Outfielder Brent Rooker is back with the Athletics after missing a little over two weeks with an oblique strain. The club has designated infielder Andy Ibanez for assignment to clear a roster spot for Rooker, per a team announcement. Rooker is batting fourth as the DH today against the Rangers.
The Dodgers gave Ibanez a one-year, $1.2MM deal in January. They tried to get him through waivers in February, but the A’s swooped in and claimed him. It was a reasonable move considering Ibanez’s solid production as a platoon bat in recent years with the Tigers. The veteran struggled in his brief time with the club, though. Ibanez hit just .118 in 11 games. He spent time at every infield position except shortstop.
After a couple of seasons with the Rangers, Ibanez came to the Tigers via waiver claim heading into 2023. He earned semi-regular work for the first time as a big leaguer, delivering a 103 wRC+ across 383 plate appearances. Ibanez’s numbers tailed off the following season, though not against lefties. The righty swinger posted a .802 OPS vs. southpaws in 2024. Detroit leaned harder into the platoon approach last year, limiting Ibanez to just 52 at-bats against righties. He slashed a respectable .258/.311/.403 in 124 ABs against lefties.
The A’s got the memo about Ibanez’s splits. It just didn’t work out for them in a tiny sample. The infielder went 2-for-16 against lefties. Ibanez was 0-for-1 with a walk in his scant chances against righties. The club was able to take advantage of the veteran’s defensive versatility, as he drew starts at first, second, and third base. Ibanez has been a plus defender by Defensive Runs Saved at all four infield spots for his career.
With Ibanez DFAed, the A’s will have five days to trade him or put him on waivers. He could be attractive to a team hunting for infield depth, though the price tag is a bit higher than a typical waiver claim. If he makes it through waivers, the A’s could look to stash him in the minors, if he permits it. Ibanez has been outrighted in his career, so he has the right to reject a minor league assignment and opt for free agency. However, since he has fewer than five years of big league service time, he would have to walk away from the remainder of his $1.2MM salary in electing that right.
Photo courtesy of Scott Marshall, Imagn Images
Interesting. I wonder if the Dodgers try to reacquire him.
Why would they?
Depth, as always
No place for him. They’ll be DFAing Espinal and sending down Freeland before too long to make room for Mookie and Kiké.
There’s always room in the minors lol
It just didn’t work for Ibanez and the A’s. The surging of Cortez and playing time for Gelof didn’t help either but Andy is a good player, he will find another opportunity.
A’s have a pair of outfielders and a pair of infielders to trade.
They’d love to move Larry Butler and Colby Thomas, keeping Carlos Cortes and Henry Bolte.
Michael Stefanic is hitting .280/.400/.387 in Las Vegas. Kuroda-Gardner, DeVries, White all looking good in AA, Id say Gelof and Muncy could both be acquired.
Butler and Muncy are the two that would garner some interest. Butler’s contract isnt prohibitive and he could be slumping because of the Sacramento digs. He could be a real strong change of scenery candidate.
I think the Phillies are a good fit for Muncy and Butler. Add a pair of bullpen arms in the deal too.
A’s:
-Larry Butler
-Max Muncy
-Scott Barlow
-JT Ginn
–for–
Phillies:
-Edmundo Sosa
-Moises Chace
-Braydon Tucker
-Alirio Ferrebus
A’s take Sosa back to offset salary. A’s get two nice pitching prospects and a catcher to develop.
That’s a nice package to Philadelphia. A’s have to move some players out, there is an opportunity to trade with Sacramento.
I’ve got multiple issues with this proposal but I’ll just focus on one point for now: why are you calling him Larry Butler? lol
Yea it’s strange
Short for Lawrence.
No, we get that. But dude doesn’t go by Larry. He goes by Lawrence.
Lars Butler? Ra Butler?
I figure Larry is short for Lawrence. I dont know him personally so couldn’t say.
I’ve heard a fantasy podcaster refer to him as Law-Dawg! I think it was Justin Mason of FanGraphs.
I’ll call him Lawrence if that is what he prefers.
My mistake.
I think you’re a bit delusional about trade interest in Lawrence Butler.
No, the money isn’t exhorbitant, but he’s been a below average player since his one “breakout” half-season in 2024 — and has a career OBP of .300 with miserable strikeout number. After 2026, he’ll be owed $53 million for the next 5 seasons. Nobody’s touching that contract!
I dont think it is imperative that the A’s trade Butler, I expect him to rebound fully but Bolte is pushing the issue in AAA and Cortes is raking.
Butler is a good player and has a good contract. 6’3 210lbs — 20/20 posted (twice), 30/40 upside, can play all three OF positions. That contract is tradeable.
The more I look at the trade, the Phillies side is light and they need to add a player or two.
Keeping Butler around will be a good fit with Devries, Id probably keep Butler around for that dynamic.
Take Butler out of the trade and put Thomas in and its still a fair trade for the Phillies who get Muncy to replace Bohm next season.
A’s keep Butler, Cortes and Bolte.
Why would Butler be slumping because he gets to hit in a minor league park that’s great for offense?
I don’t know, Luis Severino was / is disgruntled by the Sutter Health facilities, it could potentially wear down a player.
I think it’s soft but I can see it having an effect on some players. All of the players should be focused on self improvement as much as winning games for the team, no matter the situation.
It can be very difficult to keep a positive mental attitude, even in the glitziest (Mets) of situations.
Lawrence Butler has to stay focused despite being paid and despite being in Sacramento, good ball player, good team on the rise.
Falling victim to a bad situation, have to dig deep and turn it around.
Lawrence Butler would be a nice fit on more than a few teams around the league and the A’s have depth in their OF group. Butler, Cortez or Thomas, Id have all three on the block with Muncy.
That was my primary point.
Dude Stefanic is a AAAA player he’s never going to be anything more. No chance Muncy gets traded but I agree Butler probably needs to get moved and I think Atlanta is where he’s going to end up. They need a COF and he’s from that area. Its almost a perfect fit and I’d package Butler and Clarke to ATL for some arms.
Or maybe Cortes idk, I’m not sold on him or the breakout being real. He’s been a AAAA his entire career and all of a sudden, at age 29, he’s putting up career high numbers and looking like one of the best hitters in the league yeah… maybe try to get an arm for him while he’s at peak value.
I think Stefanic should get a look, nice OBP.
Rooker back should help them out of this .500 trend. That division is there for the taking with TX and Seattle playing like they are. Pedal to the metal and win this thing for Canseco. Win it for McGwire. Win it for Blue, Catfish, and Eck. Forget Henderson cause he was a human scum, but the rest deserve it
Human scum? Rickey Henderson? Are you kidding me? No criminal record, no scandals, no reporting that he so much as stepped out on his wife or mistreated his children. What’s this all about?
Do explain why you chose to defame the Man of Steal.
His public humiliation of Brock should be enough to put him in jail if he were still here
What???
Rickey Henderson-“Lou Brock was the symbol of great base stealing. But today, I’m the greatest of all time!” Yep words of scum… So much worse than Canseco and McGwire…
He should have said Lou Brock was an inspiration and to have this record is humbling. Like….
“I know he’s with me and that’s really all I can say – thank you to all the Marises“
“I touched Roger’s bat and held it to my heart. My bat will lie next to his. I’m damn proud of that”.
McGwire
Win it for the main man, Reggie!
He was even more of an ahole than The Rickster.
The Pirates are a good fit for Butler, Langeliers and Severino.
Could get a haul for those three.
If they trade Langeliers they’d better be getting a haul.
Id agree, Langeliers is a tank and is a good defensive catcher.
Pirates have a stacked farm system and would certainly like to add Langeliers.
A’s could send the Pirates everything they need this season. An OF, a C, a 3B, a SP and a bullpen arm.
Lowe walks in ’27, Muncy replaces Lowe. Larry Butler alongside Cruz and Reynolds with Jhostnyxon Garcia at DH. Pirates would be stacked with Langeliers at C.
Pirates have the prospects. If they really want to make a run at it, Langeliers, Muncy and Butler are good targets. All would be under team control through ’28. All affordable too. Don’t have to pay Langeliers, Cruz or Skenes. Three year window to win it.
A’s could likely get a haul from Pittsburgh and they should make that trade despite losing Susac in the Rule 5 draft. That one stings.
Hmm could a Langeliers for Skenes trade work possibly? A’s need pitching
But A’s are also looking for a playoff run, so you hypothetical trades do not make sense including Butler and/or Langeliers unless the parents trade Skenes or other mlb level pitching.
A’s can make the playoffs, Id agree. Keeping Langeliers, extending Langeliers, also could be good for the team in the long-run.
They’d need a lot to go right. Their rotation isn’t all that good. Bullpen is pitching well but isn’t all that established.
The return could potenially be substantial for the A’s.
A’s:
-Shea Langeliers
-Lawrence Butler
-Max Muncy
-Jeffrey Springs
-Scott Barlow
–for–
-Hunter Barco
-Antwone Kelly
-Levi Sterling
-Easton Carmichael
-Edward Florentino
-Murf Gray
It would be an epic trade.
idk man Springs, Civale, and Ginn have been great. I understand Sevy and Lopez need work.
Epic but unrealistic. Add Skenes and its a done deal.
Pirates can get sooo much for Skenes bro.
Trading Skenes made a lot of sense, Id agree, but they are basically all-in on ’26-’28 seasons and it doesn’t make sense anymore.
Severino’s contract is an albatross, Civale isn’t consistently reliable but Springs could be a solid starter down the stretch for a playoff contender.
A’s could cash in on Langeliers, Carmichael is a good catching prospect that is two to three years out. Florentino looks like a potential all star to me as does Murf Gray, I think he can stick at 3B, he and DeVries would be great on the left-side of the IF.
Here is the thing..one can argue the A’s are also all in just like the pirates.
Why works they trade Shea?
Purely hypothetical. I actually think he gets extended next offseason with Severinos option not exercised.