Adding depth to a lineup full of injuries
The Oakland A’s lineup has taken several injuries lately, so they brought up some help on Monday.
The A’s recalled outfielder Luis Barrera from Triple-A Las Vegas.
To make room on the 28-man roster, reliever Michael Feliz was designated for assignment. Oakland previously had 15 pitchers and 13 position players, and now they’re back to their normal balance at 14 apiece.
The A’s put two infielders on the injured list Sunday morning and called up a hitter and a pitcher to replace them, and then in that afternoon’s game super-sub Josh Harrison exited early with what appeared to be discomfort in his leg. All of that left their lineup short-handed, so now there’s another bat/glove available.
The 25-year-old Barrera is one of the team’s better prospects, and he made his MLB debut in May, playing four games and going 1-for-5 at the plate before heading back to the minors. His skill set is based on speed and defense, including a great throwing arm, and at the plate he looks to make contact and slash liners all over the field. Last winter he ranked No. 8 on our Community Prospect List.
The lefty hitter struggled early in the summer, but over the past two months he’s heated up. After his brief MLB stint, he batted .188 in his next 43 games for Las Vegas, through the end of July. Since the beginning of August he’s bounced back, in 42 games and 165 plate appearances.
- Barrera, AAA Aug/Sept: .342/.396/.477, 120 wRC+, 2 HR, 6 SB, 8.5% BB, 16.4% Ks
For the season overall in Triple-A, he’s batting .276 with an 87 wRC+ and four homers in 96 games.
Meanwhile, the odd man out is Feliz. Oakland claimed him off waivers a week ago, and he pitched in one game while he was here, making the A’s his fourth MLB club of the season. He faced three batters against the Mariners, retiring one of them and allowing a hit and a walk. We’ll find out over the next few days whether he stays in the organization or moves on elsewhere, but either way he’s off both the 28-man roster and the 40-man roster.
Here’s the updated roster, with the injury report below.
| Pitchers | Hitters |
|
Starters
Chris Bassitt (R) 60-IL: Mike Fiers (R) Relievers Andrew Chafin (L) IL: Daulton Jefferies (R) |
Catchers
Sean Murphy (R) Infielders 1B: Matt Olson (L) IL: Elvis Andrus (R) Outfielders Mark Canha (R) IL: Stephen Piscotty (R) |
Injury report:
- RHP Trevor Rosenthal, OUT FOR YEAR, entire body (thoracic outlet, hip labrum)
- OF Stephen Piscotty, OUT FOR YEAR, wrist (had surgery 8/27)
- SS Elvis Andrus, 10-day IL, leg (fractured fibula, out for year)
- 2B Jed Lowrie, 10-day IL, hand (mathematically out for year)
- RHP Mike Fiers, 60-day IL, elbow (probably out for year)
- RHP Daulton Jefferies, 10-day IL, elbow (probably out for year)
- DH Mitch Moreland, 10-day IL, wrist (maybe out for year?)