A's Lose Ibáñez to Mets with Muncy Already Sidelined

The A's have lost utility infielder Andy Ibáñez to the New York Mets, and this is already having an impact on the team's depth

Apr 19, 2026; West Sacramento, California, USA; Athletics second baseman Andy Ibanez (77) waits for the pitch during the first inning against the Chicago White Sox at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: Scott Marshall-Imagn Images | Scott Marshall-Imagn Images

The A's announced today that utility man Andy Ibáñez has been claimed off waivers by the New York Mets. The 33-year-old veteran was claimed by the A's off waivers in early February, and was seen as a backup option at third base if none of the team's in-house options claimed the role for themselves.

Both Max Muncy and Darell Hernaiz had terrific springs, with Muncy ultimately landing the third base gig, while Hernaiz made the club as a utility infielder. Ibáñez didn't have a lot of opportunity to make an impact, and the chances he was given he just didn't take advantage of.

Ibáñez has handled left-handers well in his career, batting .258 with a .311 on-base percentage and a .714 OPS against them in 2025, and his role was going to be to handle lefties for the A's when the timing presented itself.

He ended up going just 2-for-17 with the A's, and with his at-bats coming few and far between, the A's decided to designate him for assignment on April 26 to make space on the roster for the return of DH Brent Rooker from the injured list.

Unfortunately for the A's, two days later Max Muncy landed on the IL with a non-displaced fracture at the neck of the fifth metacarpal on his left hand. His timeline for recovery is still an unknown, but having Ibáñez as a depth option with a clearer path to playing time would be a welcome option for the A's to have.

With Muncy on the IL and Ibáñez now in New York, Hernaiz is taking the reins at third base, going 1-for-11 in three starts so far, while Brett Harris is the team's current backup option. While the numbers haven't been there for Hernaiz just yet, he's been taking strong at-bats.

Not directly related, but interesting

Mar 21, 2026; Phoenix, Arizona, USA; Athletics shortstop Leo de Vries (83) hits an RBI triple against the Los Angeles Dodgers in the second inning at Camelback Ranch-Glendale. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images | Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images

The big question surrounding the A's after their trade of Mason Miller to the San Diego Padres for top MLB prospect Leo De Vries in 2025 has been where De Vries will end up playing when he reaches the majors.

He's a natural shortstop, and has continued to play the position since joining the A's organization, but the team also has Jacob Wilson in the big leagues. Wilson finished second in the AL Rookie of the Year voting last season behind teammate Nick Kurtz, and landed himself a nice seven-year, $70 million deal with a club option for 2033.

Well, we have received our first indication of which player may be moving, as on Wednesday, De Vries got his first professional start at third base in Double-A with the Midland RockHounds.

While this doesn't necessarily mean that the A's are going to rush him to the majors to slot him in at third for their immediate needs, it could signal that they're getting him ready for a potential call-up later in the year, along with where he'd slot in. During camp, Mark Kotsay left the door wide open for a potential MLB debut from De Vries in 2026, at just 19 years old.

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