The A’s optioned first baseman Ryan Noda to Triple-A Las Vegas following today’s win over the Pirates. Oakland hasn’t announced a corresponding move, but MLB.com’s Martín Gallegos tweets that they could reinstate third baseman J.D. Davis from the 10-day injured list before Friday’s series opener against the Marlins.
It’s a quick turn of events for the A’s Opening Day first baseman. The second pick in the 2022 Rule 5 draft, Noda not only stuck on the roster but was one of Oakland’s best hitters as a rookie. He hit 16 homers with a .229/.364/.406 slash through 495 plate appearances. Between a very patient approach and below-average contact rate, Noda struck out at a huge 34.3% clip. Yet he also walked at a massive 15.6% rate — a top ten mark in MLB — and hit for enough power to be a productive offensive player.
That has not been the case in 2024. An 0-4 showing this afternoon dropped his season line to .128/.242/.198 in exactly 100 trips to the dish. Noda has taken another 12 free passes, but he has punched out 32 times. He hasn’t done any kind of damage, hitting just one homer and a trio of doubles. That longball and one of the doubles came against the Guardians on April 20. Noda doesn’t have a knock since then, as he has gone hitless in his last 11 appearances.
Skipper Mark Kotsay has continued to give Noda regular run against right-handed pitching. They’ll need to go in another direction for at least the next couple of weeks while he works to get back on track in the Pacific Coast League. Switch-hitting Abraham Toro has moved to first base for the A’s last two games against left-handed starters. Max Schuemann has stepped in at Toro’s customary second base spot for those contests.
If Davis is indeed ready to return from the adductor strain that has cost him the past two weeks, he’ll likely return to third base. That could push Tyler Nevin across the diamond. The right-handed hitting Nevin, whom the A’s claimed off waivers from the Orioles a month ago, connected on his fourth homer of the season in today’s game and is up to a .325/.375/.500 slash over 88 plate appearances.
That’s a Noduh.
Ryan Noda is just going through a sophomore year where he is just feeling preforming pressure as this is not the same A’s team from last year. Let’s just hope Ryan finds his stroke once again and come back to the majors where he belongs…
What happened to that prospect they had the catcher turned 1b?
Tyler Soderstrom had a bad Spring, but is hitting over .900 OPS in the minors. He’s only 22.
Well seems like he would be up next wouldn’t it?
Sayanoda for now!
Funny thing is, I thought he had a decent series versus the Orioles
I just looked he did not
Guy loves to swing and miss.
Noda is definitely not anything close to Matt Olson. It’s a shame what has happened to the Oakland Athletics. But hey let’s get a couple more MLB clubs….
He will never hit for average but ya this is bad. Wonder if getting hit on the hand in April and missing 4 games messed him up. But we don’t lose him with getting optioned and hopefully he can turn it around in Vegas.
Hmmm, sent down am I? To the minors I must go.
Think I would honestly send brown down, to AAA town!…..he’s horrible this year!
Maybe pick-up Mike ford??
Noda can’t hit and his defense sucks. Good riddance.
His defense is actually pretty good, and he is a good clubhouse guy. You don’t know anything.