TODAY: Castro, Brady, and Smith all indeed elected to become free agents, as per Matt Eddy of Baseball America.
NOVEMBER 6: The A’s announced on Monday that right-handers Simon Castro, Michael Brady and Josh Smith have all been assigned outright to Triple-A Nashville after clearing waivers. The moves give Oakland enough space to reinstate outfielder Dustin Fowler and righties Andrew Triggs, Paul Blackburn and Bobby Wahl from the 60-day disabled list.
Castro, 29, totaled 37 innings out of the Oakland bullpen, working to a 4.38 ERA with 8.5 K/9 against 3.4 BB/9. Castro averaged nearly 94 mph on his heater, but as an extreme fly-ball pitcher that saw 14 percent of flies against him turn into homers, he also averaged 1.7 long balls per nine innings pitched. The journeyman righty posted a career-best 14.9 K/9 in 38 Triple-A innings this season but averaged five walks per nine, as well. He’s set to turn 30 next April.
Brady, 30, made his big league debut in ’17 but struggled to a 5.68 ERA in 31 2/3 innings. He averaged just over six punchouts per nine frames but did so with strong control (1.7 BB/9). Like Castro, he’s an extreme fly-ball pitcher that struggled to keep the ball in the yard despite the spacious confines of the O.Co Coliseum. But, also like Castro, he enjoyed an impressive year in Triple-A, tossing 53 1/3 innings with a 3.21 ERA, 8.6 K/9 and 1.0 BB/9.
The 30-year-old Smith turned in 35 MLB innings with an ERA just south of 5.00 but posted a 3.70 ERA with 9.6 K/9 and 2.4 BB/9 in 41 1/3 innings of work at the Triple-A level. He’s yet to find success in the Majors in parts of three seasons with the Reds and A’s but has fared better in Triple-A and should latch on as a depth option in another organization.
All three players outrighted by the A’s will have the option of electing minor league free agency in lieu of the outright assignment and figure to do just that.
I don’t know how Oakland keeps on managing to field a major league team every year despite never attracting free agents or keeping the players they develop. They seem to always dig through everyone else’s trash heap and find a few serviceable players here and there. These three who received outright assignments are all career minor leaguers who got some time in the show with the A’s and are now back to bottom of the barrel.
We also haven’t really been fielding a major league team for the last 3 years.
The A’s pitching staff had a lot of injuries, then they sold at the deadline and were using live bodies, like those 3. They have a stacked farm (Sheldon Neuse suddenly started hitting like he was Mike Trout), so they will definitely be in the playoff hunt come 2019.
Lofl
Also because Beane is awesome at running a team.
A’s need to pursue a free agent starter like Andrew Cashner or Lance Lynn
Expect them to sign players like that. Maybe John Lackey and CC Sabathia. Guys who are at the end of their careers
Not really. Sabathia would be our best option as a veteran pitcher, but we definitely don’t need to waste any money on an innings eater right now. There are plenty of rotation options in the system at the moment.
I think CC is expecting he’ll get another 1-year contract from the A’s, and the last thing we need is a guy like John Lackey in the clubhouse. He doesn’t sell me as a guy that will have positive effect on the other 4 young pitchers in the rotation.
lackey is looking like Jared Weaver 2 a guy that has nothing left. A’s will bring home Otani to the bay area. Watch and see he wants to play on the west coast and nothing better than the bay area.
> I think CC is expecting he’ll get another 1-year contract from the A’s
Not A’s, Yankees. That was my bad.
Anywho, Sabathia and Dickey fit with the veteran presence the A’s are looking for, Cashner is a hard probably not and Lackey would be clubhouse cancer.
I’m an A’s fan. These are 3 guys I’ve never heard of.
I’m surprised. These guys were all used a good amount down the stretch.
All 3 were used late in the season after they traded away their best relievers. In baseball relief pitchers come and go all the time most teams have a back end of the bullpen relievers gone the next year.
You go Billy. Do your magic. Make a super deal with the Astros and take Josh Reddick