The Oakland A's acquired left-handed pitcher Sam Moll from the Colorado Rockies for a player to be named later or cash considerations and optioned him to Triple-A Nashville, the club announced today. The Athletics also optioned right-handed pitcher Josh Smith to Nashville to clear a 25-man roster spot for right-handed pitcher Chris Hatcher, who was acquired from the Los Angeles Dodgers yesterday. A 40-man move for Moll will be announced later today.
Moll has spent the entire season at Triple-A Albuquerque and is 3-2 with a 4.18 ERA and .292 opponents batting average in 44 relief appearances. He walked 18 and struck out 39 in 47.1 innings before he was designated for assignment last Friday. The 25-year-old left-hander was originally selected by Colorado in the third round of the 2013 First-Year Player Draft and is 9-10 with a 3.46 ERA in 145 career appearances over five seasons in the Colorado farm system.
Hatcher was on the Opening Day roster with Los Angeles and was 0-1 with a 4.66 ERA in 26 relief appearances when he was placed on the disabled list June 23 with thoracic inflammation. He went 0-0 with a 1.50 ERA on a five-game rehab assignment with Dodgers affiliate in the Arizona Rookie League and Triple-A Oklahoma City from July 29 to Aug. 12 and was reinstated from the DL on Sunday. The 32-year-old right-hander has 43 strikeouts in 36.2 innings and his average of 10.55 strikeouts per nine innings is the best mark of his career.
Smith was recalled from Nashville July 24 for his second stint with the A's this year and did not allow a run in seven of his eight appearances. He compiled a 0.82 ERA during his second stint and is 2-1 with a 4.89 ERA in 26 relief appearances overall with the A's. Smith is 4-1 with a 3.62 ERA in 14 relief appearances with Nashville.