainer Casey Kelly visited the mound before Severino was removed. The A’s later confirmed the issue was arm soreness, which had been bothering him for the past week.

Severino told reporters he felt triceps tightness following his May 21 start and had a successful bullpen session on Tuesday. The A’s pushed his next start back to Friday in hopes of giving him extra rest. However, the injury has forced a more extended absence. Severino is scheduled to undergo more tests Monday to determine the full extent of the issue.

“I’m not even thinking about my next start,” Severino said. “The biggest concern for me is finding something that is going to keep me out for a long time. If the worst-case scenario is missing one or two starts, I’m happy with that.”

With Severino out, the A’s will likely turn to their rotation depth once again. Aaron Civale was already placed on the IL with shoulder tendinitis earlier in the week. MLB.com’s Martin Gallegos suggests that Kade Morris could be called up from Triple-A for his MLB debut if needed. However, Morris isn’t on the 40-man roster, so Joey Estes or Mason Barnett could be recalled instead. Luis Morales is on the 40-man roster but has been moved to a relief role in Triple-A after struggling with command.

Severino’s injury comes at a critical juncture for the A’s, who sit 1.5 games out of first place in the AL West and a wild card spot. The team’s 27-30 record has been buoyed by its offense, but the rotation has struggled to consistently deliver. Severino, who signed a three-year, $67 million deal in the 2024-25 offseason, has a 4.16 ERA and 24% strikeout rate but also a 11.4% walk rate, the second-highest of his 11 MLB seasons.

The A’s will have until Thursday to decide on Severino’s replacement in the rotation. They face a 12-game stretch over nine days following their off-day on Monday. The team will monitor Severino’s recovery while preparing for the next phase of their season.