A's Claim Infielder From Miami Marlins

Jason Burke | Aug 28, 2024

Sep 17, 2023; Baltimore, Maryland, USA; Tampa Bay Rays third baseman Tristan Gray (9) reacts after hitting a home run during the eighth inning against the Baltimore Orioles at Oriole Park at Camden Yards. Mandatory Credit: Reggie Hildred-USA TODAY Sports / Reggie Hildred-USA TODAY Sports

The Oakland Athletics announced on Tuesday that they have claimed infielder Tristan Gray off waivers from the Miami Marlins. They have assigned him to Triple-A to play with the Las Vegas Aviators, though he has not officially reported yet.

Gray, 28, was DFA'd by the Marlins on Sunday after spending most of the season in Triple-A with the Jacksonville Jumbo Shrimp. With them, he racked up 100 games played, hit .245 with a 318 OBP and a .777 OPS along with 17 homers and 21 doubles. He has had two brief stints with Miami this season, getting into seven games total, starting one of them, and going 0-for-7, mostly off the bench.

Gray has also logged time all over the diamond this season, collecting innings at first (104 innings), second (34), shortstop (338) and third (291 1/3). That versatility will come in handy in getting him playing time with Las Vegas, who have numerous options at each of those positions.

At first, the team could go with either Ryan Noda or Drew Lugbauer. At second, Nick Allen has been eating up innings, but Hoy Park also fits there. Darell Hernaiz is presumably the shortstop for this club, potentially switching off with Allen at second on occassion. Then at third, the Aviators could go with Logan Davidson or Brett Harris. It's not going to be easy to crack the lineup for anyone, though Gray is a left-handed bat which could offer some platoon options.

The A's new addition was originally selected by the Pittsburgh Pirates in the 13th round of the 2017 Draft, then traded to the Tampa Bay Rays in the Corey Dickerson deal in 2018. He stayed in the Rays system through the 2023 season, then elected free agency last winter and signed with the Marlins.

He also received five big-league at-bats with the Rays, clubbing a home run and going 2-for-5 overall.

In the minors, he has always had a pretty decent eye at the plate, walking nine percent of the time this season, though over the past four seasons he has finished with a wRC+ between 93 and 97, or just below league average. He doesn't hit for average, maxing out at .246 in the four years since the Covid season. On the flip side, he does hit some dingers, topping 30 homers in each of the past two seasons.

With just a couple of weeks left in the season, it's tough to see what the long-term plan is here. The likely scenario is that the A's see something they like with him, want Gray to suit up for them to finish out the year, and may offer him a minor-league deal during the off-season, depending on how these next few weeks go.