Oakland A’s rookie made history with homer binge at Yankee Stadium, but defense could be key to staying in lineup

Jordan Diaz made history this week when he hit three home runs in the same game at Yankee Stadium. But it’s the rookie’s improved defense that could keep him in the A’s lineup.

Diaz, 22, became the first Colombian-born player to homer three times in a big league game on Tuesday in the A’s 10-5 loss to the Yankees. It was just Diaz’s 30th game in the majors and he had only homered once. It’s not like the right-handed swinger has been a huge power hitter in the minors, either. He has hit 43 home runs in 1,603 plate appearances in the minors, so even Diaz was a little surprised by his home run binge. He had never hit three home runs in a game at any level.

“For me, it’s a very special day,” Diaz told reporters in New York through an interpreter. “I’m just really excited and happy for what happened to me — especially here.”

Diaz made his big league debut last season and played in 15 games with the A’s, hitting .265, but opened this season at Triple-A Sacramento. He was promoted on April 19 and hit the ground running, collecting a hit in each of his first four games, including his first big league homer in his second game. Diaz cooled off until the A’s went to the Bronx, going 4 for 9 with those three home runs.

“Every at-bat I was kind of getting a better feeling,” Diaz told reporters after the game  “Every at-bat I was feeling better and better. I was also seeing the ball better. Every at-bat I was more comfortable.”

Manager Mark Kotsay says Diaz is getting more comfortable in the field, too.

Diaz, listed at 5-foot-10, 175 pounds, has been in search of a steady position since he signed with the A’s at the age of 16 in 2017. He’s played first base, second base, third base and a little outfield. He even caught a full game in the Dominican Summer League.

But the A’s are encouraged with what they have seen from Diaz at second base since he arrived from Las Vegas. He was in the lineup Friday night against the Rangers, his sixth straight start at second base. In all, he’s been the A’s starting second baseman in nine of the past 14 games. But playing time could get tougher to divide up with Ramon Laureano back from injury and Seth Brown nearly ready to return from an oblique issue, joining a crowd that also includes JJ Bleday and Tony Kemp.

“The word from development over the last year and a half was he’s an average defender, and I think he’s become better here,” Kotsay told reporters before Friday’s game. “He works hard at it. This offseason he did everything he could from an agility standpoint, speed standpoint. His workouts while he played were great and I think it’s showing now.”

Kotsay added, “He’s still young. There’s still time for him to grow in terms of his athletic and his defensive capabilities.”

But with his three-homer game, Diaz already has accomplished something with his bat that no other second baseman in Oakland franchise history has ever done.

The previous A’s player to hit three home runs in a game was Khris Davis in May 2016 against Texas. The only other Oakland players since 2005 to do it were Danny Valencia, two days before Davis at Tampa Bay, and Josh Reddick in August 2013 at Toronto.

— Kotsay said the A’s are still awaiting the results of a second opinion on prized pitcher Mason Miller’s right elbow.

“I saw Mason out here and he says he feels a lot better today,” Kotsay said before the game. “But when you ask for a second opinion … I would believe he would most likely have a consultation with who he reached out to for a second opinion, and I’m not sure if that’s been scheduled.”

It has been a suspenseful week for the A’s in regard to Miller, whose fastball regularly hits triple-digits and dazzled fans by pitching seven no-hit innings in just his third big league start.

Miller last pitched on Sunday in Kansas City, and a day later the A’s revealed that Miller had experienced tightness in his right elbow during that outing and was sent home from the trip to be examined in the Bay Area. Tuesday, Kotsay told reporters in New York that the exam revealed “a clean, structural MRI” and there was hope Miller might begin to play catch as soon as the end of this week. But on Thursday, Kotsay said the team was seeking a second opinion and placed Miller on the Injured List. The A’s needed a roster spot to bring up another rookie, Luis Medina, to start on Thursday night, so the move was largely procedural, but a trip to the IL for elbow tightness can also be the first step before surgery.

Miller, 24, has dazzled — and dominated — with a high-90s fastball and wipeout slider. Through four big league starts, Miller has struck out 22 while walking seven and posting a 3.38 ERA in 21 1/3 innings.

— Kotsay said Brown is scheduled to DH and have three at-bats with Las Vegas on Saturday.

— The A’s traded minor league utilityman Pablo Reyes to the Boston Red Sox for cash considerations. Reyes, 29, has been with Triple-A Las Vegas but has spent parts of four seasons in the majors with the Brewers and Pirates. Reyes had a .257/.385/..351 slash line with the Aviators and had started games at second base, third base, shortstop, left field and center field. He has appeared at every position except catcher and first base in the majors.