The Athletics have claimed infielder Danny Valencia off waivers from the Blue Jays, the A’s announced (on Twitter). Valencia was claimed from outright waivers as opposed to revocable trade waivers, so no trade will need to be worked out.
Valencia, 30, was a surprise casualty of the Blue Jays’ flurry of trade deadline activity, as the team designated him for assignment late last week in spite of excellent numbers at the plate. The right-handed-hitting Valencia is hitting .296/.331/.506 with seven homers in 173 trips to the plate this season.
Throughout Valencia’s career, most of his production has come versus left-handed pitching (a very robust .326/.368/.497 batting line), but he’s actually recorded better numbers versus right-handed pitching in 2015. Valencia has seen most of his action at third base throughout his career — he was the Twins’ regular third baseman for two and a half seasons and finished third in the 2010 AL Rookie of the Year voting — but he’s played some left field, first base and second base over the past couple of seasons as well. As a player that has notable platoon splits and the ability to bounce around the diamond a bit, he fits the quintessential Athletics mold.
Valencia will have four-plus years of service time at season’s end, meaning he can be controlled through the 2017 season. Valencia and his representatives at MVP Sports won an arbitration hearing against the Blue Jays this winter, resulting in a $1.675MM salary. He’s owed about $577K of that sum through the end of the year. The Athletics had top waiver priority in the American League, so the first team that had the option of picking up Valencia is the team on which he ultimately landed.
Now all the A’s have to do is DFA that wretched Sam Fuld and they might make a late storm home!
And for those scoffing, Crisp, Doolittle, Venditte, Valencia are pretty big upgrades over Fuld, Sogard, Scribner & Mujica.
^This Guy lol
A’s fan here… who replaces Sogo on that list? The guy with 9 career games there?
Lawrie to 2nd, Valencia at 3rd.
I think they learned their lesson on getting rid of Fuld last season..
Good luck Danny on your new team, He’s always been one of my favorites for some reason
He was great in T.O.
Good team guy and many players were unhappy with his DFA.
Of course Billy Beane will screw the White Sox over…
Wow, I guess there is a silver lining having the worst record in the AL! Valencia is a pretty spectacular pickup to get off of the scrapheap.
Awful move by AA here. Loup was the obvious candidate to DFA unless you’re hell bent on having more than one LHP. The fact the bench player that replaced him is the team mascot, Kawasaki, is atrocious. The fact Valencia had a 129 wrc+ makes it even more gross.
The Jays needed a backup infielder, and I have more faith in Kawasaki’s glove than in Valencia’s. Also, there’s something to be said for clubhouse morale—if you’ve got 24 guys who are killing it, why shouldn’t your 25th man be a “mascot” who the entire city loves? But I do agree that losing Valencia for nothing made no sense – surely the Jays could have gotten at least a warm body back for him.
“why shouldn’t your 25th man be a mascot who the entire city loves?”
Ugh. Munenori Kawasaki can’t hit, can’t run, can’t field, can’t throw, yet you claim the entire city loves him. Your bedroom must be just covered in participation ribbons.
AA needed to level up the Donaldson trade some more.
Wouldn’t be surprised if this is the case.
Lawrie, Graveman, Barreto, Nolin, Valencia & Doubront for Donaldson & cash is the new deal and I don’t want to hear otherwise! jk
Loup should’ve been optioned, Kawasaki should be in AAA and Colabello should’ve been the one DFA’d for Revere and Lowe
This is an amazing free grab.