Athletics' Abraham Toro: Sees action as in-game replacement

Toro (shoulder) entered Thursday's loss to the Royals as a pinch hitter in the bottom of the seventh inning and remained in the game at third base, recording a double in his only plate appearance.

Toro was out of the starting nine for the third straight game due to shoulder soreness, but his ability to make some hard contact and then stay in the game on defense implies he may be ready to return to the lineup Friday. The veteran's pinch-hit, two-out two-bagger Thursday had the potential to generate Toro's 25th RBI of the campaign and snap a 2-2 tie, but Kyle McCann was thrown out at the plate on the play to end the frame.