OAKLAND -- After making a strong first impression in his A's debut over the weekend in Anaheim, Yan Gomes appears set to receive a fair amount of playing time behind the plate over the final two months of the regular season.

Prior to the start of Oakland’s two-game series against the Padres on Tuesday, A's manager Bob Melvin said that Gomes and Sean Murphy will platoon at the position for the time being, with Gomes primarily facing left-handed starters and Murphy going against righties. Gomes was right in the middle of Tuesday night's lineup against Padres left-hander Blake Snell, batting fifth.

“We’re just trying to get the best matchups, at least for the time being, based on what we saw from Yan and his numbers at this point,” Melvin said.

Gomes, a 10-year Major League veteran, was acquired with infielder Josh Harrison in a Trade Deadline deal with the Nationals. In 64 games this season, Gomes is batting .274 with a .791 OPS. He made an immediate impact in his first game with the A’s, going 2-for-5 with three RBIs, including a two-run homer that got the A’s offense going against the Angels in Sunday's finale.

Murphy has struggled facing left-handed pitching this season, slashing .190/.269/.371 in contrast to his .235/.327/.439 line against right-handers. He carried a five-game hitting streak into Tuesday night, after hitting .171 in his previous 20 games.

“I believe Murphy’s numbers would pick up against lefties regardless, and once he’s in a game, it’s not like I’m going to pinch-hit for him once a lefty comes in,” Melvin said. “I’m just trying to find a way to get both these guys in there, and so they can kind of prepare and know ahead of time.”

Puk returning to form
The A’s bullpen may receive an internal boost down the stretch from A.J. Puk. The left-hander has given up one run or fewer in his past eight appearances for Triple-A Las Vegas, reaching 97-98 mph on his fastball.

Puk made one appearance with the A’s in 2021, pitching 3 1/3 scoreless innings against the Dodgers before landing on the injured list with a left biceps strain. He was activated and optioned to Triple-A on May 28, where he has since gone 2-3 with a 6.16 ERA in 24 games (one start).

“He has to show us some durability,” Melvin said. “He’s had quite a few injuries and has been set back three times. So we want to see some durability and, you know, going multiple innings, maybe going back-to-back at some point in time -- I’m not sure he’s done that yet.

“The way he’s pitching is exciting, and that could add another quality arm to our bullpen -- and a power arm that maybe we don’t have a ton of.”

Olson receives team Heart and Hustle Award
Matt Olson was selected as the A’s recipient of the Heart and Hustle Award, which is annually awarded by the MLB Players Alumni Association to honor active players who demonstrate a passion for the game of baseball and best embody the values, spirit and traditions of the game.

“I mean, I think the numbers speak for themselves. I think it’s more his durability, and his leadership qualities, and just taking the post every day, and becoming the type of player he is,” Melvin said. “But I think this is more than a just number-of-days type of award, it’s more about the person and what he stands for and how he goes about his business.”