News Athletics Team Notes

[Las Vegas Athletics]

A’s Rebuffing Trade Interest In Mason Miller

The Athletics are lined up to be sellers at the deadline, but their July 31 moves won’t extend to a certain long-term closer. Mason Miller appears to be more or less untouchable, as USA Today’s Bob Nightengale writes that the A’s are telling interested teams that the reliever isn’t available in trade talks.

While things could conceivably change if a particular club makes an outsized offer, it makes sense that the A’s have no interest in moving Miller, who is under team control through the 2029 season. The right-hander has yet to even reach salary arbitration, though he’ll hit that milestone a year early since Miller is on pace to easily qualify for Super Two status. This means he’ll gain four years of arbitration eligibility instead of the usual three.

Since traditional counting statistics are weighed more heavily in arbitration cases than more advanced analytics, a closer who racks up big save totals can put himself in line for some increasingly hefty paydays through the arb process. As such, Miller stands to cash in given that that he already posted 47 saves (out of 53 chances) over his three MLB seasons. While this rising price tag might make the Athletics more open to dealing Miller at some point during his arbitration years, there isn’t any urgency for the A’s to make a move just yet, even if he has been whispered in trade speculation for over a year.

[Related: Athletics Trade Deadline Outlook, for MLBTR Front Office subscribers]

After making his big league debut in 2023, Miller was installed as the Athletics’ closer at the start of the 2024 campaign and he essentially hasn’t looked back. The righty has a 3.22 ERA and a stunning 37.5% strikeout rate over 134 career innings, with an average fastball velocity of 100.2mph. That high-octane fastball is paired with an 87.2mph slider that has been one of the more effective pitchers in baseball over the last two seasons. Control is a question mark, as Miller’s below-average walk rate in 2024 has sunk to a troubling 12% in 2025.

Between this control issue and the general volatility of relief pitching, an argument can be made that the A’s would be well served to sell high on Miller while he is at peak trade value. Miller dealt with some early-career injuries that necessitated his move from starting pitching to the bullpen in the first place, so this health history is another reason the front office could reasonably consider a trade at some point.

On the flip side, the Athletics have shown indications that they’re ready to end their rebuild, even if their results in 2025 have been disappointing. The club locked up Lawrence Butler and Brent Rooker to long-term extensions this past spring, and signed Luis Severino to a team-record $67MM free agent deal this past offseason. This counts as a massive spending splurge by the Athletics’ traditionally low-spending standards, though it appears as though their extension discussions didn’t extend to Miller, who said in mid-March that the club had yet to broach the subject of a long-term extension. Some sort of multi-year agreement might be a wise move for the A’s to gain some cost certainty through Miller’s arbitration years, even if the club might be hesitate about a commitment beyond the 2029 campaign.

Source: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/07/as-rebuffing-trade-interest-in-mason-miller.html

 

[Las Vegas Athletics]

AL West Notes: Trout, Rangers, Rodgers, Waldichuk

Mike Trout was hitting .179/.264/.462 when a bone bruise in his left knee sent him to the injured list on May 2, but since being activated from the IL, Trout has been closer to his old superstar form in batting .287/.432/.483 over his last 183 plate appearances. It might not be a coincidence that Trout has excelled since exclusively acting as a designated hitter since his return, as the Angels have been cautiously managing his leg health in the wake of both the bone bruise, and a variety of other leg injuries over the years. Trout did take part in some right field drills prior to Friday’s game and came away feeling good, though he told MLB.com’s Rhett Bollinger and other reporters that the team doesn’t yet have a timetable set in regards to an in-game return to right field.

Both Trout and interim manager Ray Montgomery are eager to see Trout return to right field, with Montgomery noting that freeing up the DH spot would allow more players to get partial rest days. Time will tell when Trout is entirely physically ready to go, though there must be some slight sense of “if it ain’t broke….” within the Angels’ decision process. Trout has been so hammered by injuries in recent years that if regular DH duty allows him to stay in the lineup and post big numbers, the Halos surely have to be considering whether limiting Trout to just cameo appearances in the outfield could be the best course of action going forward.

More from the AL West….

• The Rangers had interest in Kyle Finnegan when the reliever was a free agent last winter, and the club has had interest in Pirates closer David Bednar dating back to at least last season’s trade deadline, Evan Grant of the Dallas Morning News writes. These two relievers could therefore be particular names to watch as Texas looks for help at the back of its bullpen, along with a few other closer candidates that Grant cite as possible deadline candidates. Texas is an even 49-49 entering today’s play, so it remains to be seen if the Rangers could buy or sell at the deadline. Speculatively, a trade for Bednar would help for both this season and as a jump start on the 2026 plans, as Bednar is arbitration-controlled for one more year. Finnegan, meanwhile, is just a rental since he signed a one-year contract with the Nationals in the offseason.
• Brendan Rodgers suffered a concussion and a nasal fracture after a scary collision with teammate Edwin Diaz in a game with Triple-A Sugar Land yesterday. As a result, the Astros told the Athletic’s Chandler Rome and other reporters that Rodgers has been returned from the minor league rehab assignment that only just began with yesterday’s abbreviated Triple-A outing. Rodgers was placed on the big league 10-day IL just over a month ago due to an oblique strain, and while the start of his rehab assignment indicated that he was getting close to a return, his timeline is now completely up in the air as he deals from these new injuries. Over 128 plate appearances for Houston, Rodgers has hit only .191/.266/.278.
• Ken Waldichuk has reached the end of his 30-day rehab window, so the Athletics activated the southpaw from the 60-day injured list and optioned him to Triple-A Las Vegas. Waldichuk underwent Tommy John surgery in May 2024, and he clearly isn’t yet ready for the bigs based the results during his rehab assignment. Over 15 1/3 minor league innings, Waldichuk has struggled to a 7.63 ERA and almost as many walks (16) as strikeouts (17). Should he get on track, Waldichuk could emerge as an option for the A’s rotation or bullpen in August.

Source: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/07/al-west-notes-trout-rangers-rodgers-waldichuk.html

 

[Las Vegas Athletics]

A’s Listening On Jeffrey Springs, JP Sears

A’s righty Luis Severino is a known trade candidate after his struggles pitching at home in West Sacramento and his public criticism of the playing environment there, but he’s not the only A’s starter on the market this summer. The former Oakland club is also listening to offers on lefties Jeffrey Springs and JP Sears, Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic reports.

It’s not at all surprising that the A’s would listen on Springs, given the way the season has played out. The A’s acquired Springs and fellow lefty Jacob Lopez from the Rays in an offseason deal sending righty Joe Boyle, minor leaguers Jacob Watters and Will Simpson, and a Competitive Balance (Round A) draft pick the other direction. Springs, signed through 2026 with a 2027 club option, gave the A’s an immediate rotation upgrade while also coming with the allure of additional trade value if their season went south.

Things have indeed gone poorly for the A’s in their first season away from Oakland. After a decent start, the A’s dropped 11 straight games in late May, picked up one win, and then dropped another nine in a row. The Athletics are 17 games under .500 and nowhere close to the playoff picture. They’ll be surefire deadline sellers, and the two-plus years of control over a solid and affordable veteran like Springs — who sat at No. 7 on our list of the Top 40 deadline trade candidates earlier this month — should pique the interest of pitching-hungry organizations.

[Related: Athletics Trade Deadline Outlook]

Springs, 32, originally signed a four-year, $31MM extension with the Rays after a breakout showing in 2021-22. A 2023 Tommy John procedure wiped out most of the first two seasons of that deal, though the southpaw looked quite sharp in his first 33 innings back from surgery late last year. That was enough to convince the A’s to make the swap.

Springs hasn’t replicated his breakout form or last year’s late success, but he’s still been a solid arm for skipper Mark Kotsay. In 114 innings, he’s pitched to a 4.18 ERA. His 18.8% strikeout rate isn’t close to the 29% mark he showed with Tampa Bay from 2021-24, however. His 7.9% walk rate is better than average but still an increase over the 6.5% he turned in during that four-year stretch with the Rays. Springs’ 90.5 mph average four-seamer is also down from the 91.9 mph he averaged during his best seasons as a Ray.

Even with diminished stuff and results, Springs has been a source of solid innings who’s kept the A’s in the game most times he’s taken the field. He’s had the odd clunker here and there, but Springs has a dozen outings of at least six innings and three or fewer earned runs this season (not all technically “quality starts,” since two followed an opener). He’s had another three starts where he pitched into the sixth and yielded two or fewer runs but didn’t complete that sixth frame and get the quality start. At the end of the day, he’s been a respectable fourth starter.

Springs is being paid $10.5MM this year and next. His 2027 club option comes at a $15MM rate and contains a $750K buyout. There’s about $3.9MM of this year’s salary yet to be paid out, bringing the total guarantee on his one-plus seasons to about $15.15MM. If Springs can get back closer to peak form, that $15MM option will look eminently reasonable. Even if he continues on as a roughly league-average starter, it’s not an egregious price to pay, considering older veterans like Max Scherzer, Justin Verlander, Charlie Morton and Alex Cobb all received salaries of $15MM on one-year deals this past offseason ($15.5MM, for Scherzer).

Sears is a less-conventional trade candidate, as he’s controlled three years beyond the current season. He’s not performing up to past standards, due primarily to a huge spike in home runs that can be somewhat attributed to his new home park. In 101 2/3 innings, Sears has a 5.13 ERA. His 6% walk rate is a career-low mark, and this year’s 19.4% strikeout rate is up from last year’s 18.1% mark (but also down from 2023’s 21.9% rate).

The 29-year-old Sears has yet to reach arbitration eligibility but will do so for the first time this winter. He’s not a playoff-caliber starter but could solidify the back of a contending club’s rotation down the stretch — particularly if said club plays in a park that’s not quite so homer-friendly. Even more borderline contenders — the D-backs, for instance — could look at Sears as someone who can provide some durable innings at an affordable rate next season and beyond. Sears made 32 starts in both 2023 and 2024, and he’s never been on the major league injured list. He’s a fourth starter at his best, but he’ll likely earn under $4MM in his first trip through arbitration, making him a budget-friendly option.

Source: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/07/athletics-trade-rumors-jeffrey-springs-jp-sears.html

 

[Las Vegas Athletics]

Trevor Cahill Retires

Right-hander Trevor Cahill has officially retired after 18 professional seasons, agent John Boggs told Newsweek’s Jon Paul Hoornstra. Cahill’s retirement was initially noted by the Gastonia Ghost Peppers of the independent Atlantic League, after the 37-year-old Cahill made two appearances in a comeback attempt this summer.

Before his Atlantic League work this year, Cahill’s last appearance in pro ball came when he tossed 20 2/3 innings in the Mets farm system in 2022. That stint in New York’s organization came on the heels of a 13-year run in the majors that saw Cahill toss 1507 2/3 innings with nine different clubs.

A second-round pick for the Athletics in the 2006 draft, Cahill broke into the Show by throwing 178 2/3 innings in his 2009 rookie season, and then followed up that workhorse year with a 2.97 ERA over 196 2/3 frames in 2010. The latter performance earned Cahill an All-Star nod, a ninth-place finish in AL Cy Young Award voting, and a five-year, $30.5MM contract extension in April 2011. Cahill’s five-year pact stood as the longest guaranteed deal the A’s gave to any player until this year, when the club inked long-term extensions with Lawrence Butler (seven years) and Brent Rooker (five years).

Despite the seeming contractual security, Cahill found himself on the move by December 2011, when he was dealt to the Diamondbacks as part of a five-player swap. He posted decent results in Arizona’s rotation in 2012-13 before running into struggles during the 2014 season that carried into 2015, and after bouncing around from the D’Backs to the Braves to the Dodgers to the Cubs all within a five-month span, Cahill reinvented himself as a reliever in Chicago. Cahill worked out of the pen in 60 of his 61 appearances with the Cubs over the 2015-16 seasons, posting a 2.61 ERA and earning a World Series ring for his work with the streak-busting 2016 squad (though Cahill didn’t see any action during Chicago’s playoff run).

Cahill returned to rotation work after signing a free agent deal with the Padres during the 2016-17 offseason, and that kicked off a stretch of Cahill pitching for six different clubs (including a return stint with Oakland in 2018) over his final five Major League seasons. The results were very inconsistent, as Cahill started to run into some problems with the home run ball, and his usual grounder-heavy approach had some built-in variance depending on his defenses and batted-ball luck.

For his career, Cahill finished with a 4.26 ERA in 361 games (233 of them starts). While only posting a 17.8% career strikeout rate, Cahill had a knack for keeping the ball on the ground for much of his career, with a 54% groundball rate.

We at MLB Trade Rumors congratulate Cahill on a fine career, and wish him all the best in his post-playing days.

Source: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/07/trevor-cahill-retires.html

 

[Las Vegas Athletics]

Athletics Recall Carlos Cortes For MLB Debut

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

Source: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/07/athletics-recall-carlos-cortes-for-mlb-debut.html

 

[Las Vegas Athletics]

Athletics Sign First-Round Pick Jamie Arnold

The Athletics have signed left-handed pitcher Jamie Arnold, reports Jim Callis of MLB.com. The A’s took him with the 11th overall pick in last week’s draft. His $5,985,100 signing bonus is full slote value for that pick.

Arnold, 21, spent the past three years pitching for Florida State University. He finished both his 2024 and 2025 seasons with a 2.98 earned run average. He struck out over 33% of batters faced in both of those seasons.

Pre-draft rankings from MLB Pipeline, Baseball America, ESPN and The Athletic’s Keith Law all had Arnold listed as one of the top six guys available in the class. All outlets mention his mid-90s fastball. His best secondary pitch is a slider/sweeper, though his changeup also gets some positive mentions. FanGraphs was a bit more bearish, putting Arnold at #17 and mentioning that his fastball declined this year, both in terms of velo and his feel for the pitch.

The A’s are rebuilding and have put together a strong lineup, but the pitching staff still needs work. They will have a tough time luring free agents in the next few years, as they are currently playing in a Triple-A park. The amenities there have led to various complaints from players. As a Pacific Coast League park, the playing conditions are specifically unfavorable for pitchers. Developing homegrown arms should be an important focus of the organization in the next few years and Arnold could be a key component of that. BA already lists Arnold as the second-best prospect in the system.

Photo courtesy of Abigail Dollins, Imagn Images

Source: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/07/athletics-sign-first-round-pick-jamie-arnold.html

 

[Las Vegas Athletics]

Jesse Chavez Announces Retirement

Right-hander Jesse Chavez announced his retirement on Foul Territory today. He was on the Braves’ roster until recently but was designated for assignment a week ago when that club acquired Dane Dunning. Chavez elected free agency after clearing waivers and has apparently decided to hang up his spikes in recent days.

“I don’t think we’re gonna keep going,” Chavez said. “I think this is it, time to turn the page, focus on the next chapter in life and go help all the young kids, all the stuff that I did so they don’t have to take two steps backwards and take those three steps forward.”

Chavez wraps up his career just shy of his 42nd birthday, which is less than a month away. He had an incredibly unique career in terms of the miles he traveled and jerseys he wore over the years. As detailed by Matt Monagan of MLB.com in 2022, Chavez is the most traded player in history, having been flipped ten times.

He was initially drafted by the Cubs in the 39th round of the 2001 draft but decided to go to college. Then the Rangers took him in the 42nd round the year after and got him to sign. The draft is now only 20 rounds in length but was obviously longer back then.

Prior to making it to the majors, he was traded for the first time, getting sent to the Pirates for Kip Wells in 2006. He made his major league debut with that club in 2008, tossing 15 innings with a 6.60 earned run average. He stuck with the Bucs through 2009 but then before the 2010 season was flipped to the Rays for Akinori Iwamura and then to the Braves for Rafael Soriano. His first stint with Atlanta lasted just a few months, as he was traded to the Royals at the deadline alongside Gregor Blanco and Tim Collins for Rick Ankiel and Kyle Farnsworth.

He stuck with the Royals through the 2011 season before being put on waivers, when the Blue Jays claimed him. In August of 2012, he was traded to the Athletics in exchange for cash considerations.

At the end of the 2012 season, Chavez still hadn’t had a lot of major league success. He had a 5.99 ERA in 177 1/3 innings. The move to Oakland seemed to work out well for him. In 2013, he tossed 57 1/3 relief innings with a 3.92 ERA. He got stretched out for a rotation role and performed well. He logged 303 innings over the 2014 and 2015 seasons with a 3.83 ERA.

Going into 2016, he was traded back to the Blue Jays, with Liam Hendriks sent the other way. That second stint with the Jays lasted just a few months, as he was flipped to the Dodgers for Mike Bolsinger ahead of the 2016 deadline. Both of those clubs kept in him relief and he had a 4.43 ERA that year.

He reached free agency for the first time ahead of the 2017 season and signed a one-year, $5.8MM deal with the Angels. The Halos stretched him back out but the results weren’t great, with a 5.43 ERA through July. He was moved back to the bullpen and had a slightly better 4.94 ERA the rest of the way.

Going into 2018, he signed a one-year, $1MM deal to return to the Rangers, the first organization he signed with. That turned out to be one of his best seasons. He was traded the Cubs for Tyler Thomas at the deadline and finished that year with a 2.55 ERA. He got to make his first postseason appearance with the Cubs, tossing a scoreless inning in the Wild Card game against the Rockies, but the Cubs ultimately lost in 13 innings.

He returned to free agency and signed with the Rangers yet again, this time on a two-year deal worth $8MM. That deal didn’t work out quite as well, as he posted a 5.21 ERA over those two seasons.

He had to settle for a minor league deal with Atlanta going into 2021, but he showed he still had something left in the tank. He was able to to throw 33 2/3 innings in the majors that year with a 2.14 ERA. He cracked the postseason roster and tossed 6 1/3 scoreless innings as Atlanta won it all, getting Chavez a World Series ring.

He signed a minor league deal with the Cubs going into 2022 and got a brief stint on their roster before getting flipped back to Atlanta for Sean Newcomb. A few months later, he and Tucker Davidson were flipped to the Angels for Raisel Iglesias.

In the latter years of his career, he always seemed to wind up back in Atlanta. Even after being traded away in August of 2022, he was back in Atlanta via waivers a few weeks later. Via further minor league deals, he ended up tossing 34 2/3 innings in 2023 with a 1.56 ERA and then 63 1/3 innings last year with a 3.13 ERA. This year, his time on the roster has been more limited, with eight innings and eight earned runs allowed.

In the end, Chavez played in 18 seasons for nine different teams, getting traded ten times. He got into 657 games and tossed 1,142 innings with a 4.27 ERA. He had a 51-66 win-loss record, nine saves and 76 holds. Baseball Reference lists his career earnings above $25MM. We at MLB Trade Rumors salute him on his incredibly long and winding career and wish him the best with the next phase of his life. Based on his comments above, it sounds like maybe he’ll turn up in a coaching role in the future.

Photos courtesy of Kelley L Cox, Tim Heitman and Charles LeClaire, Imagn Images

Source: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/07/jesse-chavez-announces-retirement.html

 

[Las Vegas Athletics]

Latest On A’s Deadline Possibilities

The A’s are known to be listening to offers on a few back-of-the-rotation starting pitchers. There’s been comparatively less chatter about the 43-62 club’s position player group. That’s because their hitters of much regard are all controllable for a long while, but there’s a case to be made that they should entertain trading from a crowded collection of bats.

If that happens, it won’t involve Brent Rooker. The All-Star slugger confidently told Foul Territory this afternoon that he will not be moved. “I’m not going anywhere. We’re good. I’m staying,” Rooker said. He’s in the first season of a five-year, $60MM extension. While that doesn’t come with any no-trade protection, Rooker indicated the front office has already assured him that they’re not moving him.

Rooker will remain locked in as the primary designated hitter. Nick Kurtz, who is mashing at a .281/.355/.614 clip to give teammate Jacob Wilson a run for his money as the AL Rookie of the Year, is a building block at first base. That does leave the A’s to somewhat awkwardly play Tyler Soderstrom out of position in left field. Soderstrom is an average runner who had played only catcher or first base until this season. While he has graded as a league average defender in his first 500+ career innings in the outfield, it’s fair to wonder if the A’s want to keep him out there for the long term.

With that positional logjam in mind, Alex Speier of The Boston Globe wrote earlier this week that some people within the game consider Soderstrom a dark horse trade candidate. Speier didn’t report that the A’s are shopping the 23-year-old, to be clear, so it’s possible that other teams are simply observing the A’s crowded outfield mix and wondering if there’s an opportunity to pry him loose.

Soderstrom is a former first-round pick who has been an above-average hitter in two straight seasons. He owns a .256/.329/.448 batting line with 18 home runs across 415 plate appearances this year. The vast majority of that damage came in April. Soderstrom hit .284 with nine longballs in the season’s first month. He fell into a two-month slump thereafter, though he has rebounded of late with a .271/.295/.542 showing in July.

The lefty-hitting Soderstrom is still a year away from qualifying for arbitration. He’s under club control for four seasons after this one. The A’s would certainly set a high bar even if they were willing to entertain trade discussions. They’ll need an influx of young starting pitching if they want to compete in the near future, though, and none of Jeffrey Springs, JP Sears or Luis Severino is likely to bring back a huge return. Floating Soderstrom for a starting pitcher with a similar window of club control could have some appeal.

Source: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/07/latest-on-as-deadline-possibilities.html

 

[Las Vegas Athletics]

Jose Leclerc To Undergo Shoulder Surgery

A’s reliever José Leclerc will undergo season-ending shoulder surgery, reports Martín Gallegos of MLB.com. The hard-throwing righty has been out since April 23 with a lat strain. Leclerc will remain on the 60-day injured list for the rest of the season and become a free agent after the World Series.

The A’s surprisingly signed Leclerc to a $10MM free agent contract. The A’s needed to spend to ensure they weren’t subject to a grievance from the MLB Players Association about their use of revenue sharing money. They’d also played reasonably well in the second half last season and felt that a few additions to the pitching staff could make them a fringe Wild Card contender during their first year in Sacramento. None of the pitching investments have worked out. They’re the second-worst team in the American League as a result.

Leclerc made 10 appearances. He allowed six runs on 13 hits (three homers) and five walks with eight strikeouts across nine innings. That’ll be all they get out of that eight-figure signing because of the injury. Specifics on the surgery aren’t clear, nor is it known if he’ll be ready for Opening Day next season.

Over parts of eight seasons with the Rangers, Leclerc turned in a 3.27 earned run average. That included 57 frames of 2.68 ERA ball during their World Series season. He posted a 4.32 ERA in 66 2/3 innings a year ago, but that came with a near-31% strikeout rate that made him one of the better available relievers last winter.

Source: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/07/jose-leclerc-to-undergo-shoulder-surgery.html

 

[Las Vegas Athletics]

Astros Claim Logan Davidson, Place Brandon Walter On Injured List

The Astros announced Friday that they’ve claimed infielder Logan Davidson off waivers from the A’s and designated right-hander Nick Robertson for assignment in a corresponding move. Houston also placed lefty Brandon Walter on the 15-day injured list due to elbow inflammation and recalled righty Nick Hernandez from Triple-A Sugar Land.

Davidson, 27, was the Athletics’ first-round pick back in 2017. He was designated for assignment earlier in the week. The Clemson product made his big league debut this season and collected his first few big league hits but only tallied 24 plate appearances. He’s spent the bulk of the season in Triple-A Las Vegas, hitting .263/.412/.397 with a colossal 19.4% walk rate but a 26.4% strikeout rate and only seven homers in 330 plate appearances.

That’s Davidson’s third run at the Triple-A level. He’s a career .278/.374/.446 hitter in just over 900 plate appearances there. Davidson has primarily been a shortstop in his pro career but has at least 500 innings at all four infield positions and another 350 innings of outfield work under his belt. He’ll add a switch-hitting depth piece with a full slate of minor league options to the Houston depth chart.

The Astros added Robertson, 27, in an April 1 trade with the Blue Jays. He’s spent the whole season in Triple-A, where he’s worked 32 2/3 innings of relief with a 4.68 ERA, 24.8% strikeout rate and grisly 17.2% walk rate.

Robertson has a history of missing bats in the upper minors but also well below-average command. He’s pitched 35 2/3 innings across four teams (Dodgers, Red Sox, Cardinals, Jays) and posted a 5.30 ERA while fanning nearly a quarter of his opponents against a 6.8% walk rate. Houston has five days to trade him or place him on outright waivers.

Walter’s IL placement is the latest in a seemingly neverending spree of injuries to Astros pitchers. The former Red Sox prospect signed a minor league deal over the winter and has been a revelation in Houston filling in for other injured starters like Ronel Blanco and Hayden Wesneski.

In 53 2/3 innings, Walter has posted a 3.35 ERA with a 24.5% strikeout rate and an outrageous 1.9% walk rate (four walks). He’s started nine games and looked to have a rotation spot locked down before his elbow flared up.

Elbow concerns for any pitcher are ominous, but that’s perhaps particularly true in Walter’s case. He missed the entire 2024 season due to injury — albeit a rotator cuff strain rather than anything pertaining to his elbow. Still, it’s a discouraging development for him to run into another arm injury in relatively short order after returning from an entirely lost season.

The Astros were on the lookout for pitching earlier this summer, but general manager Dana Brown recently suggested that in light of a serious injury to third baseman Isaac Paredes (to say nothing of an increasingly protracted absence for Yordan Alvarez), his focus is instead on bolstering the lineup. That, of course, was before word came down about Walter’s elbow.

With Walter on the shelf, Houston’s rotation includes co-aces Hunter Brown and Framber Valdez and rookies Colton Gordon and Ryan Gusto. Candidates to step into Walter’s spot include Jason Alexander, AJ Blubaugh and Miguel Ullola, although Houston also has Spencer Arrighetti, Cristian Javier and Lance McCullers Jr. on the mend.

Source: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/07/astros-claim-logan-davidson-waivers-dfa-nick-robertson.html

 

[Las Vegas Athletics]

Draft Signings: Schoolcraft, Watson, Russell, Quick, Flemming, Root

There were a handful of draftees who signed for between $2MM and $4MM on Wednesday. All signings were first reported by Jim Callis of MLB Pipeline. View pre-draft scouting reports from Baseball America, FanGraphs, MLB Pipeline, Kiley McDaniel of ESPN and Keith Law of The Athletic.

• The Padres reached agreement with first-rounder Kruz Schoolcraft on a $3.6066MM bonus that matches the slot value for the #25 overall pick. A 6’8″ left-handed prep pitcher from Oregon, Schoolcraft was committed to Tennessee. Evaluators credit him with a potential plus changeup and the ability to run his fastball into the upper 90s on occasion, though his velocity varies between starts. Schoolcraft was a two-way player in high school and would have been a legitimate prospect as a first baseman, but scouts agree that he has greater upside on the mound. He placed between 19th and 41st on the linked pre-draft rankings.
• The Reds went well above slot with a $2.75MM bonus for second-round pick Aaron Watson. The 51st overall selection comes with a slot value around $1.89MM. Watson is a 6’5″ prep right-hander who had been committed to Florida. He sits in the low-90s at present and has advanced command and feel for manipulating a potential above-average slider. The Reds saved a bit of money by going below slot for first-rounder Steele Hall, allowing them to reallocate some money to Watson.
• The Rangers have a $2.6MM agreement with second-rounder A.J. Russell against an approximate $1.85MM slot value. A University of Tennessee product, he’s a 6’6″ righty who missed parts of the 2024-25 seasons recovering from elbow surgery. Russell had dominated as a reliever during his freshman year but only managed 70 innings in his college career. Evaluators suggest he has a potential mid-rotation ceiling, but he’ll face questions about his ability to stick as a starter until he builds more of a track record.
• The Twins signed supplemental first-rounder Riley Quick for $2.692MM, matching the 36th selection’s slot value. Quick is a 6’6″ righty from the University of Alabama with a power arsenal but a limited college track record because of Tommy John surgery.
• The A’s signed second-round pick Devin Taylor. He’s an Indiana University product who hit .374/.494/.706 with 18 homers and 52 walks against 30 strikeouts in his draft year. The lefty-hitting Taylor is viewed as one of the best offensive players in the college class but projects as below-average left fielder who might be limited to designated hitter.
• The Rays have an overslot deal with second-round pick Cooper Flemming. The California high school infielder receives a $2.2975MM bonus that comes in above the $1.8MM slot value. A left-handed hitter who was committed to Vanderbilt, Flemming ranked around 50th on Law’s and McDaniel’s boards but placed as low as 102nd at Baseball America. He projects to third base and has a well-rounded skillset with advanced hitting ability but doesn’t project for many plus tools.
• The Dodgers signed 40th overall selection Zachary Root for $2.2MM, a little below the $2.43MM slot. They signed 41st selection Charles Davalan for exactly $2MM, also below slot. Root, a 6’1″ lefty from Arkansas, is viewed as a likely back-end starter on the strength of his secondary stuff. He posted a 3.62 ERA with 126 strikeouts in 19 starts this past season. Davalan was Root’s teammate with the Hogs. He hit .346 with 14 homers in his junior season. A short left-handed hitter, Davalan has plus contact skills with some bat speed and could project as an above-average defensive left fielder.

Note: This post initially called Taylor a Minnesota draft pick. MLBTR apologizes for the error.

Source: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025...craft-watson-russell-quick-flemming-root.html

 

[Las Vegas Athletics]

Athletics Select Ben Bowden, Designate Logan Davidson For Assignment

The Athletics announced today that they have selected the contract of left-hander Ben Bowden. Fellow lefty Hogan Harris has been optioned as the corresponding active roster move. Infielder Logan Davidson has been designated for assignment to open a 40-man spot.

Bowden, 30, gets back to the big leagues for the first time in four years. He got into 39 games with the Rockies in 2021, allowing 6.56 earned runs per nine, but has been stuck in the minors since then. In early 2022, the Rays claimed him off waivers and later ran him through unclaimed. He then spent some time with the Giants, Phillies and Braves in a non-roster capacity without getting called up.

He signed a minor league deal with the A’s in the offseason and has been pitching well in Triple-A this year. In 39 2/3 innings for the Aviators, he has only allowed 1.36 earned runs per nine. There’s surely a bit of good luck in there, as his .260 batting average on balls in play, 80.3% strand rate and 2.3% home run per flyball rate are all to the helpful side. However, he is striking out 25.6% of opponents, though also with a high walk rate of 11.3%.

The A’s will give him a shot to see if he can find some major league success. With Harris getting sent down, Bowden will be the second lefty in the big league bullpen, alongside Sean Newcomb. It’s possible Newcomb is traded in the next week, since he’s an impending free agent and pitching well. That could help Bowden stick around, though he does have one option remaining.

Davidson, 27, was the club’s first-round pick back in 2019. After the lost 2020 season, he struggled in the three following campaigns and fell off the prospect map. He regained a bit of form in 2024 by hitting .300/.366/.535 in 87 Triple-A contests, despite his strikeout rate remaining high at 30.5%. He then started his 2025 season with a .303/.452/.428 line in his first 186 Triple-A plate appearances, again working around a high strikeout rate of 31.2%.

That got him up to the big leagues for the first time in late May. He struck out 12 times in his first 24 plate appearances, producing a .150/.261/.200 line before getting optioned back down to Las Vegas. Since getting sent back down, he has slashed .221/.371/.372.

DFA limbo can last as long as a week. The waiver process takes 48 hours, so the A’s could take up to five days to explore trade interest. He is capable of playing all over the diamond and has occasionally shown some promise at the plate. He also has a full slate of options and could perhaps appeal to a club in need of some position player depth. If he were to pass through waivers unclaimed, he would stick with the A’s as non-roster depth.

Photo courtesy of Rick Scuteri, Imagn Images

Source: https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025...-designate-logan-davidson-for-assignment.html