OAKLAND — The A’s went back to their three-catcher look Sunday with the promotion of catcher Stephen Vogt from Triple-A Sacramento.
To make room on the roster the A’s sent right-handed pitcher Fernando Rodriguez down despite some outstanding numbers, including a 1.13 ERA.
Rodriguez had options to be send down, and the A’s needed the help with Brandon Moss (right calf) and Josh Reddick (right knee) both unavailable for Sunday’s series finale with the Angels.
Vogt, like Reddick and Moss, is a left-handed hitter. Vogt had to get to Oakland from Fresno, where Sacramento was playing Saturday and with 60 minutes left before first pitch wasn’t in the park. He was in the lineup, however, and expected to catch A’s starter Sonny Gray.
“We’re a little beat up,” manager Bob Melvin said of the move. “Reddick is out today, Moss is out and I’m not sure Nick Punto (calf strain) is 100 percent.”
There were thought that the A’s would come out of spring training with three catchers, figuring that John Jaso would get lots of at-bats as the designated hitter (as he was Sunday) and Derek Norris and Vogt would get much of the catching duties. But to get Daric Barton on the roster at first base to start the season, that didn’t work. Barton is back with Sacramento.
Melvin wouldn’t say if Vogt’s promotion was a long-term deal or just a move to get the A’s through the weekend. But indications are that Vogt will be with the A’s on a road trip through New York, Baltimore and Anaheim.
–Reliever Ryan Cook, on the disabled list since May 8 with right forearm tightness, will travel with the A’s Monday and is expected to be activated before Tuesday’s road trip opener in Yankee Stadium against New York.
Cook threw one inning in an injury rehabilitation assignment game Saturday for the River Cats with Sacramento playing in Fresno. He needed just nine pitches to throw a scoreless inning, seven of which were strikes.
“He threw really well,” Melvin said. “There’s a good chance he will travel with us Monday and be activated Tuesday.”
The A’s don’t have an obvious move to get Cook back on the roster. It seems likely that Jeff Francis could be designated for assignment or either first baseman Kyle blanks or second baseman Eric Sogard could be sent down. Both position players have an option left and to designate Francis would open him up to being claimed by another club.
The A’s got Francis when the Reds put the left-handed starter on the designated for assignment list mid-May and claimed him on waivers. Assigned the role of long reliever, he’s only thrown one inning. Still, the A’s are keen on having someone in the bullpen that would be able to start in an emergency.
Cook, who is at the end of his second stint on the disabled list after having missed all of spring training with shoulder soreness, gives the a’s another option late in the game. Most of his innings with the A’s in the previous two seasons have been in the eighth and ninth, although Melvin may ease him into the role.
“I feel really good, really ready to go,” Cook said. “I didn’t get any tightness. I didn’t get stiff. All things considered, yesterday went really well.”
