The A’s have claimed right-hander Spenser Watkins off waivers from the Astros, as first reported by Jessica Kleinschmidt (Twitter link). He’ll been assigned to Triple-A Las Vegas for the time being. Houston designated Watkins for assignment over the weekend when Jose Urquidy was reinstated from the 60-day injured list.
Watkins, 30, has a bit of major league experience but has been stuck in the minors all year. He tossed 160 innings for the Orioles over 2021 and 2022, allowing 5.85 earned runs per nine innings in that time. He only struck out 13.7% of batters faced but his 6.9% walk rate was quite strong.
This year, the O’s optioned him to Triple-A Norfolk at the end of Spring Training. He spent about a month on the minor league injured list and had only tossed 26 innings for the Tides with a 7.27 ERA by mid-June. He was designated for assignment and flipped to the Astros for cash. He tossed 20 1/3 innings for Triple-A Sugar Land with a 9.74 ERA, before getting his second DFA of the year this past weekend.
The results this year haven’t been great, but it’s likely not quite as bad as his combined 8.35 ERA would indicate. His .386 batting average on balls in play and 55.4% strand rate are both on the unlucky side of average, leading to a 5.27 FIP that’s much more palatable. The most recent chunk of his season was also spent in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League, which likely didn’t do him any favors.
The A’s are the worst team in baseball, with a 32-81 record and .283 winning percentage. Their pitching staff has a collective 5.82 ERA that’s easily the worst in the majors. Watkins can provide them with a depth arm that has a bit of major league experience under his belt. He’s in his final option year and will be out of options next season, though he’s yet to reach arbitration and can potentially be controlled for five seasons beyond this one.
Surprised he’s being assigned to AAA Vegas and not AAAA Oakland.
wouldn’t want to increase the chances of winning.
I swear the Las Vegas Aviators are better than the Oakland A’s.
Pretty sure the mandate from Fisher to Forst is to tank as hard as possible, make Major League the movie a reality.
We just need some warm bodies that can stand upright and throw a ball, those are the minimum requirements for our billionaire to continue collecting his welfare checks.
A 5.85 ERA??? This is enough to get either of the a’s fans excited!!!
He had a nice half season in Baltimore in 21 ish until becoming embroiled in the early stages of the Kevin Brown scandal and run out of town by the asbestos gangsters earlier this season. Look it up. It’s on the internet. Do your own research.
I have not heard of this but will now be looking into this thank you.
What a stupid comment
LOL. Bad time? It’s a joke. Have you seen some of the O’s social media groups? So much savage stupidity and running off shady info from a blogger that I’m surprised the Angelos family estate hasn’t been burned to the ground. No one is conflating Kevin Brown with Spenser Watkins.
Another “Kevin Brown scandal”?
The guy’s one of the worst broadcasters in MLB. Talks and talks about nothing, while ignoring the fact that the fans turned in to watch the game. Rule #1 about broadcasting MLB games – respect the fans and the game….they didn’t tune in to hear what you have to say.
He’s hardly the only broadcaster that won’t shut up, but along with Brian Anderson that does color for the Rays, he’s about the worst. Not every fan is watching their first ever MLB baseball game and needs to be schooled after each pitch.
Ugghh…I tried to watch a Rays broadcast on MLBTV, listened to Brian Anderson for half an inning, turned it off. He’s terrible!
Add to the fact that kevin does none of what he is talking about, and is one of the best broadcasters in the game, and the comment makes no sense at all.
ssssshhhhh. we’re not allow to speak of former Orioles nor any struggles. if we don’t talk about them, they never happened .
Shh, he was an Orioles minor league signing, not one of their draftees. He was 28 when acquired and had struggled in 2019 so expectations were non-existent.
Maybe a combination of incremental improvements from the A’s and the pitcher friendly Coliseum turn him into a respectable fifth starter. Still, let’s get real. The Orioles have six SPs that are far better than Watkins
Spenser’s a real good dude. Rooting for him to suck up some major league innings in Oakland so he gets the paycheck.
Prett y sure the high BABIP, along with the low strand rate, is not due to bad luck. He’s basically throwing batting practice is the reason.
That’s why he’s perfect for the current Oakland Athletics roster plans.
ERA over 5 in the minors. He’ll fit right in
A’s love adding fringe pitchers that take up 40 man space but let go 2 yrs of control of laureano, cheap owner John fisher
The Laureano situation had nothing to do with money or John Fisher. If you are going to juice and run your big mouth, you’re expected to put up big numbers at the plate and Laureano couldn’t do that. In retrospect, the Astros knew what they were doing when they shipped Laureano to Oakland back in 2017.
Laureano was a non tender this off-season whose been given a million looks after his PEDS suspension. He was never going to be a productive or valuable Athletic again. They just cut him a couple months early. Good for them.
Better to look at Rooker, Bleday, Ruiz etc. Laureano’s not part of anything.