Melvin 'surprised' by Hundley's speedy recovery

OAKLAND -- Nick Hundley is advancing through his rehab from knee surgery even faster than the A’s could have imagined.

Placed on the 10-day injured list on June 8 with back spasms, the catcher decided to fix two problems at once as he also underwent the arthroscopic surgery on his left knee to clean up a tear within the medial meniscus of his knee on June 18. Just over two weeks later, Hundley has progressed through his recovery process to the point where the A’s will send him to their Minor League complex in Arizona on Friday to ramp up his rehab work and take part baseball activities.

“The knee you thought would take a little bit longer, and the back was pretty severe, too,” A’s manager Bob Melvin said. “I’m surprised how he’s come along. Whenever the training staff feels good about him going out on rehab, he will. Probably sooner than I thought.”

Hundley is targeting the week after the All-Star break for the start of a Minor League rehab assignment. The A’s originally placed a timetable of around six weeks from the date of the surgery for Hundley’s return.

Pinder available off the bench
After receiving treatment on the right ankle he turned during pregame fielding drills on Wednesday, Chad Pinder was feeling better before Thursday’s series finale against the Twins. He’s expected to be available off the bench, and Melvin plans to start him on Friday night when the A’s begin a three-game series in Seattle.

“He’s maybe at 75 percent, if I had to put a number on it,” Melvin said. “I think he’ll be able to start tomorrow. That’s what we’re kind of targeting. We face three lefties in a row there and he’ll be available off the bench today, but still a little sore.”