PHOENIX -- The night a player hits his first Major League home run is one he will always remember. For
Three innings after launching his first big league homer in Monday’s 5-2 Athletics win over the D-backs at Chase Field, a booming Statcast-projected 416-foot solo shot in the top of the second off Arizona starter Mitch Bratt, Kuroda-Grauer struck a hard foul ball off his groin area and immediately fell to the ground in a considerable amount of pain, remaining down for a few minutes as he was checked on by an A’s trainer. He later departed with a testicular contusion, the A's announced.
Helped up to his feet by manager Mark Kotsay, Kuroda-Grauer stayed in the game and even finished the at-bat by lining a single to center field, though it was clear he was still feeling the effects of the blow as he hunched down in obvious discomfort as he stood on first. Kuroda-Grauer went back out in the bottom of the fifth to play third base, but as the A’s took the field again for the bottom of the sixth, the 23-year-old rookie was replaced on defense by Donovan Walton.
Kuroda-Grauer was not available to the media postgame, as he was undergoing an ultrasound to determine the severity of his injury.\n\n“Unfortunate event for KG,” Kotsay said. “He tried to stay in and battle. Right now, the big concern is \\[to make sure\\] there’s no significant injury to him. We’ll have further notice later on tonight, but, hopefully, things are OK.”\n\nIt goes without saying that losing him for any amount of extended time would be yet another tough blow in what has been an injury-riddled year for the club. Kuroda-Grauer has been a shining light during what has been a brutal stretch in which the A’s entered Monday having lost 19 of their past 23 games.\n\nSince his big league debut on June 29, Kuroda-Grauer, rated the A’s No. 8 prospect by MLB Pipeline, has been scorching at the plate. Including his two hits Monday, the versatile infielder is now batting .417 (25-for-60) to begin his career. His 25 hits are tied with Eddie Murphy (1912) for most in A’s history by a player over his first 16 games.\n\n“Hopefully, he’s good,” said A’s starter Jeffrey Springs, who limited the D-backs to two runs across five innings. “Since he’s come up here, he’s been just swinging the bat. Played a great third base today. He’s laying out for balls left and right and playing hard. … Heck of a start for him. He’s going to play a long time. He’s a great player and a great spark plug.”
In the absence of Kuroda-Grauer and right fielder