A's Option Six, Reassign Four, Release One
The A's announced on Sunday night that they have made another round of roster moves as Opening Day approaches. The most notable performer that has been optioned is Lawrence Butler, who's headed to Double-A Midland. Any time Butler entered a game this spring, something happened. Whether he made an outstanding catch or drove home a run or two in the latter innings, he was always in the middle of the action.
The 22-year-old finishes camp 11-for-20 (.550) with four doubles, a triple, a home run, two stolen bases, four walks and three strikeouts.
Jonah Bride started camp 0-for-11, and just picked up his first hit on Saturday against the Guardians. He also added a home run on Sunday against the San Diego Padres.
JJ Bleday, who was acquired from the Miami Marlins in the A.J. Puk deal, was vying for a spot in the A's outfield. He'll likely be a long-term piece for the A's, but regular playing time was going to be hard to come by with Seth Brown and Ramón Laureano on the roster. It's best to have him start in Las Vegas and get some extra reps there before getting the call back to the Majors, hopefully for good. He went 8-for-28 (.286), but struck out 11 times in those 28 ABs.
Dermis Garcia has been working on a new loading technique for his swing, and it seems to have helped him cut down on his strikeout rate in a small sample size. He finished last season with a 44% K rate, and in 20 at-bats this spring he cut that to 30%. Maintaining that rate will be the key for Garcia to make it back to Oakland.
Yohel Pozo was reassigned to minor league camp, which could be a sign that Manny Piña is ready to re-join the team. Pozo is a contact bat, and is seen as the A's third string catcher at the moment, behind Shea Langeliers and Piña.
After Kirby Snead was shut down, Garrett Williams emerged as one of two left-handed replacements available, along with Jake Fishman. With Williams now in minor league camp, it would appear that a righty like Austin Pruitt, Drew Steckenrider, or Rico Garcia could claim that spot.
Jordan Díaz's departure may catch some as a surprise. He is currently playing for Team Colombia in the World Baseball Classic, and has one of the better bats in the A's system. Prospect analysts have said he may be the best pure hitter Oakland has. That said, he's still trying to find a position, likely second base, and the A's may want to see him there a little more before bringing him up.