Athletics select Joey Meneses, Matt Krook as Scott Barlow is designated for assignment

The Athletics made a flurry of roster moves on Sunday, a reminder of how quickly MLB bullpens and lineups can change when a season is midstream. Oakland selected first baseman Joey Meneses and left-handed pitcher Matt Krook from Triple-A Las Vegas and optioned infielder Alika Williams back to Las Vegas, the club announced. The transactions also included a corresponding shakeup on the 40-man roster that sent right-handed reliever Scott Barlow into designated-for-assignment territory.

In practical terms, selecting Meneses and Krook means Oakland is looking for immediate contributions at two spots that can influence both the daily lineup and late-inning leverage. Meneses comes in as a first baseman, a role that can provide stability in the middle of a game, while Krook’s promotion as a left-handed pitcher adds another matchup option for the Athletics’ bullpen mix. Triple-A Las Vegas is the direct pipeline in this case, because both moves were made from the same organization-managed level.

The corresponding demotion of Williams indicates the Athletics are balancing the roster’s positional needs against available depth. Optioning a position player to Triple-A usually indicates that the organization believes he can keep working there while preserving a roster spot for other needs. In this instance, it also created room on the 40-man roster to accommodate the two selections, something that becomes necessary when a team is trying to thread the needle between everyday contributors and specialized roles.

Barlow’s designation for assignment is the key roster domino that made room for the new arrivals. DFA is often used as a roster-management tool when a team wants to try a different configuration of pitching arms, clear space for other roster moves, or protect a player by exploring options through waivers. The Athletics will now have to decide Barlow’s next step based on the outcome of the designation process and any claims or internal planning that follows.

Oakland also reported that right-handed pitcher Luis Severino was transferred to the 60-day injured list. Moving a player to the 60-day IL is typically part of the broader calendar and roster calculus, because it frees a spot on the 40-man roster during the longer absence window. For the Athletics, it complements the bullpen churn created by adding a left-hander from Triple-A while also adjusting to the availability of their pitching personnel.

While the Athletics’ moves were framed as roster management, the baseball implications are straightforward. Each selection changes how the team can deploy its lineup and pitching matchups from game to game. A new first baseman can affect how often the manager uses certain bench bats or how the team allocates playing time across the infield and at the corners. A new left-handed reliever, meanwhile, can change late-inning matchup planning, especially in games where the opposing lineup has strong right-handed slugging tendencies.

What to watch next is the fallout from Barlow’s DFA and how quickly the selected players integrate. If Barlow clears waivers, Oakland could pursue additional internal options, including keeping him in the organization or moving him to another roster level depending on eligibility. Separately, the Athletics will need to confirm how Meneses and Krook are used once they join the active group, whether that means starting immediately or taking initial roles that align with matchups and day-to-day roster availability.