Brutal hand injury ends A’s hottest hitter’s streak during loss to Giants
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Zack Gelof’s 24-game hitting streak ended after a cleat spike lacerated his hand.
- Kotsay said X-rays showed no fracture, no stitches were needed, day-to-day.
- During the streak Gelof had a .977 OPS and 12 extra-base hits.
On Tuesday, A’s infielder Zack Gelof had a chance to make team history by extending his 24-game hitting streak to 25 games, tying Jason Giambi for the expansion-era record in Athletics franchise history.
Hitting in the leadoff spot against the San Francisco Giants, Gelof likely should have had at least four chances to extend his streak.
Instead, he only got one at-bat as his historic hitting streak ended in one of the most painful ways one could imagine: a hand laceration caused by Giants third baseman Matt Chapman’s cleat spike stabbing straight into his hand.
After hitting an estimated 310-foot, 98-mph flyout to deep right field to lead off the game, Gelof continued to play as normal.
That is, until Chapman — a former All-Star with the then-Oakland A’s — rounded first on an RBI single in the bottom of the second inning, looking to make it a double.
Chapman was hosed by a strong throw from A’s outfielder Tyler Soderstrom, and Gelof made the tag to get the second out of the inning. However, Gelof’s non-glove hand was positioned right in front of the base, where Chapman landed his cleat in an attempt to evade the tag.
Gelof fell to the ground in pain with blood coming out of his hand, effectively ending his night and hitting streak as he ran toward the dugout.
He could have maintained his streak, which was already tied for the longest in the MLB over the last two years and sixth longest in A’s franchise history, had he been walked or hit by a pitch, or hit later in the order and not come up. But, because he qualified an at-bat, Gelof’s streak came to an end.
“It’s just unfortunate,” A’s manager Mark Kotsay said postgame.
When could Gelof return?
After the game, Kotsay said there was a laceration in Gelof’s hand, with no stitches being required and an X-ray showing no fractures or breaks.
Kotsay said there is currently no plan to place Gelof on the injured list, saying they would evaluate the injury “day-to-day.”
“We’ll see how the swelling comes down tomorrow,” Kotsay said.
A quick return for Gelof would be very beneficial for the A’s. During his hitting streak, Gelof held a .977 on-base plus slugging percentage with 12 extra-base hits, bouncing back from a rough start to the season to become one of the club’s most consistent hitters.
Overall, the 26-year-old is slashing .282/.336/.498 with 12 home runs and 10 doubles in just over 200 at bats across 62 games this season.
It has been a return to form for the infielder, who struggled mightily in both 2024 and 2025 after a breakout rookie campaign in 2023. Gelof had similar numbers to 2026 in about 70 games in 2023, but led Major League Baseball in strikeouts in 2024 and got sent down to Triple-A at multiple points in 2025 after hitting below .200.
Now, Gelof has re-earned a starting spot with the A’s, switching between third base and second base and hitting leadoff in his last four starts.
Two Giants players injured as well
Tuesday’s series opener — a 3-1 win by the Giants — wasn’t clean for either side of the “Interstate 80 Series.”
Giants second baseman Luis Arraez, the team’s sole position player with a semblance of a chance to advance to Phase 2 of All-Star voting, fouled a ball off his foot in his first at-bat and left the game. The .321 hitter is day-to-day with a foot bruise, the Giants said postgame.
Outfielder Jung Hoo Lee got clotheslined by A’s infielder Jeff McNeil, who entered the game for the injured Gelof, while trying to steal second base.
Lee, who had an 18-game hitting streak of his own earlier this month, was able to stay in the game, but said his jaw was a bit sore postgame, according to Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle.
The series will continue at 6:45 p.m. Wednesday at Oracle Park.
