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Red Sox Trade Nate Eaton To The Athletics
The Boston Red Sox have traded outfielder Nate Eaton to the Athletics in exchange for minor-league pitcher Jareth Rayo. Eaton completed the 2026 season with the Red Sox, hitting .160 with one home run and six RBI in 50 at-bats. Rayo was 1-1 in rookie ball in the Athletics organization last season with a 5.50 ERA, 1.50 WHIP, and 36 strikeouts in 36.0 innings pitched.
Source: Boston Red Sox
Source: Boston Red Sox
Taylor Smith a Top Candidate For Head of Baseball Ops With A's
ESPN Baseball Insider Jeff Passan reports that Boston Red Sox assistant general manager Taylor Smith is considered the top candidate to become the head of baseball operations for the A's. According to Passan, another finalist for the job, Cardinals assistant general manager Rob Cerfolio is expected to stay with St. Louis. Passan previously reported that Sam Fuld, the former general manager of the Phillies, was offered the A's job but will remain in the Philadelphia organization.
Source: Jeff Passan
Source: Jeff Passan
Jeff McNeil Re-Emerging as a Viable Waiver-Wire Target
Across 487 plate appearances in 2026, Athletics second baseman/outfielder Jeff McNeil is hitting .268/.315/.371 with eight home runs, 54 RBI, 49 runs scored, and eight stolen bases. The 34-year-old does not profile as a power source, as he's logged a tiny 1.8% barrel rate this year. However, McNeil has struck out in just 11.3% of his plate appearances. The veteran lefty has been a high-end source of batting average in the second half of the season, hitting .333 across 190 plate appearances since the All-Star break. He's also moved into a prominent spot in the banged-up A's lineup, batting second in each of his last 11 games played. Heading into the final stretch of the regular season, McNeil profiles as an under-the-radar source of batting average and run production for fantasy managers to target on the waiver wire.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Henry Bolte a Must-Roster Outfielder Amid September Power Surge
Across 432 plate appearances in 2026, Athletics outfielder Henry Bolte is hitting .275/.358/.402 with 11 home runs, 34 RBI, 52 runs scored, and 21 stolen bases. Since making his MLB debut in mid-May, the 23-year-old has emerged as an everyday staple in his team's outfield. Bolte's 28.5% strikeout rate is elevated, but he consistently hits the ball hard (47.5% hard-hit rate). Bolte also hits the ball on the ground a ton, which, when combined with his elite speed, allows him to run a high batting average on balls in play. Bolte is also in the midst of a power surge of late, as he's hit five home runs across 64 plate appearances in September. Heading into the final stretch of the regular season, Bolte profiles as a must-roster fantasy outfielder with five-category upside.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Henry Bolte Has Emerged as a Must-Roster Outfielder
Entering play on Monday, Athletics outfielder Henry Bolte was hitting .274/.352/.386 with eight home runs, 31 RBI, 43 runs scored, and 16 stolen bases across 394 big-league plate appearances in 2026. Since making his MLB debut in mid-May, Bolte has established himself as an everyday piece of the Athletics outfield. Since early August, the 23-year-old has also emerged as the team's everyday leadoff hitter. While Bolte has consistently hit the ball hard (47.5% hard-hit rate), his power upside is limited by his 0.8-degree average launch angle and his 62.6% ground-ball rate. However, between his penchant for hitting it on the ground and his elite speed, Bolte should be able to maintain a solid batting average and on-base percentage. If he can start to put the ball in the air a bit more while maintaining his hard contact, Bolte could break out as a five-category performer. In leagues where he's currently unrostered, Bolte profiles as a high-upside waiver wire target.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Jeff McNeil an Everyday Option with Positional Versatility
Athletics infielder Jeff McNeil has delivered an uptick in production lately, making him an intriguing player to target on the waiver wire in deeper fantasy baseball leagues. Since the start of August, he's 38-for-112 (.339) with four homers, seven doubles, 19 RBI, four walks, 12 strikeouts, and five steals. Those numbers are substantially better than his season-long statistics, although his "back of the baseball card" numbers aren't necessarily concerning. This year, he owns a .271/.321/.378 slash line with eight homers, eight steals, 52 RBI, a 6.0% walk rate, an 11.3% strikeout rate, and 89 wRC+. Since the start of August, his slash line and home run total have increased while his strikeout rate has remained relatively constant. Because of his recent improvements at the plate, McNeil is an intriguing fantasy baseball waiver wire target in deeper leagues. He has played mostly first base and second base for the A's, but he also has fantasy eligibility in all three outfield spots. The 34-year-old is currently available to be picked up in 80% of leagues.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Henry Bolte Carries Five-Category Upside on the Waiver Wire
Since making his MLB debut in mid-May, Athletics outfielder Henry Bolte has hit the ground running. Across 376 plate appearances this year, the 23-year-old is hitting .274/.350/.389 with eight home runs, 30 RBI, 41 runs scored, and 15 stolen bases. Swing-and-miss is a potential red flag in his profile, as he's struck out in 27.4% of his plate appearances. However, Bolte hits the ball hard (47.2% hard-hit rate) and on the ground a ton (62.4%). When combined with his elite speed, Bolte's mix has allowed him to consistently run high batting averages on balls in play throughout his time in the A's system. After posting a .407 BABIP across 488 minor league plate appearances in 2025, Bolte's BABIP in the big leagues this year is .372. If he can continue to improve his strikeout rate while also raising his launch angle just a bit, Bolte has five-category breakout potential. In leagues where he remains available, Bolte should be a priority waiver wire target for fantasy managers.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Zack Gelof Emerging as a Must-Add Waiver-Wire Target
Across 343 plate appearances in 2026, Athletics infielder/outfielder Zack Gelof is hitting .256/.324/.453 with 15 home runs, 39 RBI, 57 runs scored, and 10 stolen bases. The 26-year-old has had his season disrupted by two separate stints on the injured list due to hand and knee injuries. However, when healthy, Gelof has been highly productive. After posting a 45.5% strikeout rate across 101 plate appearances in 2025, Gelof has lowered his strikeout rate to a much more manageable 25.4% in 2026. He's also shown the ability to play second base, third base, and all three outfield spots, which helps keep him in the A's lineup every day and provides valuable multi-positional eligibility for fantasy managers. Gelof's barrel and hard-hit rates have come down a bit this year as he focuses on making more contact, but his hitter-friendly home environment in Sacramento helps prop up his power numbers. In any league where he's not already rostered, Gelof should be a priority waiver wire target for fantasy managers.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Devin Taylor Being Promoted to Triple-A
Athletics outfielder Devin Taylor is being promoted from Double-A Midland to Triple-A Las Vegas, per Martin Gallegos of MLB.com. A second-round pick in the 2025 MLB Draft, Taylor opened the 2026 season at High-A and logged an .851 OPS across 254 plate appearances. He's continued to hit following his promotion to Double-A in early June, hitting .323/.409/.534 with 14 home runs, 54 RBI, 52 runs scored, and six stolen bases across 325 plate appearances at the level. Swing-and-miss is an issue for the 22-year-old, as he posted a 28.6% strikeout rate at Double-A. However, he also walked in 12.6% of his plate appearances and carries high-end power potential. With less than a month to go before the end of the regular season, Taylor seems unlikely to factor at the big league level in 2026. Still, he could be in the mix for a role with the Athletics in 2027 if he closes this year strong at Triple-A.
Source: MLB.com - Martin Gallegos
Source: MLB.com - Martin Gallegos
Lawrence Butler an Intriguing Waiver-Wire Target
Across 414 plate appearances in 2026, Athletics outfielder Lawrence Butler is hitting .227/.320/.365 with 11 home runs, 40 RBI, 51 runs scored, and nine stolen bases. While the 26-year-old's season-long numbers don't jump off the page, Butler's current hot streak should have him back on the radar of fantasy managers. Across 95 plate appearances in August, Butler is hitting .294 with five home runs, 12 RBI, 13 runs scored, and three stolen bases. Butler has shown an ability to be an above-average power/speed threat in the past, logging 43 home runs and 40 stolen bases across his first two full big-league seasons in 2024 and 2025. He's also made some slight improvements in his plate approach in 2026, upping his walk rate to a career-best 11.8% and lowering his strikeout rate to a more manageable 25.6%. Between his second-half resurgence and his hitter-friendly home environment in Sacramento, Butler profiles as a potential difference-maker to target on the waiver wire.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Henry Bolte a High-End Speed Source to Target on the Waiver Wire
Across 341 plate appearances since making his MLB debut in mid-May, Athletics outfielder Henry Bolte is hitting .276/.351/.379 with six home runs, 26 RBI, 37 runs scored, and 14 stolen bases. The 23-year-old has established himself as the A's everyday center fielder and has now batted in the leadoff spot in his team's lineup in 10 out of his last 11 games. Bolte's elevated 27.6% strikeout rate is a potential red flag in his profile. However, he's logged a stellar 47.4% hard-hit rate and has logged a 63.3% ground ball rate. His tendency to hit the ball on the ground limits his power upside, but when combined with his speed, it should allow him to continue producing an elite batting average on balls in play. Bolte's BABIP across 488 minor league plate appearances in 2025 was .407, and he's logged a .379 BABIP in the big leagues in 2026. For fantasy managers in need of speed, runs scored, and some batting average, Bolte offers clear waiver wire appeal.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Tyler Soderstrom Undergoing Season-Ending Hip Surgery
Athletics first baseman/outfielder Tyler Soderstrom (hip) will undergo season-ending hip surgery on Friday, according to Martin Gallegos of MLB.com. Soderstrom can now be dropped in all single-year fantasy leagues after the A's placed him on the 10-day injured list on Sunday due to a left-hip impingement. With the A's out of the playoff picture in the American League, they will have the left-handed slugger get surgery now and get a head start on his rehab as he attempts to be ready for spring training in 2027. The 24-year-old former first-rounder in 2020 finishes his fourth year in the majors (second full season) with a .245/.338/.472 slash line with an .810 OPS, 19 home runs, 56 RBI, 58 runs scored, and two stolen bases across his 109 games and 453 plate appearances. In the end, it came up short of his breakout season in 2025, but Soderstrom has proved that he is one of the better young power bats who resides in a hitter-friendly home ballpark in Sacramento (for one more season). Carlos Cortes and Zack Gelof are the primary options to replace Soderstrom the rest of the way as the team's primary designated hitter.
Source: MLB.com - Martin Gallegos
Source: MLB.com - Martin Gallegos
A's Place Tyler Soderstrom on Injured List With Hip Impingement
The Athletics announced on Sunday that they placed first baseman/outfielder Tyler Soderstrom (hip) on the 10-day injured list (retroactive to Aug. 15) with a left-hip impingement and recalled infielder Darell Hernaiz from Triple-A Las Vegas in a corresponding move. The 24-year-old left-handed slugger won't be eligible to return from the IL until Aug. 25, but fantasy managers shouldn't necessarily expect him to return to the A's roster by then with the team in last place and well out of playoff contention in 2026. Soderstrom broke out at the plate in 2025 in his first full season in the big leagues, slashing .276/.346/.474 with an .820 OPS, 25 home runs, 93 RBI, 75 runs scored, and eight stolen bases in 158 games played across 624 plate appearances. He hasn't been quite as dominant in 2026, but he's still enough of a power threat in a hitter-friendly home environment to be a must-start in most fantasy baseball leagues when he's active. Soderstrom hits the shelf with a current .245/.338/.472 slash line with an .810 OPS, 19 homers, 56 RBI, and 58 runs scored in 109 games in his fourth year in the majors.
Source: A's Communications
Source: A's Communications
Henry Bolte Emerging as a Speed Threat with Upside on the Waiver Wire
Across 213 plate appearances since being promoted to the big leagues in mid-May, Athletics outfielder Henry Bolte is hitting .258/.336/.344 with three home runs, 17 RBI, 18 runs scored, and 11 stolen bases. The 22-year-old's power upside is limited by his tendency to hit the ball on the ground, as his average launch angle is 1.5 degrees and he's posted a 64.6% ground ball rate. However, Bolte's ability to make solid contact (45.5% hard-hit rate) and his speed have allowed him to log a .354 batting average on balls in play, which has helped him overcome his elevated 27.2% strikeout rate. If Bolte can continue to get on base at a steady clip, he should be a major speed asset for fantasy managers. Across 114 minor league games in 2025, Bolte swiped 44 bags. In leagues where he's not already rostered, Bolte profiles as an emerging speed source with upside for fantasy managers to target on the waiver wire.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Henry Bolte a Top Speed Target on the Waiver Wire
Since being called up from Triple-A to make his MLB debut on May 13, Athletics outfielder Henry Bolte has hit .261/.343/.347 with three home runs, 16 RBI, 18 runs scored, and 11 stolen bases. The 22-year-old owns a 66.4% ground ball rate, which limits his power upside. However, he's logged a 46.3% hard-hit rate and also possesses high-end speed, which helps provide him with a relatively safe batting average floor despite his elevated 27.7% strikeout rate. Bolte also hit 12 home runs in 177 plate appearances at Triple-A before his promotion this season, so there may be some untapped power potential in his bat if he can figure out how to lift the ball more consistently. Even if he can't tap into more power in 2026, Bolte has established himself as the Athletics' everyday center fielder and profiles as a speed source with some upside for fantasy managers to target on the waiver wire.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
