A's Calling Up Former New York Yankees Prospect
Last night Oakland A's third baseman Abraham Toro exited the game after grounding out in the bottom of the sixth inning, giving way to Tyler Nevin. After the game, A's manager Mark Kotsay told reporters that he was pulled because of a hamstring injury that would likely land him on the IL. Toro has been the A's leadoff man throughout much of the season.
Right around the time that Toro exited the game in Oakland, Armando Alvarez was replaced at third base down in Triple-A. According to Martín Gallegos of MLB.com, Alvarez is going to make his way to Oakland.
A’s are calling up infielder Armando Alvarez from Triple-A, per source. He’s slashing .311/.401/.528 with eight homers, nine doubles and 33 RBIs in 47 games with Las Vegas.
— Martín Gallegos (@MartinJGallegos) June 22, 2024
Would be the 29-year-old’s first Major League callup.
Alvarez was originally selected by the New York Yankees in the 17th round of the 2016 MLB Draft. After spending six seasons plus a Covid year in the Yankees' system, Alvarez signed on with the San Francisco Giants last season and hit .308 with a .379 OBP and 18 home runs in 74 games.
This season with Las Vegas he has batted .311 with a .401 on-base and eight homers in 47 games. Alvarez has spent the majority of his minor-league career at the hot corner, amassing 501 games played (4,180 2/3 innings) at third. He has played in a total of 699 games in the minors to get to this point, and when he takes the field for the A's, it will be to make his big-league debut.
With the way the team has operated this season, it's likely that they'll give him a decent amount of rope to gain his footing at this level, especially while Toro is out. Brett Harris, Max Muncy, and Jacob Wilson--three potential minor-league options for third base--are all currently on the IL for Vegas, so there won't be much competition for him outside of Tyler Nevin and Aledmys Díaz. The A's 40-man sits at 38 at the moment, so there won't need to be a corresponding 40-man move made in order to bring Alvarez up.
With Toro out, the A's will likely return shortstop Max Schuemann to the top of the order where he went just 2-for-13 (.154) in recent games, but he also drew seven walks, landing him a .450 OBP.
JASON BURKE
Jason is the host of the Locked on A's podcast, and the managing editor of Inside the A's. He's a new father and can't wait to take his son to his first baseball game at the Coliseum.