The Athletics got one infielder back and shuffled another onto the shelf as their roster continued to move late in the season.
Joshua Kuroda-Grauer has been reinstated from the 60-day injured list and will take the active roster spot of Max Muncy, who has been placed on the 10-day IL with left knee chondromalacia. To make room on the 40-man roster, right-hander J.T. Ginn has been transferred to the 60-day IL.
Kuroda-Grauer, 23, returns after a frightening injury in July, when he fouled a ball off himself and suffered a ruptured testicle that required surgery. He’s back after just under two months away.
Before the injury, he had made a loud first impression in the majors. Through his first 16 games, he hit .417/.435/.583.
That line was fueled in part by a .462 batting average on balls in play, so the early production was never likely to hold at that level, but it was still an eye-opening start. Now he’ll get more big league run before the season ends, and he enters next year with six full seasons of club control plus a full slate of options.
He can handle second base, third base and shortstop, giving the A’s multiple ways to use him going forward.
Ginn’s move was more of a formality. He went on the 15-day IL on September 5 with an elbow impingement, and on September 11, Martín Gallegos of MLB.com reported that he wasn’t making much progress and wasn’t expected back this season. Today’s transfer locks that in.
With the A’s well out of contention, there was no reason to rush Ginn if he wasn’t fully healthy. So far, there’s nothing to indicate he won’t be ready for the 2027 season, though the club may have more updates later. The IL disappears five days after the World Series, at which point Ginn will have to be added back to the 40-man roster.
In Other News...
Two New A's Utility Pieces Are Making This Roster Decision Tough
In a season when injuries kept opening doors for the Athletics, a few players have turned those chance looks into something more permanent. Zack Gelof has already locked down a starting job and is expected to stay in the infield next season, but the more interesting roster conversation now centers on the two utility additions who gave the club real flexibility when it needed it most.
Donovan Walton and Alika Williams have both fit the kind of profile Oakland can use, players who can move around and help cover multiple spots without forcing the rest of the infield to shuffle too much. Walton arrived on a waiver claim and Williams came in a trade, and both have made enough of an impression that they are now part of a decision the A's will have to sort through when they start shaping next year's roster. [Read more 🡒]
A's Enter Angels Series With Three Pressure Points In Focus
The Athletics head into their series with the Angels with a few everyday concerns that go beyond the standings, even if the standings are part of the problem. Both clubs are sitting near the bottom of the AL West, but Oakland is also trying to sort out its own roster health and performance issues at the same time. Brady Basso has been pushed into the starting rotation because of injuries, and the need has been obvious enough that his role matters even more than the results of a single outing.
Shea Langeliers is back from injury, which should help stabilize the lineup, but his bat has not yet matched the expectation that comes with his return. On the brighter side, the bullpen has started to settle in, giving the As at least one area where the recent trend line points in a useful direction. Whether that relief can cover for the rotation and help the offense find a little more consistency is the bigger question as this series unfolds. [Read more 🡒]
As Farm Leaders Just Put Several Familiar Names Back In Focus
The latest look at the Oakland Athletics farm system puts a familiar group of names back in the spotlight, with the statistical leaders spread across Las Vegas, Midland, Lansing and Stockton. It is the sort of inventory that matters this time of year, when player development is the story and every category offers a quick read on who has been producing, whether it is at the plate, on the bases or on the mound.
Among the position players, Ali Camarillo and Devin Taylor stood out in batting average, while Taylor also showed up near the top of the system in the broader on-base and overall production categories. Brayan Buelvas added another layer to that conversation by pacing the organization in slugging, a reminder that the As minor league picture still has multiple ways to measure progress, even before any of those names make their next move. [Read more 🡒]