7:20pm: Rosenthal is dealing with “fatigue” in his shoulder, according to manager Bob Melvin, who said he’s “not really sure” how much time the reliever will miss (per Matt Kawahara of the San Francisco Chronicle).
11:10am: The Athletics announced Thursday that they’ve selected the contracts of infielder Jed Lowrie and lefty Reymin Guduan from Triple-A Las Vegas. Oakland also optioned righty Daulton Jeffries and lefty A.J. Puk to the alternate training site, placed righties Mike Fiers (hip inflammation) and Trevor Rosenthal (right shoulder inflammation) on the injured list and designated outfielder Skye Bolt for assignment.
Lowrie, 37 in April, returned for a third go-around with the A’s over the winter when he inked a minor league deal. His two-year stint with the Mets proved to be an abject disaster, as he tallied just eight plate appearances over the life of a two-year, $20MM contract. That Lowrie was injured for the bulk of his tenure in Queens was frustrating enough for Mets fans, but the team’s bizarre and cryptic series of non-updates on the veteran infielder’s knee troubles proved extra perplexing. Eventually, the Mets termed Lowrie’s injury as “PCL laxity” in his left knee, but little additional detail was ever provided.
It appears as though Lowrie is healthy now, however, as he not only made the roster but did so on the heels of a respectable Cactus League showing. The switch-hitter tallied 37 plate appearances over the course of 13 games, hitting .265/.297/.559 with a pair of homers and four doubles. The A’s surely would like to see that OBP tick up a bit, which seems quite likely given Lowrie’s career 9.8 percent walk rate. He should factor prominently into the mix for playing time at second base, where the A’s will be missing Tommy La Stella, who signed across the Bay with the Giants on a three-year deal as a free agent.
The shoulder troubles for Rosenthal, meanwhile, are a concerning development. The righty was slowed by a groin strain late in Spring Training, but a shoulder issue is of greater concern. There’s no indication that the injury is especially serious at the moment, but arm troubles of any kind for a pitcher who has a somewhat recent Tommy John surgery in his history (2018) raise a red flag.
The A’s surprised the baseball world by swooping in and signing Rosenthal to a one-year, $11MM contract late in the offseason after he wasn’t able to find a multi-year deal to his liking. The former Cardinals closer returned to prominence with the Royals and Padres last year in overpowering fashion. Rosenthal was a true juggernaut at the back of both teams’ bullpens during the regular season, posting a combined 1.90 ERA with a 41.8 percent strikeout rate. A similar powerhouse showing in 2021 would surely position him nicely for that lucrative multi-year pact he covets, but he’s off to an inauspicious start.
Bolt, meanwhile, will now be traded or placed on outright waivers within the next week. He has just 11 big league plate appearances under his belt but is capable of playing all three outfield spots and carries a .269/.350/.459 batting line in 347 plate appearances at the Triple-A level. He does have a minor league option remaining.
How do you cut a guy named Skye Bolt???
Because there’s no place for him to play on the MLB team and he lacks options?
I don’t really know how these things work, but the last sentence says that he does have an option remaining. Why would they have DFA’d him?
The article literally says that Bolt has a remaining minor league option.
Options also have nothing to do with being DFA’d, which is related to removal from the 40-man.
As opposed to the article figuratively saying something
The overuse of the word “literally” is out of control. A few months ago, someone commented that the New York Giants are literally a dumpster fire. Using that word makes people feel smarter even though it makes them look dumber.
Examples of things the article says figuratively:
1) Lowrie has been signed for a third time with the As (“Lowrie…returned for a third go-around”);
2) Lowrie made the roster after a good Cactus League performance (“he…did so on the heels of”);
3) Bolt has only had 11 MLB plate appearances (“He has just 11 big league plate appearances under his belt”).
The article says many things figuratively. The fact that he has one remaining minor league option is not one of them. That was quite literal.
Understand the difference now, Cey Hey and Dumpster?
He’ll probably head down south to the Chargers where his name would be more appropriate. Maybe he’ll be a kicker to bolt the ball into the sky.
The Skyes the limit perhaps?
Bolt cutters
hopefully Bolt can get a chance to shine somewhere else
Jed Lowrie is alive and not missing?!?!!?!?!?
For how long before he goes missing again? Under/over is 28 games before he goes on the IL.
Very stupid to send down the on-fire Jefferies and the highly-touted Puk, but it’s probably to do with manipulating service time.
I’m very excited to see what a healthy Puk could do!
Yes, now I think about it, he did have a late start to spring training and could use the break. I’m a huge fan of both Puk and the underrated Daulton Jefferies, who is probably going to annoyingly be viewed as a SP at AAA instead of a member of a 6 man MLB rotation, like he deserves. He walked 3 in 23 innings (and got HOSED by bad umpiring in another inning where he walked 3 more and gave up no runs). Spring stats are pretty bunk, but there are a few out there that always play, like control stats. Jefferies’ is off the charts.
Also, if Cole Irvin makes the team and is as good as he looks, the A’s pitching and defense will make short work of the AL West. Offense just has to be so-so, if all these injured pitchers (Jefferies, Puk, Luzardo, Kaprelian, Holmes) all come back good, and then if Montas, Manaea and Bassitt are also very good, then the A’s will have depth the likes the league has not seen. Which they could sit on, or flip for say, a Trevor Story rental in case Andrus still can’t hit.
Enough rambling by me, can’t wait for the season!!
@UK
Doesn’t sending down Jeffries and Puk mean that Cole Irvin is the fifth starter? Elvis is going to suck big time, I love the idea of nabbing someone like Trevor story at the deadline, good call!
@UK
Daulton is another player I want to see more of. I appreciate Pitchers that actually throw strikes lol
Puk and Lowrie belong in the same sentence
Lowrie’ s career is ending the way it began with the Red Sox. So much promise but injuries, injuries, injuries. He’ll be on the IL by the end of April.
Puk should play for the Sharks.
Puk is not ready yet. His fastball has been 93-94 this spring, He doesn’t have the elite velocity to make up for his lack of control. His velocity should be back next year. This is the same thing that happened to Manaea, who is just now getting back up to full speed after shoulder surgery 2 years ago.
Irvin is just as hot as Jefferies. Jefferies last outing was effective, but he was missing his targets by a lot.
Agreed. Puk on the team means we don’t have to cut Skye Bolt. What makes management think Guduan can throw more Strikes now than he did with his previous team? These are head scratching moves. In all Roster battles, they have chosen External candidates because they can send their own Internal candidates down to the minors. Don’t think that won’t cause Resentment later on in Arbitration talks.
About A’s baseball, Puk hasn’t been doing as well as I thought he would. Are you still happy with that pick or? I know injuries are his main problem.
Yes, injuries have held him back, but that ceiling is still ace. We might finally get to see him at full strength this year, he’s only being sent down because of his late start to spring and the sudden development of Cole Irvin, who is looking like an ace suddenly.
Would I prefer Braxton Garrett, Cal Quantrill, Matt Manning or Zack Collins instead of Puk? No. That’s who came after him in the draft. Kyle Lewis, Dakota Hudson, Gavin Lux and Will Smith were also first rounders picked after Puk and no, I’d probably still take Puk over them, he still has the higher ceiling, imho.
No write-up on the Mike Trout for Gregor Polanco trade?
Oh, what’s today’s date?
Ha funny
what about a new stadium?
If you were aiming for low-hanging fruit, you’re out of luck.
Draft EIR for Howard Terminal was released over a month ago, the public comment period is more than half over, and no one has yet filed a lawsuit over anything in it (said suits are restricted by a state-approved 270 day “win or quit” requirement).
Oakland City Council is slated to vote on approval before the end of the season, and Howard Terminal is the site the city has been pushing the A’s at for 7-8 years now.
The main opposition group is pure astroturf, branding themselves as the “East Oakland Stadium Alliance” but consisting 95% of Schnitzer Steel (neighbor at Howard Terminal) and some highly activist Port Unions (so activist that they’ve called the AFL-CIO “not socialist enough”). Schnitzer is bankrolling the opposition but losing court battle after court battle, and (somewhat connected) now subject to reducing emissions at their facility by 98% and millions in fines.
@ CCCTL
Thank you for this excellent update.
There is no ceiling on how good Skye Bolt can be
Skye’s brother Usain will be very disappointed.
Well played. Maybe he can join him on his soccer, ahem football, team.
Rosenthal shoulder injury? No thank you.
And they start to fall apart. No bueno
Jed Lowrie has Matt Kemp syndrome. Only good in one uniform. A’s for him.
Maybe somebody looking to catch lightning in a bottle will give Skye Bolt a chance?
Isn’t Skye Bolt related to Stormy Daniels?
more like related to Stormy Capitale
Lowrie is one hit away from exceeding his total number of hits in two years as a Met.
so that means Cole Irvin makes the team. another ex-Philadelphia athlete who will crush it.
Seems like a short term fill in depth guy until fiers is healthy or whenever more highly regarded prospects are ready. irvin may exceed expectations but probably a back rotation type at best
cheap, controllable, optionable back end guys arent a terrible piece at the end of the roster. if he can eat innings the trade is worth it easy.
he was impressive this Spring
Hope for the best but waiting on Puk and Daulton to get their shots.
Nice. I need Jed Lowrie to play shortstop on my “All older than me team” this year. It gets harder every year.
Wait until you get to my age and you’re doing the greatest living players older than me team.
I was born May 4, 1984. 10 years ago, I would not have predicted that I would have that much trouble putting this team together in 2021.
C: Kurt Suzuki
1b: Joey Vott
2b: Albert Pujols
SS: Jed Lowrie
3b: Yadier Molina
LF: Nelson Cruz
CF: Bret Gardner
RF: Miguel Cabrera
Rotation: Jon Lester, Greinke, Verlander, Rich Hill, Adam Wainright
Bullpen: a bunch of guys,
This team was laughable, but even last year was decent. I had Cano at 2b (he can come back next year), Howie Kendrick at 3b, and the OF had Markakis, Shin Soo Choo, and Hunter Pence.
Great stuff. The way pitchers are dropping, you’d better keep a rotation spot open for Bartolo Colon’s possible return. The last active player to be older than me was Jesse Orosco, who was 46 in 2003.
Here’s my team of oldest living players that I saw play. Though I attended my first game with the Cub Scouts in 1967, I didn’t become a full-fledged baseball fan until 1968. These players were all active in ’68. I limited it to guys with 10-year careers.
C: Clay Dalrymple
1b: Bill White
2b: Julian Javier
SS: Maury Wills
3b: Brooks Robinson
LF: Al Spangler
CF: Willie Mays
RF: Rocky Colavito
Rotation: Camilo Pascual, Bob Veale, Jim Perry, Gary Bell, Sonny Seibert
Bullpen: Roy Face, Al Worthington, Dick Hall, Orlando Pena, Pedro Ramos
Roy Face is the oldest at 93 years, 41 days. The next two are also relievers, Al Worthington and Dick Hall. The oldest position player is Willie Mays, who turns 90 in 34 days. Willie Mays at 90. Jeesh.
Nice, I wonder who the best players I have seen play are? Griffey, Gwynn, Henderson, Bonds. In my life in the restaurant biz I have served Ripken, Jesse Orosco, and Shaquille O’Neal.
Pitching is the least of my worries on my “all older than me team.” This will probably be the last year I can do it. Some might say that if I have Pujols at 2b and Yadier Molina at 3b, I shouldn’t do it this year. Both of those guys have played one game at those positions.
Wow. Was Ripken an active player at the time? If so, imagine what might have happened had the server spilled hot coffee on Cal and caused him to end his streak by missing some games. The restaurant would be famous.
My favorite Dodgers growing up were Willie Davis, Ron Cey, and Don Sutton. Watching Willie leg out a triple at Shea Stadium is my greatest thrill from a game I attended. In that same game, Claude Osteen pitched a complete-game, three-hit shutout with zero strikeouts. Times sure have changed.
My favorite non-Dodger was George Brett. Now it’s Juan Soto. As a hitter, Soto reminds me of Brett in how he sizes up the pitcher and controls the at-bat.
Jed Lowrie, for what it is worth, will both rake and play at least average in the field. Jed Lowrie has always excelled with these tiny market teams like Oakland. YOU CANNOT KEEP JED LOWRIE DOWN FOR LONG.
Oakland never has luck with high priced pitching. Ben Sheets, Jim Johnson, now Trevor Rosenthal.
0-1 is a bad way to start a season…maybe it’s time to rebuild?