Oakland Athletics Make Numerous Roster Moves This Weekend
Oakland Athletics cut eleven players from spring camp and added one
The Oakland Athletics’ roster is packed with talent. However, not all of those ballplayers can make the Opening Day roster this year. So, on Sunday, the A’s started to make some roster cuts in order to focus more closely on those players who are likely to the make the roster for the 2016 season.
These first round of cuts are usually ones that are not surprising. Many of them are prospects and non-roster invitees. This year, the Athletics decided to reassign some of their top prospects.
On Sunday morning, third baseman and Athletics’ No. 5 prospect Renato Nunez and first baseman Rangel Ravelo were optioned to Triple-A Nashville. Additionally, right-handed pitcher Raul Alcantara was optioned to Double-A Midland. Finally, A’s first-round draft pick in 2015 Richie Martin, relief pitcher Daniel Coulombe, catcher Beau Taylor, and infielder Josh Rodriguez were all reassigned to minor league camp. It is extremely unlikely that these players will see any major league playing time in 2016, but they all gained a lot of valuable experience by being a major league camp this spring.
The Oakland Athletics also placed their first player on the disabled list. Starting pitcher Jarrod Parker landed on the 60-day DL on Sunday with a fractured right medial epicondyle. This is the second time he has incurred this injury. After announcing that Parker would start the 2016 season on the disabled list, the A’s also reported that they had claimed right handed reliever Andrew Triggs off waivers from the Baltimore Orioles.
Triggs spent 2015 in Double-A and impressively maintained a 1.03 ERA over 43 relief appearances. Triggs also earned 17 saves while striking out 70 in 61 innings pitched. Unfortunately for Triggs, his poor performance during spring camp this year with Baltimore caused him to be released on Thursday. Hopefully Triggs can regain his confidence while with the Athletics’ organization and re-find the success he had during the 2015 season.
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Then, in the afternoon, the A’s announced more cuts. Oakland reassign relief pitchers Ryan Doolittle and Taylor Thompson as well as starting pitchers Dillon Overton and Chris Smith to minor league camp.
Overton is one to watch now that the A’s starting pitching depth is quite shallow. Despite his decreased velocity after undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2013 , Overton performed well during spring training. He shined during his outing on March 8 where he pitched two scoreless innings, collected five strikeouts and allowed only two hits. That was the second time during spring training he had thrown two scoreless innings. If the Oakland Athletics’ starting rotation is racked with injuries or greatly underperforms this upcoming season, Overton could find himself in the big leagues in 2016.
These cuts are just the beginning. The Oakland Athletics still have over 50 players at spring camp. They are going to need to make more cuts throughout the rest of March. Good luck to the rest of the players vying for a spot on the A’s Opening Day roster!
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