Mark Canha’s hip injury has reopened a question the A’s faced in spring — how to fill the leadoff spot in their batting order.
Canha started 71 of Oakland’s first 77 games before landing on the injured list Friday with a left hip strain. Tony Kemp hit leadoff Friday night against Giants right-hander Johnny Cueto. Against left-hander Alex Wood on Saturday, manager Bob Melvin moved Ramón Laureano to the top of the lineup.
“We’re going to try to get it right every day,” Melvin said. Laureano “has done it before; he’s excited about doing it. We’ll probably, depending on matchups or whatever, maybe look at a couple other guys, too. But he gets the first crack at it against left-handed pitching.”
Kemp, a left-handed hitter, is an easy choice right now against righties. On-base percentage is a top factor in the A’s choosing a leadoff hitter. Kemp entered Saturday with a .410 OBP, second-highest among AL players with 150 or more plate appearances.
Kemp is 9-for-19 with four walks and five runs scored from the top of the order this season. Laureano made his 17th career start in the leadoff spot Saturday; he carried a .286 OBP batting leadoff into the game but had six home runs in 72 at-bats.
Options beyond those two are unclear. Elvis Andrus could be one. The shortstop batted leadoff at times in spring training. He has mostly hit at the bottom of the A’s lineup but has experience leading off and is a strong baserunner.
Canha has a .375 OBP and 55 runs scored, tied for fourth-most in the AL entering Saturday. Melvin had no further update on the severity of Canha’s injury prior to Saturday’s game, saying his absence will “be every bit of 10 days and then we’ll see where we go from there.”
On Piscotty: Outfielder Stephen Piscotty (left wrist sprain) is eligible for activation from the 10-day IL as of Saturday but a return does not sound imminent. Piscotty received a cortisone shot Monday; Melvin said the shot is “kicking in” and Piscotty is “getting better.”
“I’m not sure what day he’s going to start to do some baseball activity, but the last couple days it seems like he’s turned a corner in how he’s feeling,” Melvin said.
Briefly: Outfield prospect Austin Beck, the sixth overall pick in the 2017 draft, was promoted from High-A Lansing to Triple-A Las Vegas; the Aviators needed an outfielder and the A’s felt Beck might benefit from time with the Triple-A staff. … Melvin said he thinks “several” A’s pitchers could be All-Star candidates, naming Chris Bassitt, Sean Manaea and Yusmeiro Petit.
Matt Kawahara is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer.
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