A’s All-Star shortstop Jacob Wilson begins rehab assignment. When could he return?
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- Jacob Wilson began a rehab assignment with Triple-A Las Vegas and played two games.
- Wilson is expected to return to the A’s as soon as late this week.
- Max Muncy also rehabbed in Las Vegas and is expected to return this week.
The Athletics are one step closer to having the left side of their infield back.
After starting third baseman Max Muncy began a rehab assignment with the Triple-A Las Vegas Aviators in late May, the A’s star shortstop Jacob Wilson joined him in Vegas over the weekend, appearing in his first professional games since May 10.
In two games, Wilson went 1-for-5 with a double, a walk and an RBI. Wilson got two at-bats as a designated hitter in Saturday’s game before playing shortstop Sunday and exiting in the seventh inning. He led off Sunday’s game with a double to left field and later scored on a single.
When could Wilson return to A’s?
Wilson, who last season became the A’s first fan-elected All-Star since 2014, has been dealing with a left shoulder subluxation he suffered while diving for a ground ball during a May 10 game against the Baltimore Orioles.
He was expected to return to the A’s as soon as late this week, when the temporarily West Sacramento-based club played the second of its two series in its planned future home, Las Vegas. Because he began his rehab stint during an Aviators road trip, his expected return between June 12 and 14 would have marked the shortstop’s first game at Las Vegas Ballpark, the home of the Aviators, this season.
“Everything that we wanted to work on the past couple of weeks has been getting to the point where we can now go and start playing on it, which is super exciting for me,” Wilson told MLB.com prior to his rehab assignment beginning. “I think just getting out there and playing baseball again, I feel really comfortable with the shoulder being in a good spot.”
Though Wilson, 24, is only in his second full MLB season, he has already established himself as one of the premier contact hitters in the league. In 39 games this season, he was slashing .292/.311/.398 with 11 extra-base hits.
During his 2025 All-Star rookie campaign, Wilson tied for the second-highest batting average in the American League at .311 while adding 13 home runs and 26 doubles in 125 games. For much of the season, Wilson was considered the frontrunner for the American League Rookie of the Year award, though teammate Nick Kurtz passed him with a historic power surge to close the season.
How is Muncy doing?
Muncy, 23, went on a tear in seven games with the Aviators, hitting .370 with a 1.178 OPS while adding three home runs and two doubles. He homered in both Saturday’s and Sunday’s contests, hitting behind Wilson in the Vegas order.
Muncy was also expected to return sometime this week after suffering a fracture of the fifth metacarpal in his left hand when he was hit by a pitch April 13. He played through the injury for another 10 games before going on the injured list April 28.
Last season, Muncy was a consistent presence in the A’s order, appearing in 63 games and hitting nine home runs and seven doubles, though his OPS was .638, well below league average.
Before getting hit by a pitch April 13, Muncy held an .853 OPS and hit .305 through 15 games, though his production dropped off afterward, bringing his season slash line down to .239/.309/.402.
Both Muncy and Wilson are expected to play Tuesday, when the Aviators take on the Omaha Storm Chasers at 5:05 p.m. on the road.
What would their returns mean?
Zack Gelof at third base and a combination of Alika Williams and Darell Hernaiz at shortstop largely filled in for Wilson and Muncy while the pair were sidelined.
Once Muncy and Wilson return, though, it is likely both would play every day in the lineup.
After being acquired by the A’s in mid-May while on the Pittsburgh Pirates’ Triple-A club roster, Williams could have been sent down to Vegas or seen reduced playing time when the two starters returned. Through 13 games with the A’s, Williams posted a .325 OPS.
Hernaiz, who started the season on the A’s roster as a utility man, will likely assume his former role, playing when infielders need days off or for matchups. He has slashed .237/.318/.288 in 47 games this season.
Gelof, however, appeared tougher to remove from the lineup.
After beginning his career with a stellar 2023 rookie campaign, Gelof struggled mightily over the next two seasons, leading the AL in strikeouts in 2024 with 188. His struggles led to him starting 2026 with the Aviators, though a stellar run earned him a promotion and he hasn’t looked back.
In 159 at-bats across 49 games, Gelof posted a .748 OPS with 13 extra-base hits, emerging as one of the club’s most consistent bats.
If Muncy returned at third base, Gelof could have taken over veteran Jeff McNeil’s spot at second base. McNeil, a 34-year-old two-time All-Star, struggled to recapture the contact-hitting prowess that defined his early career, hitting .235 with a .615 OPS.
