Athletics Get Hitting Help by Claiming Hot Bat off Waivers

The A's have made a move for some offensive help for the second half of the season.

Jul 4, 2026; West Sacramento, California, USA; Athletics manager Mark Kotsay (7) speaks to members of the media before the start of a game against the Miami Marlins at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The A's are heading into the second half of the 2026 season with a nine-game losing streak and have lost 17 of their last 20 games.

Obviously, the recent struggles call for some change if they want to put themselves back into contention in the division. Since the American League as a whole is very weak, this could be a good season for the team to buy at the deadline.

casual monday night 🤷 pic.twitter.com/O4RaqeGxa1

— Athletics (@Athletics) July 14, 2026

Also, the team has the All-Star duo in Shea Langeliers and Nick Kurtz in their primes right now, and adding some help to the current team could really put them in a spot to win meaningful games down the road.

The team has also made a coaching staff change, as pitching coach Scott Emerson has been fired, following a rough first half from the pitching staff.

Athletics Claim Infielder Donovan Walton

Jun 13, 2026; Anaheim, California, USA; Los Angeles Angels designated hitter Donovan Walton (35) hits an RBI double during the sixth inning against the Tampa Bay Rays at Angel Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Kiyoshi Mio-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

One positive for the A's is their offense. When healthy, the team has a really explosive offense, which is one of the best in all of baseball. Unfortunately, some injuries have left the offense without key weapons.

The team has placed Zack Gelof on the injured list and has been without Tyler Soderstrom and Jacob Wilson for a while due to injuries.

Did Donovan Walton deserve to be DFA'd?

This season in 32 games:

.314 AVG, 29 H, 3 HR, .859 OPS pic.twitter.com/hZCFcPwbx9

— SleeperAngels (@SleeperAngels) July 8, 2026

Now the team has elected to add some offensive help in the form of former Angels infielder Donovan Walton. Walton was actually drafted three times by three different teams.

Now the 32-year-old will head to the A's and quite possibly could join the active roster for the team's first series back against the Washington Nationals.

Walton's Impressive Start to the 2026 Season

Jun 21, 2026; West Sacramento, California, USA; Los Angeles Angels designated hitter Donovan Walton (35) celebrates with his teammates after hitting a three-run home run during the second inning against the Athletics at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: Scott Marshall-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

It's interesting to see the Angels have designated Donovan Walton for assignment, even though he's been hitting very well for the team. He holds a .319 batting average and an .860 OPS in 97 plate appearances this season.

There are a few reasons why Walton isn't the most valuable player out there. His expected stats prove that he's been a little bit lucky. His expected batting average is .270, which is still very good, but not as high as his actual batting average of .319.

Donovan Walton stays hot and hits a three-run homer to right. #Angels down 4-3 in the second. It's his third homer of the year. He's now hitting .343/.371/.522 in 23 games. pic.twitter.com/nm3tP8B869

— Rhett Bollinger (@RhettBollinger) June 21, 2026

Walton also looks like he's quite a liability defensively. He can play around the infield, but not at a very high level. His fielding run value, range, and sprint speed are all very bad, but the bat should excite the A's.

It's unknown whether he'll be on the roster for the start of the second half, but because of all the team's current injuries, there is certainly a chance he could be.