The Athletics announced their signing of outfielder Billy McKinney to a minor league pact. The deal includes an invitation to Major League Spring Training. It’s the third type of signing for Oakland today, after a waiver claim of Sheldon Neuse and a blockbuster trade with the Blue Jays.
Now 27-years-old, McKinney had a dizzying 2021 season in which he suited up for three different teams. Between the Brewers, Mets, and the Dodgers, the left-handed hitter slashed .192/.280/.358. Only his 39-game stint with the Mets yielded positive offensive results (110 OPS+), but McKinney still provided plus defensive value at both outfield corners and first base for his 2021 employers.
McKinney netted one more employer in 2021, as an offseason deal between LA and Texas saw the Dodgers deal McKinney and fellow outfielder Zach Reks for cash. The Rangers held onto Reks but non-tendered McKinney a week later, pushing the latter into free agency and teeing him up for today’s reunion with the team that selected him 24th overall in the 2013 amateur draft.
Now that Oakland is in full fire sale mode, McKinney stands a reasonable chance at claiming a spot on the team’s bench, with a chance for more given the in-flux state of the roster. While he’s yet to find much consistency at the major league level, McKinney’s age, pedigree, and Triple-A success suggest there’s still upside to be had for both player and club.
Finally! A .192 hitter a’s fans can shout about (both of them!)
The A’s finally spending some cash.
This roster is going to be comical.
Who are these f- ing guys??
—- Major League
They’ll win 96 games and lose the play in game
Watching him play on the Dodgers was like getting a root canal. Crappy hitter.
Didn’t he go along with Addison Russell to the cubs from the A’s in 2015?
2014 but yes
Oh sure, count on the A’s to steal the Dodgers’ Freeman thunder by signing Mckinney and Neuse. Brilliant though.
Back in mlb the show 2020, whenever I made a player he would always somehow get drafted by the blue jays.
And he would always run into Sheldon neuse in AAA. That’s all I know about him.
Oh s! And people said the A’s aren’t going to compete this year! Stud!
Does anyone know is Olmedo Saenz is in game shape?
Billy Koch on line 1.
Billy McKinney…Jays legend!
Hope this kid finds whatever he’s been missing. He played hard as a Dodger. Seemed like a good guy.
Otherwise known as the former A’s 1st rd draft pick they took over Aaron judge
Are they collecting their former farm hands from around LA turnstiles?
Super fun to watch on the Mets!
How are there A’s fans? Ownership trades away any players that aren’t dirt cheap
Your a fan of the team not the players, the team has been quite successful since like 2000 while operating on one of the lowest budgets in the game. Baseball is hard enough to win at, you shouldn’t have to resign thus overpaying your own players and getting stuck with albatross players to appease the simpleton fans. A’s are a model franchise.
McKinney had a couple great weeks with the Brewers with clutch hitting and glove work. Then…not.
Their outfield depth actually has some depth. Stuck with piscotty contract, laureano until suspension over, Seth brown did hit 20 homeruns last year. .Pinder can shift between outfield and infield. And they have skye bolt, cody Thomas, luis barerra, buddy reed who are in their mid 20s but has yet get extended chances
At the rate of trading the A’s have been going, couldn’t they at least throw a bone to McKinney and offer him a major league contract? I mean, who else is left on the 26-man roster?
He and Piscotty will make everyone miss Chapman and Olsen.
Hope this kid gets a half season to prove his worth as a starter. Has got some pop.
Is Matt Stairs available?
Out-Oriolesing the Orioles I see!
Seriously, why are they resigning all their trash heap guys they DFA’d over the years. This is not the kind of reunion you wanna watch for 162 games. Sell the team
Too bad the A’s DFA’d Cubs legend Frank Schwindel last summer. They could really use him now.