Aviators’ roster undergoes makeover
Two things you can count on working overtime in late July: air-conditioners in Las Vegas and Major League Baseball general managers. The latter certainly has proved true for Oakland A’s GM David Frost, who has been wheeling and dealing ahead of MLB’s annual July 30 trade deadline in hopes of
Two things you can count on working overtime in late July: air-conditioners in Las Vegas and Major League Baseball general managers.
The latter certainly has proved true for Oakland A’s GM David Frost, who has been wheeling and dealing ahead of MLB’s annual July 30 trade deadline in hopes of bolstering his team’s playoff chances. As a result of Frost’s activity, the Aviators’ roster looks a lot different than it did a week ago.
It started Monday, when Frost acquired left-handed pitcher Andrew Chafin from the Chicago Cubs in exchange for two minor leaguers, including Las Vegas outfielder Greg Deichmann. Then on Wednesday, the A’s sent one of their top pitching prospects — Aviators southpaw Jesús Luzardo — to the Miami Marlins for veteran outfielder Starling Marte.
To make room for Chafin and Marte on their 26-man roster, Oakland optioned left-handed reliever Sam Moll and infielder Jacob Wilson to Las Vegas. Moll was acquired in a trade with the Arizona Diamondbacks earlier this month, while Wilson had been with the Aviators all season before earning the first big-league promotion of his career on July 8.
While Moll and Wilson were sent down from Oakland, three other players were promoted to Las Vegas from the low minors in the past week: Relief pitcher Aaron Brown and outfielder Mickey McDonald were called up from Double-A Midland (Texas), while shortstop Elvis Peralta — a 26th-round draft pick in 2019 — made the leap to Triple-A from Single-A Lansing (Michigan).
That’s a lot of roster turbulence for one week — and since Frost has until 1 p.m. Friday to make some more deals, it might not be over.