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Georgia Tech Outfielder Drew Burress Goes to A's at Pick No. 8 in MLB Draft
The Athletics selected Georgia Tech outfielder Drew Burress with the eighth overall pick in the 2026 MLB draft on Saturday, according to MLB.com. Burress came into this weekend's draft as the No. 7-ranked overall prospect by MLB.com. The 21-year-old 5-foot-9, 185-pound outfielder finished up his collegiate career at Georgia Tech this season by hitting .358/.473/.657 with a 1.130 OPS, 16 home runs, 60 RBI, 82 runs scored, and 10 stolen bases in 61 games and 311 plate appearances. Burress may be on the short side, but what he lacks in size, he makes up for in tools. Burress has excellent plate discipline and doesn't have any notable weaknesses as a hitter. On defense, he's an adequate defender in center field and also has a strong enough arm to play right field as well. He has a solid and compact swing at the plate from the right side and plus power that will play to all fields. On the basepaths, Burress' speed won't impress anyone, but he can steal a bag when needed. Because of his polished approach without many weaknesses as a hitter, Burress should move quickly through the A's system.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Zack Gelof Heads Back to Injured List With Knee Laceration
The Athletics announced on Friday that they placed utility player Zack Gelof (knee) on the 10-day injured list with a right-knee laceration and recalled infielder Joey Meneses from Triple-A Las Vegas in a corresponding move. Gelof injured his right knee making a nice sliding catch in foul territory in Thursday's game against the Detroit Tigers, and he'll now head back to the IL after returning from a stint on the sidelines due to a hand laceration. The 26-year-old former second-round pick in 2021 out of the University of Virginia has been hampered by injuries in his career before, but this time it's even more frustrating, as Gelof has played well for the A's in 2026 when available, slashing .273/.327/.476 with an .802 OPS, 11 home runs, 29 RBI, 41 runs scored, and eight stolen bases across his 227 at-bats. Fantasy managers seeking power and speed for the second half shouldn't forget about Gelof, who is eligible at second base, third base, and the outfield in Yahoo leagues. While he's out, veteran Jeff McNeil figures to see most of the playing time at the hot corner in Sacramento.
Source: A's Communications
Source: A's Communications
Zack Gelof Exits Thursday's Game With Knee Injury
Athletics infielder/outfielder Zack Gelof (knee) was forced from Thursday's game early in the third inning against the Detroit Tigers after making an amazing sliding catch in foul territory down the third-base line, according to Chris McCosky of The Detroit News. Gelof went 0-for-1 at the plate before he was replaced in left field by Colby Thomas. Lawrence Butler entered the game to play right field for the A's. The 26-year-old had just returned from the injured list over the weekend due to a hand injury, but now he's hurt again. It remains to be seen how serious Gelof's right-knee injury is, but with only three games remaining before next week's All-Star break, the A's could be cautious with Gelof and hold him out for this weekend's series in Chicago against the White Sox. Before injuring his hand, Gelof had become an intriguing waiver-wire pickup with eligibility at second base, third base, and the outfield in Yahoo leagues. He entered Thursday's game with a .274/.328/.478 slash line, an .806 OPS, 11 home runs, 29 RBI, 41 runs, and eight steals in 66 games played. Gelof's power/speed upside is more interesting in 2026 since he has a career-low 25.2% strikeout rate.
Source: The Detroit News - Chris McCosky
Source: The Detroit News - Chris McCosky
A's Reinstate Tyler Soderstrom From the Injured List
The Athletics announced on Wednesday that they reinstated first baseman/outfielder Tyler Soderstrom (hip) from the 10-day injured list and optioned infielder Max Muncy to Triple-A Las Vegas in a corresponding move. Soderstrom should be right back in the A's starting lineup for Wednesday's contest in Detroit against right-hander Troy Melton after missing just one day over the minimum on the 10-day injured list due to a left-hip impingement. The 24-year-old left-handed-hitting slugger will return to being the team's primary left fielder on an everyday basis. Soderstrom is returning to a .242/.343/.460 slash line with an .803 OPS, 13 homers, 41 RBI, 41 runs scored, and a stolen base in his 289 at-bats in 2026. After breaking out in 2025 with 25 homers and 93 RBI in 158 games played, Soderstrom is a burgeoning power asset for fantasy managers in all formats, especially at home at hitter-friendly Sutter Health Park. Get him back into your starting lineups immediately to close out the first half of the regular season this week.
Source: A's Communications
Source: A's Communications
Tyler Soderstrom Progressing With Baseball Activities, Could Return "Very Soon"
Athletics first baseman/outfielder Tyler Soderstrom (hip) is progressing with his baseball activities and is doing outfield drills, hitting, and running, according to Martin Gallegos of MLB.com. Manager Mark Kotsay said there's hope that the team could get him back "very soon" from the 10-day injured list. It's unclear how soon Soderstrom will be activated, but Gallegos suggests it could come as soon as this week's series in Detroit against the Tigers. The 24-year-old is eligible to be activated from the IL at any time with his left-hip impingement. The struggling A's would love to get Soderstrom back before next week's All-Star break. When he returns, he'll be coming back to a .242/.343/.460 slash line with an .803 OPS, 13 home runs, 41 RBI, 41 runs scored, and a stolen base in 80 games across 335 plate appearances in his fourth year in the big leagues. Soderstrom is rostered in 91% of Yahoo leagues for his emerging power stroke from the left side, so he shouldn't be available in many fantasy formats. In 24 games in June, Soderstrom went 23-for-81 (.284) with six homers, three doubles, 15 RBI, and 15 runs scored in 98 plate appearances.
Source: MLB.com - Martin Gallegos
Source: MLB.com - Martin Gallegos
Tyler Soderstrom Remains Shut Down From Baseball Activities
Athletics outfielder/first baseman Tyler Soderstrom (hip) remains shut down from any baseball activities, per MLB.com. Soderstrom was placed on the 10-Day injured list in late June due to a left-hip impingement that appears likely to sideline him through at least the All-Star break. Across 335 plate appearances in 2026 before the injury, Soderstrom hit .242/.343/.460 with 13 home runs, 41 RBI, 41 runs scored, and one stolen base. With a 12.8% walk rate and a 17.6% strikeout rate, the 24-year-old has demonstrated a promising plate approach. Soderstrom also brings solid underlying contact metrics, as he owns an 11% barrel rate and a 47.3% hard-hit rate across over 1,300 career MLB plate appearances. With Soderstrom sidelined, Athletics utility man Zack Gelof, outfielder Carlos Cortes, and outfielder Colby Thomas are all candidates to see more time in left field.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Henry Bolte a Waiver-Wire Boost for Stolen Bases?
Athletics rookie outfielder Henry Bolte has already become one of the better speed pickups on the waiver wire. He's batting .293/.376/.373 with 15 runs, 14 RBI, two home runs, and 11 steals across 150 at-bats. He has also appeared in center field 46 times since his May promotion, so the playing time has been steady. Bolte leads the majors with a 30.5 feet-per-second sprint speed, giving him a chance to make a real difference in stolen bases. The power is still a work in progress. Bolte has hit the ball hard, but his 64.4% ground-ball rate and 27.6% strikeout rate help explain why he has only two homers. That does not take away from what he can offer right now. RotoBaller recommends him in leagues with 10 or more teams, and Yahoo managers have pushed his roster rate to just 13% so far. Anyone chasing speed should act before the rest of the market catches up.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Brent Rooker to Have Season-Ending Knee Surgery
Athletics outfielder Brent Rooker (knee) is scheduled to have season-ending surgery to address cartilage in his left knee, according to Martin Gallegos of MLB.com. Rooker was having his knee checked by doctors at Stanford University on Tuesday, and apparently they didn't like what they saw after the A's initially put the right-handed slugger on the injured list in early June with what they called a bone bruise in his knee. The 31-year-old will now miss the rest of the 2026 campaign due to a torn cartilage in his knee. It's a crushing blow for Rooker's fantasy managers after he got off to a rough start to the season with a .200/.281/.389 slash line with a .670 OPS, 10 homers, 29 RBI, 20 runs scored, and two stolen bases in his 180 at-bats. In single-year fantasy leagues, managers can now cut ties with Rooker and send him to the waiver wire in search of a replacement. Going forward, the left-handed-hitting Jonah Heim should continue to serve as the A's primary designated hitter against right-handed pitchers.
Source: MLB.com - Martin Gallegos
Source: MLB.com - Martin Gallegos
Brent Rooker Re-Evaluated This Week, Progress Stalled?
Athletics outfielder Brent Rooker (knee) was away from the team on Tuesday while being evaluated at Stanford University for his knee injury, according to Martin Gallegos of MLB.com. "I wouldn't say that his progress has stopped... it hasn't progressed as efficient as we'd like. So he's down there going through another exam," manager Mark Kotsay said. The A's placed the 31-year-old veteran outfielder on the 10-day injured list on June 12 with a bone bruise in his left knee, but he has been slow to recover, making it unlikely that he's back with the big-league squad before the mid-July All-Star break. Until Rooker can progress to facing live pitching, we won't have a better read on a clear timeline for his return. Before his knee injury, the two-time All-Star was hitting .200/.281/.389 with a .670 OPS, 10 home runs, 29 RBI, 20 runs scored, a 32% strikeout rate, and two stolen bases in 48 games across 203 plate appearances. Rooker has reached the 30-homer mark in his previous three seasons, but he's seriously in danger of coming up well short of that mark in 2026, barring a big second-half surge.
Source: MLB.com - Martin Gallegos
Source: MLB.com - Martin Gallegos
Tyler Soderstrom Lands on Injured List With Hip Impingement
The Athletics announced on Monday that they placed first baseman/outfielder Tyler Soderstrom (hip) on the 10-day injured list (retroactive to June 28) with a left-hip impingement. In corresponding moves, the club selected infielder Joshua Kuroda-Grauer and recalled infielder Darell Hernaiz from Triple-A Las Vegas. Soderstrom was forced from Saturday's game early with his hip injury and will now head to the sidelines after being held out of the lineup for Sunday's series finale against the Los Angeles Angels. He'll be eligible to come off the IL on July 8, but with the All-Star break the following week, Soderstrom could very well just be held out as a precaution until the second half. With Soderstrom out for at least 10 days, Colby Thomas should see more playing time for the A's in left field. The 24-year-old Soderstrom should be held in all fantasy leagues while he recovers from his hip injury. The former first-rounder in 2020 is an emerging power bat in a hitter-friendly home park after he clubbed 25 homers, drove in 93 runs, and stole eight bases in a breakout 2025 campaign. He's currently slashing .242/.343/.460 with an .803 OPS, 13 homers, 41 RBI, and 41 runs scored across his 80 games in 2026.
Source: A's Communications
Source: A's Communications
Lawrence Butler's Power/Speed Profile Becoming Attractive Amid Hot Streak
Athletics outfielder Lawrence Butler is slashing just .204/.290/.311 with five home runs, 21 RBI, 29 runs scored, and six stolen bases in 76 games so far in 2026. His slow start to his fourth year in the big leagues with the A's has caused him to be dropped in many fantasy baseball leagues. However, he had another two-hit game in the team's loss to the division-rival Los Angeles Angels on Sunday, and he's hitting an even .300 (18-for-60) with two home runs, four doubles, seven RBI, 12 runs scored, and two stolen bases in 23 games across 66 plate appearances in June. Fantasy managers shouldn't forget that the 25-year-old left-handed-hitting outfielder had his first 20-20 season in 2025 with 21 homers, 63 RBI, and 22 stolen bases in 152 games played. The year before, in his first full season in the majors, Butler came two steals shy of his first 20-20 season, so the power/speed profile is definitely there. It hasn't been the year he had hoped for through the first three months, but there is still time for Butler to turn things around, and fantasy managers could find worse power/speed gambles off the waiver wire. Butler is currently rostered in only 35% of Yahoo leagues.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Tyler Soderstrom Dealing With Hip Tightness
Athletics manager Mark Kotsay said that first baseman/outfielder Tyler Soderstrom (hip) was removed from Saturday night's 5-2 loss to the Los Angeles Angels with some left-hip tightness, according to Michael Huntley of The Orange County Register. The A's will see how Soderstrom is feeling on Sunday, but he will most likely be held out of the series finale against the Halos. Before leaving the contest in the third inning, Soderstrom was hitless in his only at-bat with a strikeout. Colby Thomas shifted from right field to left field, with Lawrence Butler entering the game to play right field for the A's. For now, fantasy managers should consider the left-handed slugger to be day-to-day. If Soderstrom is held out of Sunday's series finale against the Angels, his next chance to play would come on Monday at home for the start of a series against the Los Angeles Dodgers. On the year, Soderstrom is hitting .242 with 13 home runs, 41 RBI, and an .803 OPS, and he remains a strong source of power at both first base and outfield in all fantasy baseball leagues.
Source: The Orange County Register - Michael Huntley
Source: The Orange County Register - Michael Huntley
Henry Bolte a Breakout Prospect to Target on the Waiver Wire?
Athletics rookie outfielder Henry Bolte, who is considered the team's No. 5 prospect by MLB Pipeline, has delivered since being called up in early May. Through his first 39 games played for the A's, the former second-rounder in 2022 has gone 39-for-122 (.320) with two home runs, six doubles, 10 RBI, 12 runs scored, and nine stolen bases in 143 plate appearances. The Bay Area native is mostly intriguing for his speed, and he could see more run near the top of the A's batting order going forward with infielder/outfielder Zack Gelof (hand) on the injured list. Bolte has been even better in his second month in the big leagues, going 24-for-70 (.343) with two homers, four doubles, six RBI, five stolen bases, and eight runs scored in 22 games played. The 6-foot-3, 195-pound right-handed hitter has an exciting combination of power, speed, and defense, but his swing-and-miss issues (27.3% strikeout rate) likely mean regression is coming in his rookie campaign. But for now, Bolte is still worth considering off the waiver wire for speed, at the very least. He's rostered in only 12% of Yahoo leagues.
Source: Baseball Reference
Source: Baseball Reference
Zack Gelof Placed on Injured List With Hand Injury
The Athletics are placing infielder/outfielder Zack Gelof (hand) on the 10-day injured list with a laceration and contusion on his hand that he suffered on Tuesday against the San Francisco Giants, according to Martin Gallegos of MLB.com. Hopefully, Gelof will only need to spend the minimum 10 days on the IL with what seemed like a relatively minor injury. Until then, Max Muncy should see most of the playing time at the hot corner in Sacramento for the A's. Gelof's injury comes at a really bad time, as the 26-year-old former second-rounder in 2021 out of the University of Virginia had just started to find his stride offensively in 2026 in his fourth MLB season. Through 62 games and 228 plate appearances so far this year, Gelof has hit .282 (59-for-209) with 11 home runs, 29 RBI, 40 runs scored, and eight stolen bases. In 19 games in June, he's gone 23-for-70 (.329) with five homers, six doubles, 10 RBI, 19 runs, and two steals in 78 plate appearances. Gelof's recent hot streak made him a priority waiver-wire target in fantasy leagues, and he's currently rostered in 66% of Yahoo leagues for his power/speed upside in a hitter-friendly home ballpark.
Source: MLB.com - Martin Gallegos
Source: MLB.com - Martin Gallegos
Zack Gelof Out With Hand Injury on Wednesday
Athletics infielder/outfielder Zack Gelof (hand) is absent from the team's starting lineup on Wednesday against the hosting San Francisco Giants after suffering a laceration and contusion on his right hand after being stepped on during Tuesday's contest, per MLB.com. Max Muncy is making the start for the A's at third base and will hit eighth against Giants right-hander Tyler Mahle (hamstring), who is making his first start back from the injured list. The good news for Gelof is that his hand injury shouldn't be anything that requires him to spend time on the injured list. The 26-year-old is finally realizing his potential so far in 209 at-bats for the A's in 2026 after he was a second-round selection in 2021 out of the University of Virginia. Gelof is slashing .282/.336/.498 this year with an .834 OPS, 11 home runs, 29 RBI, 40 runs, and eight stolen bases across 62 games and 228 plate appearances. He's become a priority waiver-wire target with a strong month of June, going 23-for-70 (.329) with five homers, six doubles, 10 RBI, 19 runs, and two steals in 19 games played. Gelof is now rostered in 67% of Yahoo leagues. Check back to see if he's ready to return for Thursday's series finale against the Giants.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
