The Athletics introduced that they’ve claimed left-hander Connor Thomas off waivers from the Braves. Proper-hander Mark Leiter Jr. was transferred to the 60-day injured checklist as a corresponding transfer. There wasn’t any earlier indication that Thomas had been designated for task by Atlanta however they apparently tried to quietly sneak him via waivers. Their 40-man rely drops to 39.
Thomas, 28, signed a minor league cope with Atlanta within the offseason. He was added to the roster earlier this month however has largely been on elective task. He made two huge league appearances, which didn’t go properly, as he allowed an eye-popping 15 earned runs in 6 1/3 innings. He had a equally tough time with the Brewers final yr, permitting 12 earned runs in 5 1/3. That offers him a 20.83 earned run common in 11 2/3 innings in his profession.
The A’s are presumably focusing extra on his minor league observe report. He stalled out as a starter within the Cardinals’ system a number of years in the past. A transfer to the bullpen has yielded some attention-grabbing numbers on the farm. In 2024, he tossed 90 1/3 innings over 56 appearances with a 2.89 ERA. His 20.6% strikeout fee was beneath common however his 6.3% stroll fee and 53.5% floor ball fee had been each sturdy figures.
Final yr, he received to make his main league debut when the Brewers took him within the Rule 5 draft however accidents worn out a lot of the season. He was outrighted off the roster at season’s finish and elected free company, which led Atlanta to signal him. He has logged 27 1/3 Triple-A innings this yr with a 2.09 ERA, 22.3% strikeout fee, 8.1% stroll fee and 59.2% floor ball fee.
The A’s successfully had a roster spot to work with on account of Leiter’s scenario, as he just lately underwent season-ending hip surgical procedure. Thomas nonetheless has a full slate of choices and could possibly be stored within the minors if the A’s don’t have a spot within the huge leagues for him.
Photograph courtesy of John Jones, Imagn Photos
