A’s also Option and Designate RHP Garcia for Assignment
OAKLAND, Calif. — The Oakland A’s recalled right-handed pitcher Angel Felipe and selected outfielder Cody Thomas from Triple-A Las Vegas, placed outfielder Esteury Ruiz on the 10-day injured list retroactive to July 6 with a right shoulder subluxation, and optioned and designated right-handed pitcher Rico Garcia for assignment, the club announced today.
Felipe was claimed off waivers from San Diego on June 21 and will be making his Major League debut. He posted a 1.80 ERA in five relief appearances with Las Vegas after compiling a 6.20 ERA in 25 outings with Triple-A El Paso and is 2-2 with a save, a 5.46 ERA, .239 opponents batting average and .705 OPS in 30 games overall in the Pacific Coast League. The 25-year-old right-hander walked 19 and struck out 46 in 29.2 innings. Felipe was originally signed by Tampa Bay as an international free agent on June 15, 2015, and signed a minor league deal with the Padres on Jan. 4, 2022. He is 16-20 with 25 saves and a 4.65 ERA in 174 career appearances, including six starts, in seven seasons in the minors. He has struck out 308 and walked 179 in 255.1 innings.
Thomas joins the A’s for the first time this year after hitting .267 with no RBI in 10 games in his Major League debut with Oakland last year. He has spent the entire 2023 season at Las Vegas where he is batting .308 with 17 home runs, 79 RBI and a .943 OPS in 74 games. The 28-year-old right-handed hitter leads Minor League Baseball in RBI. Thomas is tied for second in the Pacific Coast League in hits (93), triples (6) and extra base hits (41), tied for fourth in doubles (18), tied for fifth in home runs and ranks sixth in slugging (.576).
Ruiz has spent the entire season with the A’s and is batting .257 with 19 doubles, one triple, one home run, 35 RBI and a ML leading 43 stolen bases in 85 games. He broke Mitchell Page’s Oakland record for most steals by a rookie on Wednesday at Detroit. Ruiz has a .380 batting average with runners in scoring position, which is fourth best in the majors. The 24-year-old right-handed hitter leads ML rookies in stolen bases and hit by pitches (12), is tied for third in doubles, tied for fourth in hits (86) and tied for seventh in RBI.
Garcia was recalled from Las Vegas a week ago today for his second stint with the A’s this year and allowed three runs on eight hits and two walks while striking out five in 5.2 innings. He has an 8.31 ERA and 1.172 opponents OPS in seven relief appearances overall with Oakland. Garcia has six saves, a 3.20 ERA and .656 OPS in 22 games with the Aviators.
