Athletics' Paul Blackburn: Activated ahead of start
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The Athletics reinstated Blackburn (foot) from the 60-day injured list ahead of his start Friday against the Angels.
Blackburn has been out since May 10 after suffering a stress reaction in his right foot. He has since made three rehab appearances in the minor leagues, giving up eight earned runs in just four total innings of work. He managed to reach only 49 pitches in 2.2 frames during his latest outing Saturday, and manager Mark Kotsay said the right-hander will be limited to roughly 65-to-70 pitches during his first MLB start in over two months. Hogan Harris was optioned to Triple-A Las Vegas in a corresponding move.
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Athletics' Hogan Harris: Moved to Triple-A
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The Athletics optioned Harris to Triple-A Las Vegas on Friday.
Harris will cede his spot in the rotation to Paul Blackburn (foot) on Friday with Blackburn coming off the 60-day IL. Harris' option comes as a bit of a surprise considering how effective he's been for Oakland. The 27-year-old has a 2.98 ERA in 54.1 innings spanning 11 appearances (nine starts).
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Athletics' Austin Adams: Up to 19 holds
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Adams recorded his 19th hold in a win over the Angels on Thursday, firing a scoreless inning during which he allowed a hit and recorded a strikeout.
Adams recorded his fourth straight scoreless effort with a fairly crisp 13-pitch outing, recording his third hold over the last six appearances. The right-hander had a couple of hiccups in late June, but he's been progressively whittling down his ERA by allowing just two earned runs across the 7.2 innings covering his subsequent 10 trips to the mound. His usage in the seventh inning, ahead of Lucas Erceg and Tyler Ferguson, suggests Adams won't factor into the saves mix while Mason Miller (finger) is sidelined.
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Athletics' Max Schuemann: Reaches double-digit steals
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Schuemann went 2-for-4 with a stolen base and a run in a win over the Angels on Thursday.
Several other teammates delivered bigger hits, but Schuemann was productive from the bottom of the order. The rookie now has authored five multi-hit efforts in the last 12 games, and he's reached safely in 11 of those contests on his way to a blistering .400 batting average and 1.003 OPS over his last 46 plate appearances.
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Athletics' Daz Cameron: Lifts fourth homer in win
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Cameron went 1-for-3 with a two-run home run in a win over the Angels on Thursday.
Cameron's 382-foot shot to right center in the fourth inning ended up serving as the game-winning hit, as it gave the Athletics a one-run lead they wouldn't relinquish. The 27-year-old last left the yard June 28, and Thursday's start, which came in center field, was Cameron's first since July 13.
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Athletics' Brent Rooker: Lifts 24th homer in win
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Rooker went 1-for-5 with a solo home run in a win over the Angels on Thursday.
Rooker uncorked a mammoth 441-foot shot to left field in the first inning shortly after Lawrence Butler led off the game with a double and scored on an error. Rooker has been on a long-ball tear since shortly before the All-Star break, now having left the yard in six of the last nine games. After reaching the 30-homer mark in a career-best 2023 season, he's just six shy of that number in 47 fewer games during the current campaign.
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Athletics' Lawrence Butler: Continues to rake in win
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Butler went 2-for-5 with a double, a two-run homer, two runs scored and a stolen base in Thursday's win over the Angels.
Butler kicked things off for Oakland with a leadoff double before coming around to score the team's first run on a throwing error by Logan O'Hoppe. The outfielder then added a two-run shot in his next trip to the plate, giving him nine homers in July to go along with 26 RBI and 19 runs scored. Butler has also hit safely in eight consecutive games, registering multiple hits in seven of them. Over that eight-game stretch he's batting .545 (18-for-33) with 12 extra-base hits,15 RBI and 12 runs scored.
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Athletics' Tyler Ferguson: Secures first save
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Ferguson picked up the save in a win over the Angels on Thursday, striking out two over a perfect ninth inning.
Ferguson entered the contest with a one-run lead in the bottom of the ninth inning and fanned the first two batters before retiring Nolan Schanuel on a fly out. It marked the right-hander's first save of the campaign and he's now produced six straight scoreless appearances. Ferguson has also posted two or more strikeouts in four of those six outings. Lucas Erceg worked the eighth inning Thursday, facing the Angels' 2-3-4 hitters, and Ferguson could be in the mix for regular save opportunities with Mason Miller on the shelf due to a fractured pinky on his non-throwing hand.
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Athletics' Ross Stripling: Picks up win in return
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Stripling (2-9) picked up the win over the Angels on Thursday, allowing five runs on six hits and two walks over 5.2 innings while striking out three.
Stripling ran into trouble in the second inning after allowing four consecutive batters to reach base with one out. He would end up being tagged for five runs in the frame but recovered nicely, retiring 13 of the next 15 batters he faced as the Oakland offense roared back in an eventual 6-5 victory. The right-hander has surrendered at least four runs in each of his last three starts dating back to May 18, and Stripling had also lost each of his previous four starts prior to Thursday's win.
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Athletics' Paul Blackburn: Returning from IL on Friday
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Blackburn (foot) will be reinstated from the 60-day injured list to start Friday's game against the Angels in Anaheim, MLB.com reports.
Blackburn will make his first start for the Athletics since May 10, when he suffered a right foot stress reaction during an outing in Seattle. Oakland is electing to activate Blackburn despite the fact that he maxed out at 2.2 innings and 49 pitches during his three minor-league rehab starts and was most recently roughed up for seven runs (five earned) on eight hits and two walks in his last outing for Triple-A Las Vegas on July 20. Manager Mark Kotsay said Thursday that Blackburn will be limited to around 65-70 pitches in his return, and the Athletics could turn to Joey Estes if length is needed behind the veteran right-hander.
Manager Mark Kotsay said Thursday that Wood (shoulder) is scheduled undergo season-ending surgery, Brent Maguire of MLB.com reports.
Wood has been sidelined since mid-May with left rotator cuff tendinitis. After treating the injury with rest and rehab and receiving a platelet-rich plasma injection, Wood didn't bounce back as well as the Athletics and hoped and wasn't able to resume throwing before he opted for surgery. Wood didn't disclose the nature of Wood's surgery, but regardless of the procedure, the veteran southpaw could face an uphill battle to gain clearance for spring training. The 33-year-old -- who joined Oakland on a one-year deal in January -- will finish his 2024 campaign with a 1-3 record, 5.26 ERA and 1.78 WHIP over 39.1 innings.
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Athletics' Luis Medina: Undergoing Tommy John surgery
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Medina (elbow) will undergo season-ending Tommy John surgery Aug. 6, Brent Maguire of MLB.com reports.
Medina has been sidelined since July 13 with a right elbow sprain and sought a second opinion Monday. After receiving feedback from Dr. Keith Meister, Medina has opted to treat his injury through surgery and will miss the rest of the 2024 season, and likely all of the 2025 campaign as well. Medina showed glimpses of effectiveness in the big-league rotation, but he'll end the 2024 season with a 5.18 ERA and 1.58 WHIP across 40 innings.
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Athletics' JJ Bleday: Getting breather against LHP
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Bleday isn't in Oakland's lineup Thursday against the Angels.
With southpaw Kenny Rosenberg slated to start Thursday's game for the Halos, the left-handed bat of Bleday will stay put in Oakland's dugout. Daz Cameron will fill the void in center field and bat seventh.
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Athletics' Abraham Toro: Idle Thursday
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Toro isn't in the Athletics' lineup for Thursday's game versus the Angels.
The switch-hitting Toro boasts a .783 OPS in 73 plate appearances against left-handers this season, but he will take a seat Thursday with southpaw Kenny Rosenberg on the mound. While Toro rests, Brett Harris will field the hot corner and bat eighth.
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Athletics' Seth Brown: Sitting against lefty
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Brown isn't in Oakland's lineup for Thursday's game against the Angels.
With lefty Kenny Rosenberg slated to start on the bump for Los Angeles, the lefty-hitting Brown will begin Thursday's contest on the bench. Tyler Nevin will instead get the nod to start at first base and bat fifth.
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Athletics' Ross Stripling: Activated ahead of start
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The Athletics activated Stripling (elbow) from the 15-day injured list to start against the Angels on Thursday.
Stripling will rejoin the rotation Thursday in Anaheim after missing two months with a flexor strain. He had a maximum pitch count of 56 in his three rehab outings, so the veteran right-hander will be limited from a workload standpoint versus the Halos.
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Athletics' Mason Miller: Fractures non-throwing hand
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The Athletics placed Miller on the 15-day injured list Thursday with a fractured pinkie on his left hand, Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports.
Gallegos says Miller suffered the injury when he placed his hand down awkwardly on the training table while getting ready to do an exercise. It's not clear how long Miller might be sidelined, but it helps that the fracture is to his non-throwing hand. The injury could also lessen, if not eliminate, the possibility of Miller being dealt at the trade deadline. Lucas Erceg is the favorite to see save opportunities for the Athletics while Miller is out.
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Athletics' Seth Brown: Stays hot in loss
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Brown went 3-for-3 with a walk in a loss to the Astros on Wednesday.
The Athletics' red-hot offense finally cooled Wednesday, but Brown put together his second straight multi-hit effort. The veteran had recently been mired in a brief 0-for-11 slump that encompassed four games, but his 5-for-7 showing over the last two contests has pushed his average back over the Mendoza Line (.209)
