The Oakland outrighted right-handed pitcher Chris Hatcher, left-handed pitcher Dean Kiekhefer and outfielder Jake Smolinski to Triple-A Las Vegas, the club announced today.
Hatcher spent most of season with Oakland and was 3-3 with a 4.95 ERA in 34 relief appearances. He also went 0-1 with a 2.08 ERA in five relief appearances with Triple-A Nashville during a two-week stint in August. The 33-year-old right-hander had a .289 opponents batting average, .365 on-base percentage and .828 OPS, all of which were his highest of his five full seasons.
Kiekhefer began the season at Double-A Pensacola in the Cincinnati Reds organization but finished it in the majors with Oakland, allowing four runs in 2.0 innings over four relief appearances with the A's (18.00 ERA). The 29-year-old left-hander combined for an 8-1 record, three saves and a 3.39 ERA in 45 minor league appearances with Pensacola, Double-A Midland and Triple-A Nashville. He walked just eight batters in 58.1 innings, an average of 1.23 per nine innings.
Smolinski batted .128 with no home runs and two RBI in 20 games with Oakland and .278 with 10 home runs and 19 RBI in 36 games with Triple-A Nashville before missing the final eight weeks of the Sounds season while on the disabled list with a blood clot in his left calf.