OAKLAND – An innocuous-looking item sat on a shelf in Zack Gelof’s locker, another baseball in a stadium full of them.
Of course, this was no normal piece of memorabilia: it was the ball that the 2021 second-round draft pick had smacked into a gap for an RBI double on Friday night, the first hit of his career.
It won’t stay at the second baseman’s locker for long, with the ball’s final destination being his family’s home in Delaware.
“I’ve got it here in my locker,” the 23-year-old said as he glanced at the ball, “and I’m gonna give it to them today.”
The rookie’s mom Kelly, dad Adam and brother Jake, who was just drafted by the Dodgers in the second round earlier this week were all in the stands on Friday night to cheer for their son and the A’s. Their presence meant even the sting of Oakland’s loss couldn’t take away Gelof’s joy from his debut.
“It meant everything to me for them to be here,” Gelof said. “They deserve it all.”
Gelof is one of two highly-touted prospects the A’s called up to Oakland, along with 2020 first-round pick Tyler Soderstrom. The A’s are hoping the youngsters can inject some life into the 25-68 ballclub.
“There’s a reason they called us up, and that’s because they think we can help this team win,” Gelof said. “We’ll do anything we can do to add to this team.”
Soderstrom went 0-4 as the designated hitter on Friday, but is back in the lineup for Saturday’s game and will start behind the plate for the first time.
“It’s a big day for Tyler behind the plate,” A’s manager Mark Kotsay said.
Shea Langeliers, who the A’s acquired in the Matt Olson trade last March and has been a mainstay behind the plate since arriving in the Majors last August, will get the day off.
Soderstrom’s teammate is confident that Soderstrom can catch a major league staff that enters Saturday with a 6.04 ERA, the worst in MLB.
”He puts in work and does research and everything,” Gelof said. “I look forward to seeing him go to work.”
Soderstrom is ranked by MLB.com as Oakland’s No. 1 prospect, and Gelof is No.3. And while neither will be confused for a grizzled veteran anytime soon, Gelof feels as if he’s already starting to settle into being a major league ballplayer.
“It was good to get the first one out of the way,” Gelof said. “Now it’s time to put my head down and get to work, have some fun, and help this team win.”
NOTES
- 29-year-old relief pitcher Dany Jiménez hasn’t pitched since April 16 after straining his right shoulder, and Kotsay said the third-year pitcher is showing signs of progress after throwing 15 pitches in batting practice, and that he could return sometime in August.
- Ramon Laureano turns 29 on Saturday, but won’t have a chance to get a hit on his birthday for the first time in his career. The lefthanded slugger has been on the IL with a groin injury since June 22, but Kotsay said Laureano could go out on rehab as soon as Tuesday.
- The seven-game winning streak in June is now a distant memory as the A’s have resumed their losing ways. Oakland has lost 18 of 24 since June 14.
Source: www.mercurynews.com