The Athletics announced today that both outfielder Denzel Clarke and infielder Max Muncy have been placed on the 10-day injured list. Outfielders Colby Thomas and Carlos Cortes were recalled as the corresponding moves. No information was provided about the injuries or expected absences. According to the team’s MLB.com transaction tracker, Clarke has a right adductor strain and Muncy a right hand fracture.
Cortes, 28, gets the call to the majors for the first time and will be making his major league debut as soon as he’s put into a game. Just last week, the A’s selected his contract to the 40-man but immediately optioned him to Triple-A Las Vegas. That suggested Cortes likely had an opt-out in his deal, which prompted the A’s to give him a roster spot. They didn’t immediately have a big league opportunity for him but didn’t want him to get away.
It’s been a long road for Cortes, who was drafted by the Mets back in 2018. He climbed to Triple-A with that club but didn’t hit much at that level. At the end of the 2024 season, he still didn’t have a roster spot with the Mets and qualified for minor league free agency.
He then landed a minor league deal with the A’s, which has turned into a huge win for everyone. In 71 Triple-A contests, he has stepped to the plate 314 times. He has hit 17 home runs. His 13.1% walk rate and 14.6% strikeout rate are both strong figures. The Aviators play in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League, but Cortes’s offense is still 39% above league average, according to wRC+. Understandably, the A’s didn’t want a guy with that kind of production to slip through their fingers.
Cortes has a bit of infield experience and some time in center field, but he’s only been a corner outfield guy in recent years. Some websites list him as a switch-thrower, though that’s not really relevant anymore. He naturally throws left-handed but would throw from the right side when playing second base several years ago. He hasn’t been at the keystone since 2019.
Lawrence Butler played center field last night due to Clarke’s injury and he’s back in there tonight, so perhaps he’ll stay there for a while. If so, that would leave two corner spots for Tyler Soderstrom, Miguel Andujar, Thomas and Cortes, with designated hitter Brent Rooker chipping in on occasion. Andujar is an impending free agent and could be moved before the month is over. Soderstrom would be a more surprising trade but he has been in a few rumors. Even if just Andujar is moved, that would further open the path for Cortes to get some major league hacks down the stretch.
Photo courtesy of Sam Navarro, Imagn Images
Muncy got hit on the hand while batting last night, courtesy of a 95-mph Fastball from Gavin Williams.
Did not look pretty.
Jack Leiter
Correct.
Gavin Williams hit Jacob Wilson in the hand the game before.
Happy for Cortes. Followed his career for a while when he was a top 30 Mets prospect. Hopefully his time with the A’s continues to be fruitful.
People forget how much effort is put in by guys like Cortes. He deserves that paycheck bump.
Yes. Even if it is just a little while.
Barry Enright. Angels pitching coach. See Baseball Reference. What a long trip with dozens of stops before the majors. Then -0.1 bWAR.
Maybe Cortes will get his -0.1.
actually enright had his chances early in his career with the dbacks and angels, but was only used as more than depth for a half a season’s worth of starts. hung around in the minor leagues for a long time though.
If it’s his debut , it would be a call up. Recall implying he’s been in the majors before or was defective.
Recall is the correct term. The A’s previously selected his contract to the 40 man roster then optioned him to the minors. He is now being recalled. It’s wonky, but that’s how they use the terminology
40 man roster isn’t the major league roster. It would still be a call up
It… Literally is?