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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
Hogan Harris a Quality Deep-League Saves Source to Target
Across 56 2/3 innings (60 games) this season, Athletics left-hander Hogan Harris has recorded a 3.65 ERA, 1.52 WHIP, 75 strikeouts, and 13 saves. The 29-year-old's elevated WHIP is largely due to his 13.5% walk rate. However, Harris mitigates the damage of his free passes to some extent with his stellar 29.0% strikeout rate. Most importantly for fantasy managers, Harris appears to have established himself as the A's preferred ninth-inning option at this point in the season. Four of his 13 saves have come in August, and he's pitched in the ninth inning in six out of his last seven appearances. While fantasy managers should be prepared to absorb some ratio damage, Harris profiles as a quality source of both strikeouts and saves to target on the waiver wire in deeper league formats.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Elvis Alvarado a Saves Option in Deeper Leagues
Athletics right-handed reliever Elvis Alvarado was called upon to close things out in Saturday's game against the division-rival Houston Astros, and he was able to get the job done to earn his third save of the season. Alvarado struck out two in a clean ninth inning, while Hogan Harris worked a scoreless eighth inning for a hold. The next day, Harris was called upon in the ninth and recorded his team-leading 13th save of the year against the Astros. On the year, Alvarado is 4-3 with a 4.29 ERA (4.63 FIP) and 1.19 WHIP with 51 strikeouts and 19 walks in 42 relief innings in his second year in the big leagues with the A's. The Athletics have mostly used Harris to close out ballgames this year, but they are not exactly settled on one guy for the ninth inning, so Alvarado could see more save opportunities down the stretch in a lost season for the team. Alvarado should only be pursued off the waiver wire in the deepest of fantasy leagues by managers who are desperate for saves. He's currently rostered in only 1% of Yahoo leagues.
Source: Baseball Reference
Source: Baseball Reference
Hogan Harris Remains a Viable Deep-League Saves Source
Athletics left-hander Hogan Harris had a rough outing on Tuesday night, allowing three runs (two earned) and blowing the save in his team's 4-3 loss to the Kansas City Royals. However, Harris has now appeared in the ninth inning in each of his last five appearances and looks to have established himself as the Athletics' preferred closer. Across 54 2/3 innings (58 games) for the year, Harris has recorded a 3.79 ERA, 1.57 WHIP, 72 strikeouts, and 12 saves. His 13.8% walk rate is a definite red flag in his profile and has been the driver of his elevated WHIP. However, Harris has limited opposing batters to a 5.7% barrel rate and 31.9% hard-hit rate while also logging a 28.5% strikeout rate. Fantasy managers should be prepared to absorb some ratio damage, but Harris remains a deep-league waiver wire target due to his saves upside.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Hogan Harris Is the Athletics' Closer to Roster
Athletics relief pitcher Hogan Harris worked a scoreless ninth Friday, August 14, to finish an 8-3 win over the Texas Rangers. It wasn't a save situation, but the usage keeps him at the front of a bullpen that has bounced around much of the season. Harris has 11 saves, including back-to-back conversions in Boston on August 8 and 9, and RotoBaller currently lists him as the Athletics' closer. There are rough edges. Harris has walked 34 batters in 53 innings and carries a 1.55 WHIP, but he's also struck out 70 with a 3.57 ERA. That's enough swing-and-miss to keep him useful while he gets the bulk of the ninth-inning work. Harris is rostered in only 13% of Yahoo leagues, even though RotoBaller ranks him 23rd among closers for Week 21. He's best suited for 15-team leagues, but anyone digging for saves should know the job is leaning his way.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Hogan Harris Re-Emerging as the Preferred Ninth-Inning Option for the Athletics
Across 52 innings (55 games) in 2026, Athletics left-hander Hogan Harris has recorded a 3.63 ERA and 1.58 WHIP with 70 strikeouts and 11 saves. Harris' inflated WHIP is a symptom of his command issues, as he's posted a 14.2% walk rate. However, the 29-year-old is also averaging a career-best 95.3 miles per hour on his fastball and has logged a stellar 29.3% strikeout rate. Harris appears to be re-asserting himself as the preferred ninth-inning option for the Athletics, as he's notched saves in each of his last two appearances and has recorded five saves in his last nine outings. Fantasy managers should not expect to get high-end ratio help from Harris, but he looks like a viable source of saves and strikeouts to target on the waiver wire in deeper leagues.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Hogan Harris Losing Fantasy Value After Blown Save on Tuesday
Athletics left-handed reliever Hogan Harris is quickly losing fantasy baseball value after blowing his fifth save of the year in the team's 5-4 loss to the hosting Cincinnati Reds on Tuesday. Harris was wild at Great American Ball Park, allowing two earned runs on three walks and one strikeout in just two-thirds of an inning, and not only did he blow the save, but he took the loss, his first of 2026. The 29-year-old walked the first two hitters he faced and also threw two wild pitches. The southpaw recorded three saves for the A's in July, but he's now allowed multiple runs in two of his last three outings and could be on the way out in the A's closer picture if he continues to struggle. On the season, Harris is 3-1 with a 3.62 ERA (4.20 FIP), 1.53 WHIP, a career-high nine saves, 67 strikeouts, and 32 walks in 49 2/3 innings pitched out of the bullpen. The best thing going for Harris is that the A's don't have many better options for save situations, with Elvis Alvarado and Luis Medina being their primary setup men. Harris is currently rostered in 11% of Yahoo leagues for those desperate for saves in deep formats.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Hogan Harris Shaky in Tuesday's Save
Athletics left-hander Hogan Harris had to battle for Tuesday night's save against the Red Sox after entering the ninth inning with a three-run lead. Harris allowed two earned runs on three hits, including a home run, but recovered to secure his ninth save while striking out three batters. His swing-and-miss ability remained on display despite the shaky outing. The 29-year-old has continued to earn more late-inning opportunities after posting a 2.61 ERA during the month of July. He now owns a 3.38 ERA, 1.48 WHIP, and 65 strikeouts across 48 innings this season. Harris' ability to generate strikeouts gives him legitimate fantasy appeal, and managers should continue to view him as a strong source of saves while he handles high-leverage opportunities.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com
Hogan Harris Pulling Away in A's Closer Committee, Worth a Waiver-Wire Look
Athletics left-handed reliever Hogan Harris appears to be pulling away as the team's preferred option for saves after earning his eighth save on Friday in the 2-0 win over the Minnesota Twins. Since Harris' last blown save on June 21 against the division-rival Los Angeles Angels, he has allowed only one earned run on six hits while walking four and striking out 18 in 9 2/3 innings pitched across 10 appearances, adding two saves. The 29-year-old southpaw has two saves already in his four appearances in the second half of the season and has been pretty reliable for most of the season with a 3-0 record, 3.15 ERA (4.03 FIP) and 1.49 WHIP with 61 strikeouts and 28 walks in 45 2/3 innings across his career-high 49 relief appearances. Chasing a pitcher technically in a closer committee on a struggling team well below .500 on the year isn't ideal, but Harris is certainly worth a look in deeper leagues for fantasy managers who are desperate for saves. Harris is currently rostered in 10% of Yahoo leagues.
Source: Baseball Reference
Source: Baseball Reference
Scott Blewett Gets Dealt to the Athletics
The St. Louis Cardinals traded right-handed pitcher Scott Blewett to the Athletics in exchange for cash considerations on Sunday. Blewett threw two scoreless innings during his team debut on Tuesday and was designated for assignment on Wednesday. The Cardinals only called him up because he was out of options, so he was never expected to stick on the roster. The 30-year-old owns a 4.10 ERA, 1.42 WHIP, and a 63/34 K/BB ratio across 44 games across five big league seasons. He figures to pitch in low-leverage situations for the A's, so fantasy managers can continue to ignore him.
Source: A's PR
Source: A's PR
Elvis Alvarado a Desperation Relief Option in Deeper Leagues
Athletics right-handed reliever Elvis Alvarado is technically still part of the team's closer-by-committee situation, but he only has two saves on the season, with his last save coming way back on June 13. Since his last blown save on June 24 against the San Francisco Giants, he has allowed four earned runs on five hits while walking six and striking out 11 in nine appearances out of the bullpen. The 27-year-old Dominican hurler is 3-3 in just his second major-league season and has a bloated 5.59 ERA (5.21 FIP) and 1.24 WHIP with 36 strikeouts and 13 walks in 29 relief innings for the A's. For better or worse, Alvarado is essentially still in the A's late-inning bullpen mix for lack of better options. Even though he's technically still an option for saves in Sacramento, left-hander Hogan Harris is the better waiver-wire option for fantasy managers who need saves in the second half. Alvarado is currently rostered in only 3% of Yahoo leagues.
Source: Baseball Reference
Source: Baseball Reference
Hogan Harris Earns Save for Athletics, Re-Emerging as Deep-League Saves Source
Athletics relief pitcher Hogan Harris picked up his seventh save of the season for the A's on Monday night, closing out the Diamondbacks by striking out the side in the ninth inning, while also allowing a walk and a hit. Even with a three-run lead, he still made it a little stressful for his fantasy managers. The 29-year-old lefty is 3-0 on the season with a 3.30 ERA and 4.04 FIP to go with his 60 strikeouts in 43 2/3 innings. Harris has allowed just one run over his last seven games, and he could earn his way to more save chances down the stretch, depending on how all the pieces shake out at the trade deadline. For deep leagues, Harris makes sense as a pickup while he's sharing work with Elvis Alvarado, but if he wins the full-time job, he could be a great pickup for all leagues down the stretch since he has such good strikeout upside to go with his potential saves.
Source: ESPN
Source: ESPN
Pitching Prospect Yunior Tur Getting the Call to the Big Leagues
The Athletics selected the contract of right-handed pitching prospect Yunior Tur from Triple-A Las Vegas on Wednesday, according to Jason Burke of Inside the A's. Tur will make his major-league debut to begin the second half of the 2026 season after posting a 4.41 ERA, 1.31 WHIP, and 64:26 K:BB in 51 innings pitched across 27 appearances (five starts) at Las Vegas this year. Per MLB Pipeline, he's considered the A's No. 27 prospect. The 26-year-old Cuban right-hander stands at an imposing 6-foot-6 and 208 pounds on the mound and stands out with his power fastball that gets up to the high-90s. The A's could use some arms for their starting rotation after just designating right-hander Aaron Civale, but Tur is not stretched out at all and will most likely serve in a low-leverage bullpen role in Sacramento for as long as he sticks around on the major-league roster. Don't be surprised if Tur's stay with the A's is short, which makes him a pitching prospect to pass on in terms of a waiver-wire investment in pretty much all fantasy leagues.
Source: Inside the A's - Jason Burke
Source: Inside the A's - Jason Burke
Hogan Harris a Saves Target Despite the WHIP Risk?
Athletics relief pitcher Hogan Harris reached the break with six saves, a 3.43 ERA, 1.55 WHIP, and 56 strikeouts in 42 innings. The save total catches the eye. The timing does not. Harris has not converted one since June 12, and 27 walks have made nearly every inning feel heavier than it should. He is rostered in 8% of Yahoo leagues. The Athletics still have not handed the ninth to one reliever. Harris remains part of the late-inning picture with Elvis Alvarado, and the lefty-righty split could keep both involved. Harris at least limits loud contact, allowing an 86.6 mph average exit velocity with a 31.1% hard-hit rate. That helps, but it does not erase the traffic. RotoBaller ranks him 100th in its July 15 waiver update and 36th among closers for Week 16. He is a speculative add in 15-team leagues for managers chasing saves. In shallower formats, the WHIP and uncertain role are enough reason to wait.
Source: RotoBaller
Source: RotoBaller
Elvis Alvarado Still in the Mix for Saves in Sacramento
Athletics right-handed reliever Elvis Alvarado may not have the best numbers in his second season in the big leagues, but he's still in the late-inning mix in Sacramento for the A's, making him worth a look in deep fantasy leagues for managers desperate for saves. The 27-year-old Dominican hurler went 3-3 with a 4.94 ERA (4.02 FIP), 1.13 WHIP, his first two career saves, 35 strikeouts, and 10 walks in 27 1/3 innings out of the bullpen in the first half of 2026. Alvarado's last save came way back on June 13 against the Colorado Rockies, but since his last blown save on June 24 against the San Francisco Giants, he has tightened things up, allowing just one earned run on three hits while walking three and fanning 10 in seven innings over seven appearances out of the bullpen. His blown save against the Giants was his only blown save of the year, and he should see more high-leverage, late-inning work to begin the second half after his recent strong run. Alvarado is rostered in only 4% of Yahoo leagues and is probably only worth pursuing if you're absolutely desperate for saves.
Source: Baseball Reference
Source: Baseball Reference
