Aaron Civale Headed to the IL After Velocity Drop in Two Straight Starts: A’s Promote Top Prospect Gage Jump
The Aaron Civale signing has not gone how the Athletics hoped. The veteran starter is now headed to the injured list after his fastball velocity cratered for the second straight start.
Civale was pulled after four innings on Monday. His fastball averaged 88.3 mph on the stadium radar gun, more than 3 mph below his 2026 season average. Manager Mark Kotsay said postgame that the velocity drop traced back to an issue with Civale’s right shoulder or lat. The Athletics confirmed Tuesday that Civale will undergo testing and “most likely” land on the IL.
The team responded by promoting top pitching prospect Gage Jump from the minor leagues to take his rotation spot.
Why the Velocity Drop Matters
Pitchers do not lose 3 mph off their fastball overnight without a reason. The most common cause is a shoulder issue, sometimes a strain, sometimes a labrum problem. A lat strain can produce the same symptoms because the lat is involved in the deceleration phase of the throwing motion.
The Athletics have not ruled anything out. The testing scheduled for Tuesday will tell the real story. Imaging on the shoulder, the lat and the surrounding tissue is the standard protocol. If imaging comes back clean, the IL stint could be relatively short. If imaging shows a tear or significant inflammation, Civale could be out for months.
Civale’s 2026 Season Recap
Civale signed a one-year, $6 million deal with the Athletics in February. He was supposed to be the veteran innings-eater in a young rotation. The early returns were fine but not great. His ERA was hovering around 4.20 with a sub-1.30 WHIP. His strikeout rate was down from previous seasons.
The velocity issue likely explains why. Civale is not a power pitcher to begin with. When his fastball drops from the low 90s to the high 80s, his margin for error disappears entirely. Hitters can sit on the secondary stuff and ambush the heater.
The Athletics knew they were taking a risk on Civale’s medicals when they signed him. The risk just showed up sooner than expected.
Gage Jump Gets His Shot
Jump is one of the top pitching prospects in the Athletics system. He was drafted in the second round in 2024. He has dominated at every minor league stop. His fastball plays in the mid 90s with movement. His slider is a swing-and-miss pitch. He has a developing changeup.
The Athletics did not plan on calling him up this early. Injuries forced the timeline. Jump is going to get a real chance to stick in the big leagues with multiple starts ahead of him.
If Jump pitches well, the Athletics suddenly have a young rotation piece they can build around. If he struggles, they cycle him back to the minors and try again later in the season.
The Bigger Picture for Oakland
The Athletics are rebuilding. They are not contending in 2026. The Civale signing was always more about providing innings and showcasing a veteran for a midseason trade.
If Civale comes back healthy, the Athletics might still be able to move him at the deadline for a young player or a draft pick. If his velocity does not return, they have a sunk cost on the books.
Either way, the focus shifts to young arms like Jump. The future of the rotation is going to be determined by the next 60 days of minor league development and big league trial runs.
The Tuesday Update
The Athletics will release imaging results in the next 48 hours. Whatever the results show, Civale is going to be off the mound for at least two weeks. The team’s plans for the next month depend entirely on what the doctors find.
Pitchers do not lose 3 mph for no reason. The Athletics are about to find out the reason. Whatever it is, the rotation looks different starting now.
A longtime sports reporter, Carlos Garcia has written about some of the biggest and most notable athletic events of the last 5 years. He has been credentialed to cover MLS, NBA and MLB games all over the United States. His work has been published on Fox Sports, Bleacher Report, AOL and the Washington Post.
