The Athletics’ bullpen has been one of the biggest reasons the club has tumbled from first place in the AL West to near the bottom of the American League, and the problem has been easy to spot all season: too little experience, too many arms that haven’t held up, and not enough reliable answers when the game gets late.
That’s why the latest waiver churn matters. Over the last week or so, the A’s added Scott Blewett and Drew Rom, and both have already helped the relief group. But if Oakland wants another veteran arm with some real big-league mileage, Tyler Kinley is now sitting there after the Atlanta Braves designated the right-hander for assignment on Tuesday.
Kinley is a nine-year MLB veteran who was in his second season with Atlanta after joining the club midway through the 2025 season. The Braves originally took a shot on him after he put up a 5.66 ERA in 47.2 innings in Colorado, a tough run in a hitter-friendly setting. That gamble paid off in a big way last year, when Kinley went 5-0 with a 0.72 ERA in 25 innings.
This season, he’s been more of a mixed bag. Kinley posted a 4.01 ERA in 42.2 innings before the DFA, though he’s been better lately with a sub-2 ERA in his last seven appearances for Atlanta. That kind of recent stretch could be enough to put him on the A’s radar, especially with a bullpen that lacks MLB experience.
Oakland has generally preferred ground-ball pitchers because they’ve had more success in the hitter-friendly Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento. Kinley doesn’t fit that mold particularly well, but some of the other numbers are hard to ignore.
His hard-hit percentage is in the 97th percentile, which points to a pitcher who limits damage and weak contact. He also sits in the 90th percentile in expected batting average, and his expected ERA is 3.42, lower than his actual 4.01 mark, which suggests some bad luck has played into his season.
The right-hander is 35 and carries a $5.5 million team option for the 2027 season, so if the A’s get anything going with him now, the financial upside could be there too. Given the state of the bullpen and Kinley’s profile, Oakland could make a lot of sense as a landing spot.
In Other News...
As Late Collapse In Kansas City Raises A Familiar Bullpen Fear
The Athletics had the kind of game that should have traveled well, with Jack Perkins and Brady Basso turning in strong work on the mound and the offense handing over a three-run cushion by the sixth inning in Kansas City. For most of the night, it looked like Oakland had done the hard part, controlling the pace and building a lead that should have been enough to finish the job.
Then the ninth inning arrived and flipped everything. The Royals put together a rally for three runs and walked off with the win, the sort of late collapse that can quickly sour a solid team effort and send the focus right back to the bullpen. For Oakland, the loss was less about what went right early than the uneasy reminder of how fragile a late lead can feel once the last inning turns messy. [Read more 🡒]
A's Farm System Faces A New Concern After Midland Shuffle
Jamie Arnold gave Midland exactly what it needed, carving through Corpus Christi with six scoreless innings and nine strikeouts in a one-run RockHounds win. The outing stood out in a day that also brought the usual churn of a busy farm system, with box scores, stat lines and small but meaningful roster movement continuing to shape the As developmental picture.
The bigger concern for Oaklands player pipeline came away from the scoreboard. Leo De Vries was moved to the 7-day injured list with a shoulder ailment, and the ripple effects were felt in the organizations alignment as the RockHounds adjusted around a reshaped infield and new faces moved into Midland while another was sent on to Triple-A Las Vegas. [Read more 🡒]
Athletics Bullpen Problem Is Spoiling What Finally Looks Like Progress
The Athletics had every reason to feel good about the way this one started. Brady Basso and Jack Perkins handled the early work effectively, the offense gave them a 3-1 cushion, and for much of the night it looked like another sign that the club is finally stringing together some real progress on both sides of the ball. Recent help from Jeff McNeil, Henry Bolte, Tommy White and Lawrence Butler has given the lineup a steadier feel, which made the late innings feel like a chance to close out a game the As had mostly controlled.
Instead, the familiar pressure point showed up again when the bullpen had to finish the job. The edge slipped away in the bottom of the ninth, and Bobby Witt Jr. ended it with a walk-off hit that turned a promising win into another painful loss. For the Athletics, the bigger concern is not just one blown lead, but whether the pitching plan can survive the grind when the game gets deep and the relievers look spent by the finish. [Read more 🡒]