The A’s announced that they have picked up catcher Austin Wynns in a trade with the Reds, with cash considerations heading back to Cincinnati in return. To clear roster space for Wynns, the Athletics designated right-hander Carlos Duran for assignment.
Wynns was designated for assignment two days ago, as he had become the odd man out of the Reds’ catching mix when Tyler Stephenson returned from a season-opening stint on the injured list. Wynns signed a minor league deal with Cincinnati during the offseason, and that contract was selected on Opening Day as Wynns and Jose Trevino went on to handle the catching duties for the next five weeks while Stephenson recovered from an oblique strain.
Ironically, another oblique strain has now opened the door to Wynns’ latest opportunity. Shea Langeliers was placed on the Athletics’ 10-day IL with a strained left oblique on Friday, leaving the West Sacramento team with just Jhonny Pereda (36 career MLB games) and Willie MacIver (seven career games) as the top catching options. Tyler Soderstrom has some catching experience but has suited up behind the plate just once in the last two seasons, so it makes sense that the A’s preferred to just bring in a veteran backstop rather than disrupt Soderstrom’s routine as a first baseman/left fielder.
The Athletics will be the seventh different organization Wynns has been part of during his career, and he has seen action with five of those clubs at the MLB level over his seven seasons in the bigs. A .241/.287/.354 hitter over 716 career plate appearances, Wynns has quietly been extremely productive over his limited action with the Reds, as he posted an eye-opening .390/.429/.661 slash line in 63 PA since Opening Day 2024. This gives Wynns a unique distinction, as he has the best wRC+ (198) of any Reds player in the entire 156-year history of the franchise, minimum 60 plate appearances in a Cincinnati uniform.
It is probably safe to assume that the 34-year-old Wynns won’t continue this kind of production with the A’s, even notwithstanding Sutter Health Park’s hitter-friendly nature. Still, Wynns will provide the Athletics with some help behind the plate for however long Langeliers will be on the IL. Manager Mark Kotsay didn’t give reporters (including MLB.com’s Martin Gallegos) a specific timeline for Langeliers’ recovery, citing the “tricky” nature of oblique injuries.
Good for Wynns.
Cash considerations from a team owned by John Fisher. Come on, joke writers. Give this one your best shot.
Couldn’t come up with something original yourself so trolling for trolls?
Yeah, I couldn’t think of a good one. Are you related to John Fisher by chance?
Pat Benatar beat you to it.
These were funny a year ago
There’s nothing funny about having a friggin’ Pat Benatar song stuck in your heard.
I’ve had an 80s soundtrack stuck in my head since the 80s.
It’s not funny because it’s pretty darn apparent, Tom Macari.
6 hits in one game this year, I believe
Yes! 6-for-7 against Baltimore back in April. And he’s hitting .400 this season.
Most hits we ever by a catcher in one game AND most hits ever in a game by a ninth place hitter.
Pretty cool.
Dumb move by the Reds. We are one TySteve injury away from really regretting this. There are no other viable catchers in the upper minors. Will Banfield is barely batting above .200 at Triple-A and he would be the next man up.
I’m not sure they had a choice. They couldn’t option him to AAA without his consent and with how well he’s performed (so far) I can’t imagine he would want to do anything other than test the open market. Might as well get cash for him if you can
They couldn’t keep three catchers on the roster forever and Wynns had hardly seen the field for a month.
Buffalo Bob is happy, he got some more lettuce. They might be back under 100 million now.
Castellini can’t resist cold, hard cash – even in nominal amounts.
My guess is if Stephenson gets hurt again, they’ll do what the A’s did, and trade for a 3rd string catcher.
Shocking! Looked like Johnny Bench against the Orioles!🤣🤣🤣
Absolute Reds Legend. He will be missed. Real bummer he has to go play for FJF
Remember when Forst traded 5 years of William Contreras and Joel Payamps for “the most complete prospect in baseball” Esteury Ruiz, who he in turn flipped for Carlos Duran? I certainly do and I also haven’t forgotten that the A’s have the worst pitching staff and defense in baseball. So, can anyone give me a valid reason for why Forst should still be employed as the GM?
That trade was a head-scratcher from the get-go. The A’s wanted a catcher. Why not just keep Contreras who was an all star? Heck they couldn’t had both Contrearas and Langeliers.
This trade was maddening from the start, and continues to age like old milk as we go on. The only thing I can think of is if FJF ordered that he didn’t want anyone good enough to get extended resulting from the fire sale trades.. as that’s pretty much what happened.
Look for Aramis Garcia to return or Hacob Stallings to be signed to AAA. They are good at picking up others discarded trash cheap.
The Reds need another catcher in Louisville?
They usually like a major league ready or experienced guy there in case of injury, which is why Wynns was in the organization to begin with. They no longer have one.
It’s bad long term planning (as usual) when your best, and only, catching prospect is in A ball, but it is what it is.
I wonder if they’d just tried a trade ahead of CES activation.