The A’s announced they’ve designated catcher Austin Allen for assignment. Reliever Jake Lemoine was also optioned to Triple-A Las Vegas as the team trimmed its active roster count from 28 to 26. Additionally, Oakland announced that outfielder Mickey McDonald, who was designated for assignment over the weekend, has cleared waivers and been sent outright to Las Vegas.
Like most of the players who have been DFA in recent days, Allen is out of minor league option years. That meant Oakland was left to either carry him on the active roster or take him off the 40-man and risk losing him to another club. With the roster cutdown necessitating sending two players out, the A’s have decided on the latter course of action.
Oakland acquired Allen from the Padres over the 2019-20 offseason in the deal that sent utilityman Jurickson Profar to San Diego. He has been on the 40-man roster in the two and a half years since then, although he’s only tallied 56 MLB plate appearances over 23 games. The lefty-hitting backstop spent most of the 2020 campaign at the alternate training site, then spent the bulk of last year at Las Vegas.
Stashing Allen as minor league depth wasn’t an available course of action this time around. He spent a few days on the restricted/COVID-19 lists but otherwise has been on the active roster, primarily as the #3 catcher. Sean Murphy is the obvious #1 backstop in Oakland. Christian Bethancourt, who signed a minor league deal and was selected to the majors when Allen hit the restricted list, has gotten into 13 games between catcher, first base and designated hitter; Allen has suited up just five times, an indication that Bethancourt had surpassed him as the #2 option. Veteran Stephen Vogt is currently on the injured list with a knee sprain but will be in that mix once he’s healthy.
Allen, 28, has only mustered a .195/.252/.288 line with a 37% strikeout rate in 127 MLB plate appearances. He’s never really had an extended opportunity to settle in, though, with his 34 games for San Diego in 2019 marking a career-high. The Missouri native has a massive .323/.365/.623 line in nearly 600 Triple-A plate appearances, including a .317/.351/.584 mark with the Aviators last year.
Vegas’ extreme hitter-friendly environment no doubt played a role, but it’s possible Allen’s strong minor league resume will convince another team to take a look. Prospect evaluators have generally not been enthused with his defense, but a team that views him as a capable gloveman behind the dish could be willing to devote him a roster spot as a bat-first depth option. Oakland will have a week to trade Allen or try to run him through waivers.
McDonald made his MLB debut last month, tallying six plate appearances over four games. He didn’t collect a hit but drew a pair of walks. McDonald has never previously been outrighted, so he’ll have to report back to Las Vegas and try to earn another look in the big leagues. The 26-year-old hit .333/.423/.438 in 228 Triple-A plate appearances last season, but he’s struggled in ten games there this year.
Allen can not be counted on as a catcher.
Now DFA Vogt and call up Langliers. then we will be cooking with peanut oil!!
Langliers looks like a very good hititng catcher with good D!
EXACTLY. Vogt might as well retire and be an A’s coach.
He seems to have a fine fielding percentage. It just seems he cannot hit at all in MLB.
He is allegedly a bat-first catcher but he seems to be missing his bat at the major league level.
Maybe a change of scenery could help as he is still pretty young but as an A’s fan I haven’t seen anything from Allen that would suggest he could be even a #2 catcher.. Losing your Job to 37 year old Vogt and Christian Bethancourt doesnt exactly inspire confidence
Finally gets a shot at consistent time in the majors and has to spend time on the restricted list cause he isn’t allowed to travel to Canada…. probably not bright enough to be a catcher.
Fielding percentage is probably the single worst stat to rate catchers defensive capabilities on
Yeah, he is a poor framer and has a weak arm, He also offers no versatility other than occasionally DH’ing, and his bat hasn’t been good enough to justify doing that. If he could even play a halfway passable first base he probably would be able to keep the roster spot over Vogt
Hard to hit well when you get called up but never get plate appearances.
*ALLENSTOWN AHHHHHHHHHS
Lol, surprised you beat him to it.
Well, I hope Allen can stay around. Austin just wasn’t provided with enough playing time to prove his value and with Sean Murphy cementing himself as daily pitchers caller – plus Sean just earned his first gold glove – it is not easy…
But will Murphy hit enough to be a true #1?
He has a 110 career wRC+ and 115 mark so far this season. He already hits enough to be a true #1 catcher.
Yeah he is arguably a top 5 catcher with his defense and power profile!
Check out other teams’ catchers. Not a good time for offense and catching
If you win a gold glove at catcher you can probably hit well below league average and still be considered a #1.
Do A’s fans see Langliers as the eventual replacement for Murphy?
He definitely could be,
Langliers has been tearing the cover off of the ball in AAA this year, and Murphy while talented and currently inexpensive could fetch a major haul as young controllable Gold Clove catcher with Power.
I would think that if/when the A’s are out of contention in the Summer they could move Murphy to a contender and pick up some really good prospects. Then they can clear room for Langliers to take the everyday job at least until Soderstrom is ready!!
A’s may surprise and stay closer to contention than many are predicting.
In the unlikely event we don’t trade Murphy Langliers could coexist with him and play first, I don’t think we have much in the pipeline at that position.
I hope the Orioles sign Allen. He is a lot better than Beemboom.
Looks like a decent option for a few clubs. BAL and PIT could certainly use him.
Perez has just done just fine and he really isn’t an upgrade over Knapp.
Is he not? I watched Knapp for half a decade and can’t exactly feel confident that you’re right there.
Zero doubt Allen will be scooped up immediately when he becomes available. Kid deserves a chance, and with those AAA numbers, he’ll get one.
How the EFF is Billy McKinney still on this roster?
Could be said for a few of the players on the A’s team. I see 4 players on the field that are regulars. Many are platoon or 1 rebuilding year players. Worse team they have had in over a decade.
Thankfully, McKinney will be gone on Sunday when Laureano is activated.
You are correct on that Ramon activation means McKinney unless he goes on a super hitting tear before Sunday he will be down in AAA.
Sean Murphy will be dealt by the trade deadline.
Top major league ready catching prospect Shea Langeliers will be in Oakland by the trade deadline.
I am surprised CF Laureano is still with the A’s.
He won’t be by the trade deadline.
Pache is the present and the future and he is starting to hit too!
He’s suspended still.
Must be comforting to Oakland that even if a player is out options, their players are so bad there’s no chance of another team picking them up
So misinformed. The A’s have been averaging 85-90 wins for the last 10 years.
No matter who they trade, they always get top, young, hungry, talent back that play with passion in trying to establish themselves as young major league stars and starters..