A’s move Nick Kurtz and Jeffrey Springs to the injured list, designate Ben Bowden for assignment

The Athletics made three roster moves on Tuesday centered on both health and pitching depth, placing first baseman Nick Kurtz on the 10-day injured list and left-handed starter Jeffrey Springs on the 15-day injured list. The team retroactively applied both transactions to Aug. 1, a detail that can matter for when players become eligible to return to the active roster.

Kurtz’s placement stems from a strained right thumb, according to the Athletics’ announcement. Springs, a left-handed pitcher, was placed on the 15-day injured list with right hip discomfort. For a team still building toward consistent late-season depth, moving these two everyday contributors off the roster indicates the A’s are prioritizing staying within the minimum roster stability required to manage health while they continue to play games during the stretch run.

In the same set of moves, Oakland designated left-handed pitcher Ben Bowden for assignment. A designation for assignment opens a window in which the player can be traded, released, or, if he clears waivers, outrighted to the minors. The A’s also balanced the corresponding roster spot changes with other player moves that indicate they are looking to keep both the lineup and bullpen options functional despite the injuries.

The club also reinstated right-handed pitcher J.T. Ginn from the injured list and recalled infielder Max Muncy from Triple-A Las Vegas. Reinstating Ginn suggests he is expected to rejoin the active pitching group after his earlier time away, while Muncy’s recall provides an infield bat and additional positional flexibility. Together, those moves point to a practical approach: replace some of the lost production and pitching availability immediately, rather than waiting out the full injured list windows without alternatives.

Oakland additionally worked its pitching waiver situation. Left-handed? No, the player mentioned here is Chen Zhong-Ao Zhuang, a right-handed pitcher who had been designated for assignment on Friday, then cleared waivers. The Athletics outrighted Zhuang to Las Vegas, removing him from the active roster picture while keeping him in the organization’s minor-league system.

Taken as a group, these transactions show how quickly MLB rosters can turn during August, when a few injuries can create ripple effects across both position players and relief options. Even without any discussion of timing beyond the injured list retroactivity, the practical takeaway is that the A’s are managing around thumb and hip issues while adjusting the active pitching mix through a combination of reinstatements, recalls, and roster clearing moves.

The next key question is how soon the injuries progress, particularly for Kurtz and Springs, since their return windows are directly governed by the respective injured list lengths and retroactive dates. For now, Bowden’s designation adds uncertainty to his immediate future with Oakland, while Ginn and Muncy’s returns will help determine whether the A’s can maintain their day-to-day workload across infield production and innings distribution as they continue the season.