Rosales heads to Arizona
And in the team’s other trade Monday, off-and-off again A’s utility infielder Adam Rosales went to Arizona in exchange for minor-league right-hander Jeferson Mejia.
The Diamondbacks were in need of an extra infielder because Chris Owings has a fractured finger and Ketel Marte is expected to go on bereavement leave after the death of his mother; the A’s, meantime, needed a roster spot for versatile Chad Pinder to come off the disabled list.
With their full-blown youth movement, Pinder’s return had pointed to Rosales being designated for assignment, the fate of other veteran players this season, including Stephen Vogt, John Axford and Trevor Plouffe.
Rosales, 34, was in his third employment with Oakland; the team acquired him from the Reds in 2010, lost him on waivers to Texas in 2013 only to reclaim him again later that season — and then lose him to Texas on another waiver claim that year. He re-signed with the A’s in January.
“We’ve had him here multiple times for a reason,” manager Bob Melvin said. “He even said to me, ‘Who knows? After this year, I might be back again.’ That would be great. He’s been here so many times, he literally is in a revolving door.”
Rosales was batting .234 with four homers and 27 RBIs in 71 games, but he had started just 19 of 56 games since shortstop Marcus Semien came off the disabled list.
Pinder, who missed five weeks with a hamstring strain, will be the team’s utility player. But Melvin said he will get more playing time than Rosales had, and Melvin believes at some point Pinder will be an everyday player.
Mejia, 22, is a reliever who has 35 strikeouts in 29 innings this season, but he has walked 25 in that span. In five minorleague seasons, he is 13-14 with a 4.67 ERA in 79 games.
Briefly: Right-hander Kendall Graveman (shoulder) will come off the DL to start Thursday . ... Chris Smith will move at least briefly into the bullpen, but he is likely return to the rotation the following week should Daniel Gossett or Jharel Cotton struggle . ... Reliever Michael Brady, a Cal alum, was recalled from Triple-A Nashville.