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Sean Newcomb Undergoes Knee Surgery

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Athletics lefty Sean Newcomb underwent a left knee lateral meniscus repair earlier today, reports Martin Gallegos of MLB.com. The A’s had already placed Newcomb on the 60-day injured list earlier today, ending his season, though it wasn’t known until now that surgery was on the table for the southpaw.

The A’s acquired Newcomb from the Giants in a late-August trade that sent minor league outfielder Trenton Brooks to across the bay. Both players were eligible to be traded after the deadline by virtue of the fact that they had not appeared on a 40-man roster or Major League injured list this season.

At the time of the swap, the well-traveled Newcomb was enjoying a nice season in Triple-A Sacramento, where he’d pitched 31 1/3 innings of 3.16 ERA ball with a hefty 30.5% strikeout rate against a more problematic 15.3% walk rate. He was immediately selected to Oakland’s big league roster and went on to pitch 15 innings for manager Mark Kotsay, holding opponents to five runs (3.00 ERA) on eight hits and nine walks with 17 strikeouts. Newcomb’s final two appearances were starts, totaling a combined seven innings with four runs on six hits and five walks.

Newcomb, 30, is expected to be ready for the start of spring training next year. Of course, it remains to be seen whether the A’s will carry him on the 40-man roster all winter. While they did trade a minor leaguer to acquire him, Brooks himself was a minor league signee last offseason and would’ve been a minor league free agent at season’s end, so they didn’t exactly surrender a long-term piece in order to acquire Newcomb. That said, the A’s are desperate for arms, and Newcomb made a solid first impression on the club.

This is the seventh straight year in which Newcomb has logged big league time, although the former first-round pick and top prospect has struggled greatly since showing promise with the Braves early in his career. Atlanta acquired Newcomb and righty Chris Ellis from the Angels in the trade that sent Andrelton Simmons to Anaheim, and Newcomb posted a 3.87 ERA and 23% strikeout rate through his first 332 1/3 big league innings — splitting his appearances roughly evenly between the rotation (2017-18) and bullpen (2019).

Newcomb’s disastrous 2020 season set him back, however, as he served up 17 runs in just 13 2/3 innings across four starts. The following year, he walked 18% of his opponents while pitching 32 1/3 innings of relief, and the 2022 season saw Newcomb surrender 27 runs in 27 2/3 innings between the Cubs and Braves. Overall, Newcomb has a 4.47 ERA in 421 Major League innings, but that’s including his strong early showing with Atlanta. Since 2020, he’s pitched to a 6.70 ERA with a 23.6% strikeout rate and bloated 14.7% walk rate in 88 2/3 innings.

Newcomb will finish out the current season with four-plus years of Major League service time. The A’s can control him through the 2025 season via arbitration if they keep him on the 40-man roster.

Athletics Select Joey Estes

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Sept. 20: The A’s have formally announced Estes’ promotion to the big leagues. Righty Devin Sweet was optioned to Triple-A in order to open a spot on the active roster, while lefty Sean Newcomb has been transferred to the 60-day injured list to open a spot on the 40-man roster. Newcomb was placed on the 15-day IL earlier this week with a left knee strain, and that injury will formally end his season.

Sept. 18: The A’s are poised to select the contract of right-hander Joey Estes, according to Martin Gallegos of MLB.com. The club will need to clear space on both the 40-man and active rosters in order to make room for Estes.

Estes, 21, was a piece of the package that Oakland acquired from the Braves in exchange for first baseman Matt Olson alongside Cristian Pache, Shea Langeliers, and Ryan Cusick. Estes ranks as the club’s #13 prospect per MLB Pipeline, and #21 over at Fangraphs. Though prospect evaluators seem to generally agree that he’ll have a chance to stick in the rotation, a lack of clearly above-average secondary pitches is expected to hold Estes back from becoming more than a back-end rotation option, though his fastball does have impressive movement.

Estes was impressive in 104 1/3 innings of work at the Double-A level this year, posting a 3.28 ERA in 20 appearances (17 starts) with a 23.3% strikeout rate against a 7.2% walk rate. Those results have fallen off since his promotion to Triple-A as Estes has posted a less inspiring 5.23 ERA with a 21.5% strikeout rate in his first 32 2/3 innings at the level, though it’s worth noting that inflated offensive environment of the Pacific Coast League.

Now, Estes figures to get a taste of big league action before the 2023 season comes to a close, setting him up as a potential rotation option for the A’s headed into Spring Training next year. Estes follows right-hand Joe Boyle in being called up for a late-season cup of coffee, as Boyle tossed three scoreless innings on four strikeouts, one hit, and two walks in his big league debut after being selected to the roster himself yesterday.

A’s Select Joe Boyle

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The A’s selected the contract of right-hander Joe Boyle this afternoon, per a team announcement. In corresponding moves, right-hander Freddy Tarnok was transferred to the 60-day injured list while lefty Sean Newcomb was placed on the 15-day injured list with a strained left knee.

Boyle, who celebrated his 24th birthday last month, came over from the Reds as the return in the Sam Moll trade earlier this summer. Standing a massive 6’7” and weighing in at 240 pounds, Boyle has shown an impressive power arsenal with a triple-digit fastball and strong breaking stuff that has allowed him to strikeout a whopping 35.4% of batters faced as a professional. Unfortunately, that strong repertoire comes with little in terms of command, as the big righty has posted walk rates of 10% or higher at every full-season league he’s appeared in since being drafted by the Reds in the fifth round of the 2020 draft.

Boyle is now slated to get a chance to show off his big time stuff at the big league level, as he’ll start today’s game against the Padres. Boyle’s posted a solid 3.84 ERA across 25 starts split between the Double-A and Triple-A levels this season. That’s a particularly noteworthy feat considering he’s posted an ERA of just 2.25 in three starts at the Triple-A level with the A’s, who play in infamously inflated offensive environment of the Pacific Coast League.

Making room for Boyle on the active roster is Newcomb, who pitched quite well in a swing role for the A’s this season. Across 15 innings of work (seven appearances), Newcomb posted a 3.00 ERA with a 27.9% strikeout rate, though his whopping 14.8% walk rate indicates that the control issues that have dogged him ever since he made his big league debut with the Braves back in 2017 haven’t gone away. As for Tarnok, the right-hander underwent season-ending hip surgery toward the end of August, making today’s transfer to the 60-day IL nothing more than a formality.

A’s Relocation Vote Reportedly Set For November

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Major League Baseball’s owners will vote on the A’s relocation application during owners meetings scheduled for November, reports Mick Akers of the Las Vegas Review-Journal. Neither the team nor MLB have announced the news.

The A’s relocation proposal has been in the committee stage. A three-person ownership contingent of Mark Attanasio (Brewers), John Middleton (Phillies) and John Sherman (Royals) has been reviewing the application. They’ll soon make recommendations to the league and an executive council, which will then relay its own findings to all 30 ownership groups.

November’s vote among the ownership groups is decisive. The A’s will need approval from 75% to finalize their relocation. It is generally seen as a fait accompli that they’ll be approved, likely by unanimous vote. If/when that happens, they’ll officially begin their move to Las Vegas.

Akers writes that construction of the A’s $1.5 billion retractable roof facility at the site of the current Tropicana hotel (which would be demolished and rebuilt at an adjacent site) is tentatively scheduled for early 2025. The plan is for the stadium to be ready by the start of the 2028 season.

It remains unclear where the A’s would play in the intervening years. Their lease at the Oakland Coliseum runs through the end of next season. They don’t have plans finalized for 2025-27. A’s brass has floated the possibility of a short-term lease extension at the Coliseum, though it’s not clear whether Oakland would have any interest in that arrangement. Other speculated possibilities to bridge the gap include playing at their Triple-A ballpark (also in Vegas) or sharing Oracle Park with the Giants.

MLB Trade Rumors Podcast: Free Agent Class Preview: Catcher and First Base, Márquez Extension and the Dodgers’ Rotation

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The latest episode of the MLB Trade Rumors Podcast is now live on Spotify, Apple Podcasts, and wherever you get your podcasts! Make sure you subscribe as well! You can also use the player at this link to listen, if you don’t use Spotify or Apple for podcasts.

This week, host Darragh McDonald is joined by Anthony Franco of MLB Trade Rumors to discuss:

Plus, we answer your questions, including:

  • What can the Tigers do about Spencer Turnbull? (16:45)
  • Will the Athletics change their spending habits after they move to Las Vegas? (22:00)
  • Why is the American League Central always so bad and will that ever change? (25:45)

Check out our past episodes!

  • Waiver Claim Fallout, September Call-Ups and the Biggest Strength of Each Playoff Contender – listen here
  • MLB Trade Rumors Podcast: Shohei Ohtani’s Torn UCL, Free Agent Power Rankings and Stephen Strasburg to Retire – listen here
  • The White Sox Fire Their Front Office, Injured Rays and Prospect Promotion Time – listen here

Athletics Claim Buddy Kennedy

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The A’s announced that they’ve claimed infielder Buddy Kennedy off waivers from the Diamondbacks.  Kennedy was designated for assignment by Arizona earlier this week, and he now been optioned to the Athletics’ Triple-A club.

The 24-year-old is changing organizations for the first time in his pro career, as Kennedy has been with the D’Backs since he was a fifth-round selection in the 2017 draft.  His time in Arizona has resulted in 40 games at the Major League level, with ten of those appearances coming this season.  Kennedy hasn’t done much hitting (.206/.293/.299) over his 123 plate appearances in the bigs, and his minor league numbers are somewhat inconsistent.  However, Kennedy has taken full advantage of the hitter-friendly environment at Triple-A Reno this season, batting .318/.444/.481 over 417 PA for the Diamondbacks’ top affiliate.

Defensively, Kennedy has mostly played as a third baseman but has increasingly gotten time at second base over the last two years, plus he has seen sparing action at first base and in left field.  The waiver claim gives the A’s another versatile player to take a look at over the last few weeks of the season, and as they look ahead to 2024.

Because the D’Backs outrighted Kennedy off their 40-man roster last winter, Kennedy now has the ability to choose free agency in the event of a future DFA and clearance of waivers, which adds another wrinkle for the Athletics in whether or not they want to keep him on their 40-man roster.

A’s Outright Spencer Patton

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The Athletics have sent right-hander Spencer Patton outright to Triple-A Las Vegas, according to the transactions log at MLB.com. Oakland designated him for assignment on Wednesday.

Patton has pitched 12 times for the A’s over two stints. He’s logged 12 1/3 innings, mostly in low-leverage relief, allowing seven runs. Patton has punched out seven while walking six and given up a trio of home runs. The 35-year-old has spent more time in Las Vegas, working to a 4.68 ERA across 42 1/3 frames in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League. Patton has fanned a decent 24.3% of opponents in Triple-A against a 10.1% walk rate.

A former 24th-round pick, Patton has appeared at the major league level in parts of six seasons. Pitching for the Rangers, Cubs and A’s, he owns a 5.11 ERA over 116 1/3 innings. He has worked to a 3.36 ERA through parts of six Triple-A campaigns and allowed 3.68 earned runs per nine in four years at Japan’s highest level.

As was the case when the A’s outrighted Patton in May, he’ll have the ability to elect free agency in lieu of the minor league assignment.

A’s Designate Spencer Patton For Assignment, Select Easton Lucas

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The Athletics announced today that they have reinstated right-hander Mason Miller from the injured list, selected left-hander Easton Lucas and recalled right-hander Devin Sweet from Triple-A Las Vegas. In corresponding moves, left-hander Sam Long and right-hander Zach Neal were optioned to Triple-A and righty Spencer Patton was designated for assignment.

Patton, 35, signed a minor league deal with the club in April and has twice now been selected for short stints with the big league club. He got into four games in May before being designated for assignment. He cleared waivers and accepted an outright assignment, which allowed him to return a few weeks ago, having made another eight appearances since then. Between those two stints, he has a 5.11 earned run average in 12 1/3 innings, striking out just 12.7% of hitters while walking 10.9%.

The A’s will place him on waivers in the coming days. It’s possible the same sequence of events plays out as earlier in the season, with Patton going unclaimed. He will again have the right to elect free agency at that time. In 113 career games in the majors dating back to 2014, he has a 5.11 ERA. He also spent 2017 to 2020 in Japan’s Nippon Professional Baseball with a 3.68 ERA in that league.

Lucas, 26, gets selected to a big league roster for the first time and will be making his major league debut as soon as he gets into a game. Selected by the Marlins in 14th round of the 2019 draft, he was traded to the Orioles that December for infielder Jonathan Villar. He was then involved in another swap, going to the A’s a few months back as the return in the deal that sent right-hander Shintaro Fujinami to Baltimore.

Between the two organizations, he’s tossed 46 2/3 innings this year at Double-A and Triple-A. He has a combined 3.86 ERA, along with a 25.8% strikeout rate and 8.6% walk rate. He will join Sean Newcomb and Francisco Pérez as the club’s left-handed relievers for the time being and try to earn his way into the club’s plans for next year.

Athletics Claim Devin Sweet From Mariners

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The A’s have claimed right-hander Devin Sweet off waivers from the Mariners.  Sweet was designated for assignment earlier this week.

The 26-year-old made his Major League debut this season, appearing in two games with Seattle and posting two innings (with a 9.00 ERA).  An undrafted free agent in 2018, Sweet is changing teams for the first time in his pro career, as he has a 3.67 ERA over 326 1/3 career innings in the Mariners’ farm system.

Those numbers include only seven innings at the Triple-A level, as Sweet was actually promoted to the majors from Double-A Arkansas for his two MLB games before he ever pitched for Triple-A Tacoma.  He got the Mariners’ attention with a 1.54 ERA, 34.6% strikeout rate and 5.9% walk rate over 35 innings of Double-A ball, a decided step up from his work in Arkansas in 2021-22.  Most prominently, Sweet showed great improvement at keeping the ball in the park, as he gave just one homer over those 35 frames at Double-A this year after allowing 27 homers over 137 2/3 innings in 2021-22.

It makes for some interesting potential, and it isn’t surprising that the rebuilding Athletics would want to take a look at a young and controllable arm.  Oakland has optioned Sweet to Triple-A for now, but might very well call him up for some more Major League action before the season is over.

A’s Freddy Tarnok Undergoes Season-Ending Hip Surgery

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The A’s informed reporters that righty Freddy Tarnok underwent surgery to repair the labrum and cartilage in his right hip yesterday (relayed by Karl Buscheck). He’ll miss the rest of the season but is expected to be ready for Spring Training.

Tarnok was one of four young players acquired in last winter’s Sean Murphy trade. The hard-throwing hurler had made one big league appearance with the Braves a season ago. He was in the mix for a rotation spot on a rebuilding A’s club but battled injuries during his first year in Oakland.

The 24-year-old missed the first couple months with a strain in his throwing shoulder. He returned shortly before the All-Star Break. Tarnok started one of five appearances, logging 14 2/3 innings of eight-run ball. He struck out 14 and walked 11. Tarnok landed back on the IL a few weeks ago with what the team initially called a right calf strain. That discomfort was seemingly connected to the hip issue, requiring surgical repair.

Oakland will keep Tarnok on the IL through season’s end. They’ll have to carry him on the 40-man roster through the offseason. Assuming his recovery goes as planned, he could vie for a spot on a 2024 pitching staff that isn’t likely to be much more settled than this year’s iteration.

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