The A’s shook up their roster for the second half of the season.
The club made a flurry of moves on Friday, calling up third baseman Tommy White, their No. 7 prospect, right-handed pitcher Yunior Tur, their No. 27 prospect, and left-handed pitcher Brady Basso. To make room on the roster, veteran right-handed starter Aaron Civale was designated for assignment and right-hander Mason Barnett and catcher Brian Serven were optioned to Triple-A Las Vegas.
The moves cap a busy week for the Athletics, who dismissed pitching coach Scott Emerson on Monday. Javy Guerra was also named the bullpen coach on Friday after Dan Hubbs became the interim pitching coach.
White, who is expected to make his MLB debut at Sutter Health Park against the Nationals on Friday, has a .303 average and an .818 OPS through 76 games this season, split between Double-A and Triple-A.
The No. 40 pick in the 2024 Draft out of LSU, White was known as “Tommy Tanks” in college for his raw power at the plate. The 23-year-old has hit 24 dingers through 194 Minor League games. He can drive the ball to all fields and shows a good eye at the plate (career 14.3% strikeout rate in the Minors).
Tur has posted a 4.41 ERA in 27 appearances at Triple-A this year. The 26-year-old from Cuba possesses a high-90s fastball that’s enabled him to strike out 64 batters through 51 innings with Las Vegas. He also issued 26 walks during that time.
Civale joined the A’s prior to this season on a one-year, $6 million contract as they looked to shore up their rotation. However, the 31-year-old has struggled to a 5.42 ERA and a 1.62 WHIP over 74 2/3 innings. He also missed about three weeks earlier this season due to right shoulder tendinitis.
In his eighth Major League campaign, Civale last pitched for the A’s on July 10, allowing four earned runs over 2 1/3 innings in a 14-1 loss to the White Sox. It came during the middle of a nine-game losing streak that the A’s will look to snap Friday.
Their slump leading into the All-Star break dropped the A’s from 3 1/2 games out of a Wild Card spot to 6 1/2 games back.