This page may contain affiliate links. If you click and sign up, make a deposit, or place a wager, we may earn a commission at no additional cost to you.
Athletics' Matt Sauer: Inks minor-league deal with A's
Rotowire
The Athletics signed Sauer to a minor-league contract Friday, Jason Burke of Roundtable.io reports.
Sauer has spent all of 2026 in the KBO with the KT Wiz, where he has a 7-5 record over 18 starts with a 4.88 ERA across 101.1 innings. He last saw major-league action in 2025 with the Dodgers, when he posted a 6.37 ERA and 1.45 WHIP over 29.2 innings. He will start his stint in the A's organization with Triple-A Las Vegas.
The Athletics outrighted Bowden to Triple-A Las Vegas on Thursday.
He cleared waivers after being scrubbed from the A's 40-man roster. Bowden has the option to become a free agent rather than accept an outright assignment, but it's unclear what he plans to do. The 31-year-old allowed four runs in one inning during his lone appearance for the Athletics.
... See More... See Less
Athletics' Mason Barnett: Crushed by long ball in second loss
Rotowire
Barnett (1-2) took the loss against the Reds on Thursday, allowing five runs on five hits and three walks in 4.1 innings. He struck out seven.
Barnett was inefficient Thursday, landing just 47 of his 82 pitches for strikes, and he served up three home runs in hitter-friendly Cincinnati. The right-hander did fan a season-high seven, but he'll likely need to do a better job of keeping the ball in the yard if he wants to remain in the Athletics' rotation. Barnett appears close to being able to handle a traditional starter's workload after initially working in bulk relief upon his promotion in late July, but his 5.56 ERA, 1.38 WHIP and 36:17 K:BB over 34 innings may not leave him with much streaming appeal against the Rays his next time out.
The Athletics outrighted Zhuang to Triple-A Las Vegas on Tuesday.
Zhuang is no longer a member of the Athletics' 40-man roster after the Athletics designated him for assignment Friday, but he'll remain in the organization after going unclaimed off waivers. The 25-year-old righty has yet to make his MLB debut and has compiled a 6.42 ERA, 1.60 WHIP and 63:33 K:BB in 82.2 innings between stops with Las Vegas and Double-A Midland.
... See More... See Less
Athletics' Jeffrey Springs: Throwing again after hitting IL
Rotowire
Springs (hip) was able to restart a throwing program Wednesday after landing on the 15-day injured list Tuesday, MLB.com reports.
The Athletics placed Springs on the shelf due to a fatigued right hip, an injury that's been plaguing him throughout the season. An MRI on the hip returned negative for an acute injury, and the fact that Springs is already throwing again seemingly indicates that he didn't suffer any sort of major setback coming out of his most recent start Friday and may have just been placed on the IL for the purpose of getting a reset. Though Springs could be physically ready to go when first eligible to return from the IL on Aug. 16, the Athletics won't have much incentive to rush him back or guarantee him a rotation spot once he returns. The veteran southpaw has posted a bloated 6.17 ERA and 1.48 WHIP this season and will likely be headed for free agency this winter, as the Athletics hold a $15 million club option on his contract for 2027 that they will almost certainly decline.
... See More... See Less
Athletics' Jacob Wilson: Exiting starting lineup
Rotowire
Wilson is not in the lineup for Thursday's contest in Cincinnati.
Wilson homered three times in a four-game span shortly after the All-Star break, but he's gone just 8-for-49 at the dish across his subsequent 12 contests. Alika Williams will handle shortstop duties for the Athletics while Wilson gets a break.
Athletics' Lawrence Butler: Crushes leadoff home run
Rotowire
Butler went 1-for-4 with a solo home run in Wednesday's 3-2 loss to the Reds.
With a righty on the mound, Butler batted leadoff and started the fireworks early with a towering shot to right field in the first at-bat of the game. Butler is hitting way better since the All-Star break after scuffling for most of the first half (.835 OPS versus .592, respectively) and has an RBI in five of his last eight games. Even with that improved run production, he hasn't driven in multiple runs in a game since June 10, a span of 45 games.
... See More... See Less
Athletics' Jacob Lopez: Nine strikeouts in no-decision
Rotowire
Lopez allowed two runs on four hits and one walk while striking out nine over five innings during a 3-2 loss to the Reds on Wednesday.
After serving as an option in the bullpen in late May and early July -- which bookended a month-long stint at Triple-A -- Lopez has been back in the rotation for his last four appearances. Since rejoining the rotation, the lefty has a 1-1 record with a 2.29 ERA, 0.97 WHIP and 27:9 K:BB across 19.2 innings. Those numbers are a major improvement on the 6.75 ERA he posted in 12 outings prior to his demotion to Triple-A.
Athletics' Jeff McNeil: Filling in for injured Kurtz at 1B
Rotowire
McNeil will start at first base and bat fifth in Wednesday's game against the Reds.
McNeil will be included in the lineup for a third straight game and appears to have reclaimed a regular starting role against right-handed pitching in the wake of Nick Kurtz's (thumb) move to the injured list. The 34-year-old has been dialed in at the dish since the All-Star break, slashing .413/.438/.522 with one home run, two steals, nine RBI and six runs in 15 games.
... See More... See Less
Athletics' Carlos Cortes: Held out against right-hander
Rotowire
Cortes is out of the lineup for Wednesday's game against the Reds.
The Athletics have been shielding the left-handed-hitting Cortes against left-handed pitching, but he'll take a seat against a righty (Rhett Lowder) on Wednesday after going 0-for-4 with a walk while starting the previous two contests. Jacob Wilson will get a break from playing shortstop but will remain in the lineup as Cortes' replacement at designated hitter.
... See More... See Less
Athletics' Zack Gelof: Homers in first rehab game
Rotowire
Gelof (knee) started at second base and went 1-for-3 with a three-run home run in a rehab game with Triple-A Las Vegas on Tuesday.
Gelof made his first rehab appearance since hitting the shelf July 10 due to a right knee laceration and crushed a three-run shot in the fifth inning. The expectation is that the 26-year-old will need about 20 at-bats in the minors before returning to the big-league club, per MLB.com. He started Tuesday's contest at second base but has spent much of the season with the Athletics at third base and is also capable of playing the corner-outfield spots. Before landing on the injured list, Gelof slashed .273/.327/.476 with 11 home runs, 29 RBI, 41 runs and eight stolen bases across 67 games.
... See More... See Less
Athletics' Henry Bolte: Three hits in Cincy
Rotowire
Bolte went 3-for-4 with a run scored and a stolen base in Tuesday's 5-4 loss to the Reds.
The rookie center fielder produced his second three-hit performance in the last three games as he emerges from a slump. Over his last seven contests, Bolte is batting .474 (9-for-19) with a homer, two steals, four runs and four RBI. Tuesday's pilfer was his 30th of the season across all levels -- Bolte stole 17 bags in 19 attempts over 37 Triple-A games before his promotion, and has gone 13-for-20 across 70 games in the majors.
... See More... See Less
Athletics' Hogan Harris: Can't find plate in blown save
Rotowire
Harris (3-1) blew the save and took the loss Tuesday, giving up two runs on three walks in two-thirds of an inning as the A's fell 5-4 to the Reds. He struck out one.
Taking the mound for the eighth inning and tasked with protecting a 4-3 lead, Harris instead walked the first two batters he faced, and then allowed both runners to come home with two outs on a pair of wild pitches. It's the second time in his last three appearances that Harris has been tagged for multiple runs, while the blown save was his first since June 21. The southpaw's nine saves lead the A's in 2026, but he's also got five blown saves on his ledger, and his job security as closer should be viewed as very low.
... See More... See Less
Athletics' J.T. Ginn: Tosses quality start in return
Rotowire
Ginn didn't factor into the decision in Tuesday's 5-4 loss to the Reds, giving up three runs on five hits and two walks over six innings. He struck out five.
Making his first start since July 18 after dealing with blister issues, Ginn threw 54 of 91 pitches for strikes en route to his 10th quality start of the season before leaving the mound with the score tied 3-3. The right-hander has been tagged with three earned runs or fewer in seven of his last eight outings dating back to June 15, posting a 4.09 ERA, 1.32 WHIP and 40:21 K:BB in 44 innings during that span. Ginn will look to get back in the win column in his next start, which is scheduled to come on the road this weekend in Boston.
2:35
6:08
0:32
1:19
1:10
0:41
0:52
0:49
0:59
0:55
7:12
12:17
0:47
1:06
0:59
0:33
1:10
1:05
7:53
0:45
