OAKLAND, Calif. — The Oakland Athletics claimed right-handed pitcher Joel Payamps off waivers from the Kansas City Royals, the club announced today. To clear space on the 40-man roster, the A’s transferred Paul Blackburn to the 60-day injured list.

Payamps has spent the entire season with Kansas City with the exception of a three-game rehab assignment with Triple-A Omaha at the end of June. He is 2-3 with a 3.16 ERA, .274 opponents batting average and .771 OPS in 29 relief appearances with the Royals. The 28-year-old right-hander has struck out 33 and walked 16 in 42.2 innings. Payamps made his Major League debut with Arizona in 2019 and is 3-6 with a 3.33 ERA in 70 career appearances, including one start, in four seasons in the majors with the Diamondbacks (2019-20), Blue Jays (2021) and Royals (2021-22).

Blackburn was placed on the 10-day IL Aug. 9 retroactive to Aug. 5 with an inflamed right middle finger and will miss the remainder of the season. The A’s All-Star was 7-6 with a 4.28 ERA in 21 starts.