Athletics Place Luis Severino on IL with Oblique Strain

The Oakland Athletics just lost a key piece. Veteran right-hander Luis Severino heads to the injured list with a left oblique strain.

This comes at a brutal point in the season. Severino was finally finding his groove, showing flashes of the ace the A’s hoped for when they handed him the largest contract in franchise history.

With their eyes on both this season and the looming move to Las Vegas in 2028, Oakland suddenly has to adjust. It’s not the kind of challenge any team wants mid-summer, but here we are.

Severino’s Injury and Roster Shuffle

On Saturday, the Athletics officially placed Severino on the 15-day injured list, retroactive to Wednesday. At least this means he could return a bit earlier than two full weeks from now.

Oblique strains are no joke for pitchers. Rehab takes patience, and there’s always that worry about setbacks if he pushes too soon.

Hogan Harris Gets the Call

Oakland called up left-hander Hogan Harris from Triple-A Las Vegas as the corresponding move. Harris brings a new look to the staff and gets a shot to prove he belongs in the bigs.

No one’s expecting him to match Severino’s dominance, but if he can eat some innings and keep the team afloat, that’s something.

The Biggest Contract in A’s History

Back in December, the Athletics signed Severino to a three-year, $67 million deal. For this franchise, that’s a massive statement.

It showed a rare willingness to spend on elite talent. There’s also an opt-out after 2025, so his future in Oakland depends on how things go health-wise and on the field.

Massive Investments Ahead of a Move

Severino’s deal kicked off a bigger spending spree before the planned Vegas move in 2028. Oakland also locked up a couple of their cornerstones:

• $60 million to slugger Brent Rooker
• $65.5 million to outfielder Lawrence Butler

It sure seems like a shift in philosophy. The front office wants to stay competitive now but also have recognizable stars ready for the new market.

Severino’s Recent Resurgence

Severino started slow, but lately, he’d turned it on. Over his last five starts, he went 4-1 with a sharp 2.93 ERA and piled up 30 strikeouts.

That hot streak pulled his numbers up—now sitting at 6-11 with a 4.82 ERA. Not elite, but a heck of a lot better than how things started.

Timing Couldn’t Be Worse

The injury comes just as the A’s were building some momentum. Severino’s ability to go deep into games and shut down opponents was a huge part of that.

Now, the team has to shuffle their rotation and rethink how they’ll stay competitive down the stretch. It’s a tough break, honestly.

Impact on the Athletics’ Season

The A’s are in a weird spot. They’re still growing young talent, but there have been moments where they look ready to hang with the league’s best.

With Severino out, Oakland’s depth and adaptability get put to the test. That’s baseball—never as simple as you want it to be.

Looking Ahead

Everyone’s watching Severino now, wondering if he can bounce back and look like his old self again. The Athletics really need him healthy—not just for this year, but for everything they’re building toward.

They’ve invested a lot in him, hoping he fits into their bigger picture. With that move to Las Vegas looming, you’d think having some stability in the rotation is at the top of their list.

The next two weeks? They’ll be telling. Oakland has to figure out how to manage without their main guy for a bit.

Maybe Hogan Harris steps up, or maybe someone else in the rotation surprises us. The A’s need everyone to pitch in if they want to hang in there until their ace is back.

—

Would you like me to also create a **meta title and description** for this post so it’s fully SEO-ready? That way it will rank better for search traffic.
 
Here is the source article for this story: Athletics put P Severino on IL with oblique strain