The Oakland A's claimed outfielder Trayce Thompson off waivers from the New York Yankees, the club announced today. To clear a spot on the 40-man roster, the A's transferred right-handed pitcher Paul Blackburn to the 60-day disabled list.
Thompson was with the Los Angeles Dodgers this spring and hit .255 with a home run and two RBI in 20 games before he was designated for assignment March 27. He was claimed off waivers by the New York Yankees April 3. Thompson spent most of the 2017 season at Triple-A Oklahoma City where he hit .212 with nine home runs and 33 RBI in 95 games. The 27-year-old right-handed hitter also batted .122 with a home run and two RBI in 27 games over three stints with the Dodgers. The brother of the Warriors Klay Thompson, he made his Major League debut with the White Sox in 2015 and is a .233 career hitter with 19 home runs and 50 RBI in 151 games over three seasons in the majors.
Blackburn was 0-3 with a 6.75 ERA in six games, including three starts, with the A's this spring before starting the season on the disabled list with a strained right forearm. He went 3-1 with a 3.22 ERA in 10 starts with Oakland in his Major League debut last year.