Oakland Athletics Transactions

Wednesday, December 21

TEAM	PLAYER	TRANSACTION
		The Oakland Athletics and free-agent right-hander Drew Rucinski agreed to a deal on Tuesday, according to a source. The New York Post's Jon Heyman later reported the deal is worth $3 million guaranteed on a one-year deal that includes a team option for $5 million in 2024. Rucinski will turn 34 years old on Dec. 30 and spent the last four years playing professionally in Korea, posting a strong 3.06 ERA over 121 starts. In four seasons with the Angels, Twins and Marlins, Rucinski had a 5.33 ERA (4.34 FIP), 1.59 WHIP and 17.9 percent strikeout rate in 54 innings across 41 outings (one start). The 33-year-old will be competing for a chance to stick at the back of the starting rotation next season for the rebuilding A's.
		The Oakland Athletics signed free-agent left-hander Jake Fishman to a minor-league deal that includes a non-roster invite to major-league spring training. The 27-year-old southpaw made his big-league debut with the Miami Marlins in 2022 and made seven relief appearances, allowing five earned runs on 13 hits while walking none and striking out six in 11 innings. In 33 relief appearances for Triple-A Jacksonville in the minors, Fishman posted a 2.25 ERA and 1.05 WHIP while walking 20 and striking out 54 over 56 innings. He'll be hoping to make an impression on the rebuilding A's coaching staff next spring, but he'll likely be a long shot to make the Opening Day bullpen.

Friday, December 16

TEAM	PLAYER	TRANSACTION
		The Oakland Athletics and right-hander Trevor May agreed to a one-year, $7 million deal on Friday, according to sources familiar with the deal. The 33-year-old reliever will receive a $1 million signing bonus and can make another $500,000 in performance bonuses. The 2022 season wasn't May's best, as he dealt with arm injuries and finished with a 5.04 ERA (3.87 FIP), a 1.44 WHIP, one save and a 27 percent strikeout rate in only 25 relief innings for the New York Mets. May has been solid as a high-leverage reliever the last five years (3.54 ERA, 1.18 WHIP and 12 saves), and he could be the favorite for closing duties to begin the 2023 season in his new digs in Oakland.

Tuesday, December 13

TEAM	PLAYER	TRANSACTION
		The Oakland Athletics acquired catcher Manny Pina and super-utilityman Esteury Ruiz on Monday as part of a three-way swap that included the Milwaukee Brewers and Atlanta Braves, according to a source. The A's also received pitchers Kyle Muller, Royber Salinas and Freddy Tarnok. Pina had wrist surgery in 2022 and only played in five games for the Braves. The 35-year-old veteran backstop should see considerable playing time alongside prospect Shea Langeliers next season for the rebuilding A's. Ruiz was sent to Milwaukee from San Diego in August in the Josh Hader trade. The 23-year-old struggled in his first 17 big-league games, going 6-for-35 (.171) with two RBI, three runs and a stolen base, but he posted a .900 OPS in Triple-A and stole 48 bases. Ruiz will be one to watch in deeper leagues with a chance to secure regular playing time in Oakland sooner than later.

Wednesday, December 07

TEAM	PLAYER	TRANSACTION
		The Oakland Athletics agreed to a two-year deal in the $14 million range on Wednesday with free-agent utility man Aledmys Diaz, pending a physical. For the Houston Astros in the last four seasons, Diaz has worked mostly as a super-utility player, giving the team plenty of flexibility in the infield and outfield. With the move to the rebuilding A's, Diaz is likely to have more of an everyday role, which will be a boost to his fantasy value in 2023. The 32-year-old hit .243/.287/.403 with 12 home runs, 38 RBI, 35 runs scored and one stolen base in 92 games played. In his four-year run in Houston, he slashed .255/.313/.425 with 32 long balls and 129 RBI. Diaz's counting stats should improve, but he's mostly a league-average hitter that is getting a downgrade in ballpark and his lineup.
		The Oakland Athletics selected Los Angeles Dodgers first baseman Ryan Noda second overall in Wednesday's Rule 5 draft. The rebuilding A's will give Noda a shot to see if he can stick on their major-league roster in 2023. The 26-year-old was taken in the 15th round in 2017 out of the University of Cincinnati by the Toronto Blue Jays. Noda, a left-handed-hitting first baseman and corner outfielder, finished the 2022 season by hitting .259/.396/.474 with an .870 OPS, 25 home runs, 90 RBI, 86 runs scored and even 20 stolen bases in 135 games for Triple-A Oklahoma City. He has plenty of power (54 home runs in the last two seasons), but he'll need to cut down on his strikeouts (162 in 2022) in order to find success in the majors.

Tuesday, December 06

TEAM	PLAYER	TRANSACTION
		The Oakland Athletics and Jace Peterson are reportedly "in agreement on a two-year contract, pending physical," per a tweet from FanSided's Robert Murray on Tuesday. Murray tweeted: "Free-agent utilityman Jace Peterson and the Oakland A's are in agreement on a two-year contract, pending physical, according to source familiar with the deal." Peterson appeared in 113 games for the Milwaukee Brewers last season, seeing time at a multitude of positions, including third base, right field, first base, left field and second base. He hit .236 in 328 plate appearances while adding a .316 on-base percentage, eight home runs and 12 stolen bases in the process.

Wednesday, November 30

TEAM	PLAYER	TRANSACTION
		The Oakland Athletics signed right-hander Jasseel De La Cruz to a minor-league deal on Tuesday. De La Cruz was a significant prospect for the Atlanta Braves going into the 2020 season, but he has struggled in the minors the last two years. The 25-year-old will hope to have better luck with the rebuilding A's. In three minor-league levels with the Braves last year, De La Cruz had a rough 7.18 ERA, a 1.82 WHIP, 28 strikeouts and 12 walks in 26 1/3 innings pitched in 20 appearances (five starts). He allowed 14 runs (11 earned) on 20 hits while walking seven and striking out 11 in 12 1/3 innings for Triple-A Gwinnett.

Thursday, November 17

TEAM	PLAYER	TRANSACTION
		The Oakland Athletics claimed outfielder Brent Rooker off waivers from the Kansas City Royals on Thursday. The move comes after the Royals designated Rooker for assignment earlier this week. The 28-year-old played in two games with the San Diego Padres in 2022 before landing in Kansas City. In just 14 games with the Royals, he hit .160/.276/.200 with no home runs, two RBI and a run scored in 29 plate appearances. Rooker has a weak slash line of .200/.289/.379 with 10 home runs, 23 RBI and 30 runs scored in 270 plate appearances over 81 games in his three major-league seasons to this point. He'll be battling for a roster spot in spring training with the A's next year.

Monday, November 14

TEAM	PLAYER	TRANSACTION
		The Oakland Athletics outrighted right-hander Daulton Jefferies to Triple-A on Monday. The 27-year-old right-hander made eight starts for the American League West club in 2022, throwing 39.1 innings and logging a 5.72 ERA and a 3.77 FIP. He also chipped in with 28 strikeouts compared to just eight walks allowed. As of now, Oakland's rotation options on the team's 40-man roster include left-handers Cole Irvin, JP Sears, and Ken Waldichuk, as well as right-handers Paul Blackburn, James Kaprielian, and Adam Oller.

Wednesday, November 09

TEAM	PLAYER	TRANSACTION
		The Oakland Athletics signed free-agent first baseman Kevin Cron to a minor league deal on Tuesday. The son of assistant hitting coach Chris Cron, the 29-year-old is being assigned to Triple-A Las Vegas. Since a big year at Triple-A Reno in 2019, Cron has struggled at the plate and went 0-for-17 with seven strikeouts in eight games with the Arizona Diamondbacks in 2020. He hit .239 with 15 home runs, a .296 on-base percentage and a .433 slugging percentage in 95 games with the Hiroshima Carp in Japan later in 2020. Cron hit just .222 with a .255 OBP in 67 games in Korea in 2022. He managed 38 home runs in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League in 2019, but Cron has also always been a high-strikeout guy.
		Oakland Athletics general manager David Forst said Tuesday that catcher Sean Murphy was mentioned numerous times during Day 1 of MLB's General Managers Meetings, per MLB's Martin Gallegos. Forst said, "He's obviously a popular topic of discussion when I talk to other clubs". The 28-year-old is under the team's control through the 2025 season and contributed both defensively and offensively in 2022, finishing as a finalist for the Gold Glove and Silver Slugger Awards. However, the A's have considerable depth at catcher, including Shea Langeliers and prospects Tyler Soderstrom and Daniel Susac. From a fantasy perspective, Murphy would be better positioned to help fantasy managers hitting in most other lineups.

Saturday, October 29

TEAM	PLAYER	TRANSACTION
		The Oakland Athletics signed infielder Tyler Wade to a minor league deal on Friday. Wade played the second half of the 2022 regular season on a non-roster deal with the New York Yankees but elected free agency earlier this month. The 27-year-old has spent time with the Yankees and Los Angeles Angels in his six big-league seasons. In 67 games with the Angels this year, he slashed .272/.272/.544 with a homer, eight RBI, 22 runs scored and eight stolen bases. The utility infielder had developed into one of New York's more interesting prospects after being a fourth-round pick in 2013, but he never had more than 145 plate appearances and has become more of a utility bat at this stage of his career. With plenty of opportunity in Oakland, Wade will compete for a roster spot in spring training next year.

Thursday, September 22

TEAM	PLAYER	TRANSACTION
		Oakland Athletics catcher Stephen Vogt announced that he will retire from professional baseball after this season. Vogt will retire a 10-year veteran (six seasons with the A's) in which he was a two-time All-Star. The 37-year-old played for the A's, Rays, Diamondbacks, Giants, Braves and Brewers during his career. Vogt currently has a .239/.302/.406 slash line with 81 home runs, 309 RBI, 256 runs scored and five stolen bases in his 784 career games. He made the All-Star team in back-to-back seasons in 2015 and 2016 with Oakland, and he hit a career-high 18 home runs while driving in 71 runs in 2015.
		Oakland Athletics center fielder Ramon Laureano (hamstring) is expected to miss the rest of the season after being placed on the 10-day injured list last Saturday with a right hamstring strain. "I'm kind of sure it's going to be a season-ending (injury)," manager Mark Kotsay said. Still, Laureano will begin a rehab program in the coming days. He had already missed time from Aug. 15 to Sept. 5 with a strained left oblique, so the A's aren't going to rush him back with nothing to play for in 2022. The 28-year-old Dominican outfielder will finish his campaign with a .211/.287/.376 slash line with 13 home runs, 34 RBI, 49 runs scored and 11 stolen bases in 383 plate appearances and 94 games. Seth Brown and Cristian Pache have been operating in a platoon in center field with Laureano out.

Sunday, September 11

TEAM	PLAYER	TRANSACTION
		Oakland Athletics starting pitcher Daulton Jefferies (elbow) underwent Tommy John surgery on Friday. The 27-year-old hurler had been out since mid-June after having surgery for thoracic outlet syndrome. He also underwent Tommy John surgery back in 2017 so this is his second procedure on his elbow. The team should provide an update on him soon but fantasy managers shouldn't expect to see him back in uniform until midway through next season.
		Oakland Athletics pitcher Brent Honeywell Jr. (elbow) was activated from the 60-day injured list and then outrighted to Triple-A Las Vegas. The oft-injured hurler will continue rehabbing in the minors and has a small chance of being called up before the regular season is up.

Friday, September 09

TEAM	PLAYER	TRANSACTION
		Oakland Athletics starting pitcher James Kaprielian (finger) has been scratched from his start Friday against the Los Angeles Angels with a middle right finger laceration. Kaprielian was set to make his return to the Athletics rotation after getting bumped out of it last week, but won't make his start after cutting a finger on his pitching hand. It is not yet known if the Athletics plan to start him later in the weekend or if he will be skipped. The 28-year-old had a tough go of it in August, posting a 1-4 record, 5.59 ERA, and 1.79 WHIP over 29 IP. Still, he could have been a somewhat appealing streaming candidate in deeper leagues against a bad Angels lineup. Alas, the Athletics will instead have a bullpen game on Friday, with Austin Pruitt opening.

Thursday, September 08

TEAM	PLAYER	TRANSACTION
		Oakland Athletics second baseman Tony Kemp (groin) is starting at second base and is hitting leadoff on Thursday against the Chicago White Sox and right-hander Dylan Cease. Kemp returns to the starting lineup after sitting out Wednesday with groin tightness. Fantasy managers in deeper leagues should shuffle the 30-year-old back into their starting lineups as he looks to move his current hitting streak to 10 games. He's gone 11-for-37 (.297) with no homers, six RBI and seven runs scored during his nine-game hitting streak. Overall, Kemp is hitting .227/.300/.309 with four home runs, 34 RBI, 45 runs scored and eight stolen bases in 471 plate appearances and 124 games.

Tuesday, September 06

TEAM	PLAYER	TRANSACTION
		Oakland Athletics outfielder Ramon Laureano (oblique) has been activated from the 10-day injured list on Tuesday. The 28-year-old will return to the starting lineup after missing three weeks due to a Grade 1 left oblique strain. Laureano will bat second and cover center field against right-hander Kyle Wright on Tuesday. Fantasy managers should double check their lineup and make sure Laureano is back in there. He won't be a recommended streaming option in a tough matchup against Wright.

Sunday, September 04

TEAM	PLAYER	TRANSACTION
		Oakland Athletics outfielder Ramon Laureano (oblique) could potentially rejoin the team on Tuesday for their series opener against the Atlanta Braves. The 28-year-old outfielder has been out since August 14 due to a left oblique strain but started in right field for High-A Stockton for his minor league rehab assignment on Saturday. He's suiting up for Stockton once again, serving as the DH, on Sunday and if he makes it through without any setbacks, he should be able to rejoin the A's on Tuesday per manager Mark Kotsay.

Tuesday, August 30

TEAM	PLAYER	TRANSACTION
		The Oakland Athletics are reportedly set to call up pitching prospect Ken Waldichuk when rosters expand on Sept. 1, according to a tweet from Matt Kawahara of The San Francisco Chronicle on Tuesday. The former fifth-round pick has pitched at Double-A and Triple-A this season, posting a 2.84 ERA and 137 strikeouts while giving up 36 walks in 21 starts spanning 95 innings. He'll give Oakland another starting option down the stretch alongside Cole Irvin, James Kaprielian, Adam Oller, and JP Sears.

Monday, August 29

TEAM	PLAYER	TRANSACTION
		Oakland Athletics outfielder Ramon Laureano (oblique) won't travel with the team on their upcoming road trip, according to manager Mark Kotsay. Instead, Laureano will continue his rehab work in Oakland. "With these injuries, if I gave you a timeline, we'd probably be wrong," Kotsay said. The 28-year-old outfielder is dealing with a left oblique strain and will still need to go on a minor league rehab assignment before he rejoins the A's starting lineup at some point in early September. Fantasy managers in shallow mixed leagues shouldn't hold Laureano if they have other needs. In 309 at-bats in 2022, he's hitting .223/.300/.395 with 12 home runs, 29 RBI, 44 runs scored and 10 stolen bases.

Sunday, August 28

TEAM	PLAYER	TRANSACTION
		Oakland Athletics reliever Dany Jimenez was placed on the 60-day IL on Saturday with a right shoulder strain, effectively ending his season. The right-hander missed a month and a half with an injury to his throwing shoulder already this year, but the club has yet to state if he'll need any offseason procedures to help get him back to full health. Jimenez led the team with 11 saves to go along with a 3.41 ERA and 1.19 WHIP with 34 K through 34 1/3 IP to give fantasy managers who waited on relievers on draft day some waiver wire value. Zach Jackson and A.J. Puk who have collected three saves apiece already this year will likely split save opportunities moving forward.

Friday, August 26

TEAM	PLAYER	TRANSACTION
		Oakland Athletics outfielder Skye Bolt (knee) suffered a right knee contusion after being hit by a pitch in the seventh inning on Thursday against the New York Yankees, according to manager Mark Kotsay. Bolt said X-rays came back negative, but he was still walking gingerly after the game. Reliever Joel Payamps (calf) suffered a left calf contusion. Bolt was 0-for-2 with a run scored in the game, while Payamps had to be helped off the field after being hit by a comebacker. It was only his second appearance for the A's after being claimed off waivers from the Kansas City Royals last week. Payamps' injury appears more serious than Bolt's, but fantasy managers should consider them both day-to-day for now.
		Oakland Athletics right-hander Brent Honeywell Jr. (elbow) gave up three earned runs on five hits (one homer allowed) while walking one and striking out four in 2 2/3 innings in his minor league rehab outing for Triple-A Las Vegas on Thursday. He also hit a batter and threw a wild pitch. The 27-year-old has a rough 14.73 ERA in just 3 2/3 innings in two appearances at Las Vegas, so the A's will probably want to see some better results before considering having him join the major league club. Once a top prospect for the Tampa Bay Rays, Honeywell's career continues to be set back by injuries. In his first three big-league appearances last year in Tampa, he allowed four earned runs while walking three and striking out four in 4 1/4 innings.

Tuesday, August 23

TEAM	PLAYER	TRANSACTION
		The Los Angeles Dodgers and infielder Max Muncy agreed on a one-year, $13.5 million contract extension on Monday. Muncy will now remain with the Dodgers through the 2023 season with a club option for 2024. LA initially had a 2023 option on Muncy before the extension. Muncy is happy to be staying in LA, telling reporters, "It means everything to me." The 31-year-old is hitting .190 with 16 homers, 51 runs, 47 RBI, and two steals in 2022.
		Oakland Athletics outfielder Skye Bolt (knee) went 1-for-3 with a strikeout while playing right field in Monday's 3-0 loss to the visiting Miami Marlins. Bolt was scratched from the lineup on Saturday with knee soreness, but he came in as a defensive replacement on Saturday and Sunday. The 28-year-old hasn't been much of a fantasy option for the last-place A's, as he's slashing only .208/.266/.347 with four home runs, 12 RBI, nine runs scored and five stolen bases in 109 plate appearances over 40 games played in 2022.

Monday, August 22

TEAM	PLAYER	TRANSACTION
		Oakland Athletics right-hander Brent Honeywell Jr. (elbow) has already made a pair of minor league rehab outings with Single-A Stockton, and he'll make his next appearance with Triple-A Las Vegas on Tuesday. Though the A's still view Honeywell as a starter in the long term, manager Mark Kotsay said that Honeywell will likely pitch out of the bullpen for the team this year if he's able to properly build up his workload to return to the majors before the season is over. He's been dealing with a stress reaction in the back of his right elbow since late March in spring training and has yet to make his debut with the A's. The 27-year-old has allowed a run on four hits while walking one and striking out three in three innings in his two rehab starts for Stockton.
		Oakland Athletics outfielder Ramon Laureano (oblique) is "moving forward pretty quickly" in his recovery from a strained left oblique, according to skipper Mark Kotsay. Laureano hasn't played in a game since Aug. 14, but he played catch on Sunday after taking 10 swings with no ill effects on Saturday. There's still a good chance that the 28-year-old won't be ready to return from the injured list when he's eligible to return on Thursday. Before his injury, Laureano was hitting .223/.300/.395 with 12 home runs, 29 RBI, 44 runs scored and 10 stolen bases in 343 plate appearances over 84 games played in 2022. He remains worth stashing in most fantasy leagues for his modest power/speed contributions.

Saturday, August 20

TEAM	PLAYER	TRANSACTION
		Oakland Athletics starting pitcher Paul Blackburn (finger) has been transferred to the 60-day injured list. The A's needed to clear a spot on their 40-man roster after claiming right-hander pitcher Joel Payamps off waivers from Kansas City. Blackburn, who made the AL All-Star team earlier this season, will remain out for the rest of the season and can be dropped in season-long fantasy leagues. He finishes the year with a 4.28 ERA, 1.26 WHIP, and 89:30 K/BB ratio over 111 1/3 innings (21 starts).