The Athletics announced a large batch of roster moves today. Shortstop Jacob Wilson and foreign player Tyler Soderstrom both were placed on the 10-day injured list. Wilson’s trade dates back to June 26 again due to a swollen right thumb. Soderstrom’s resume is out until June 28 again due to a left hip replacement. Additionally, on the left José Suarez hits the list of fathers. To replace those three, the A’s remember it’s okay Late Morris and an infielder Darrell Hernaiz and choose a midfielder’s contract Joshua Kuroda-Grauer. To open up the 40-man spot for Kuroda-Grauer, that’s fine Michael Kelly selected for assignment.
At this point, there is no indication that the injury is significant. However, it is not fair for the club to lose two of its games. That is especially true of the A’s as they already have them Zack Gelof, Brent Rooker again Denzel Clarke in IL, so these moves make five regular players on the shelf, in addition to a few pitchers. The A’s are in a tight American League playoff race, currently a game and a half out of the Wild Card spot, so any setback will be significant.
Soderstrom has a .242/.343/.460 line on the year, so the line will definitely lose his bat. On the other side of the ball, Defensive Runs Saved likes his glove work this year but Outs Above Average doesn’t. That may be a strange mistake, as both metrics favored his left field performance last year. Wilson’s offense has dipped a bit this year, as he has a .277/.310/.386 line. His shortstop defense hasn’t received strong marks and DRS is still frowned upon but he has been credited with six OAA’s this season.
The A’s didn’t add an outfielder with their move today, so Soderstrom’s playing time will likely go to the guys already on the roster. Carlos Cortes again Colby Thomas you will probably find the left field time, nearby Henry Bolte in the middle again Lawrence Butler on the right. Cortes had a strong start to the season but is hitting .111/.167/.178 in June. Thomas is hitting just .203/.244/.311 this season.
In the short term, Alika Williams He closed the place a few days ago when Wilson was injured. Williams is a decent defender but his offense is very questionable. His .283/.306/.433 line this year looks good but is backed by a .400 batting average in balls in play while Williams has a 3.2% walk rate and a whopping 30.2% strikeout rate. It is fair to expect that his line will be reversed.
Kuroda-Grauer also joins the mix, called up to the major league for the first time. A third-round pick from 2024, he climbed the ladder in a heavy contact fashion with a few walks and a hit. In 1,040 small plate appearances, his 7% walk rate is below average and his 8.4% strikeout rate is about third. That led to a .309/.370/.407 line and a 106 wRC+.
Baseball America currently ranks him as the team’s #9 prospect, highlighting his contact style and lack of power. Defensively, he is considered an above-average shortstop while also playing second base and third base well, as well as the outfield. He doesn’t have top speed but he’s smart on the basepaths, allowing him to steal 27 bases last year and 15 already this year. You will provide A’s cover in several different areas. As the other guys get healthy, he has full options and can easily be brought back to the minors in the future.
Kelly, 33, filed for bankruptcy in November 2023. His tenure with the A’s got off to a good start, as he posted a 2.59 earned run average over 31 1/3 innings in 2024. Unfortunately, that was messed up in an unusual way. Kelly was one of several players who received a one-year suspension for betting on major league baseball games during their junior year. He returned from that suspension last summer and pitched another 39 2/3 innings for the A’s with a 3.18 ERA.
This year’s results were not available. Kelly has pitched just five major league innings, with nine earned runs allowed in that span. He spent most of his time in his chosen assignment, where he did best. He threw 25 1/3 innings with a 3.20 ERA, a 27.3% strikeout rate and a 9.1% walk rate.
Kelly now enters DFA limbo, which could last up to a week. The waiver process takes 48 hours, so the A’s could take as long as five days to evaluate trade interest, though they could get him on the phone immediately. Since he still has a choice, it seems like there should be some interest there. Kelly has a solid 3.72 ERA in his major league career. He struggled in a small sample of major league work in 2026 but with a much better farm job.
Photo courtesy of Sergio Estrada, Imagn Images
