Athletics set to add Joey Meneses to major league roster after contract selection

The Oakland Athletics are planning to select first baseman/outfielder Joey Meneses’s contract from Triple-A Las Vegas, a move that will return the right-handed bat to the major leagues, MLB Trade Rumors reported on June 21. The transaction is significant not just because Meneses is getting another crack at the top level, but because it requires Oakland to make corresponding roster moves to clear space on both the 26-man active roster and the 40-man roster.

Meneses originally signed a minor league deal with the Athletics in November, according to MLB Trade Rumors. The selection of his contract is the next step in that agreement, converting his minor league status into an immediate major league call-up. For a club still working through roster construction, contract selections like this also offer a fast way to evaluate a player’s fit at the major league level without using the organization’s offseason commitments.

MLB Trade Rumors’ reporting also frames this as a notable return to the majors after Meneses last appeared as a regular with the Washington Nationals in the past, with the report noting he is coming back to the majors for the first time since 2024. While the details of his past major league usage are part of the background, the practical impact for Oakland is straightforward: once his contract is selected, Meneses becomes available for selection in the team’s daily lineup decisions and roster plans.

The mechanics of the move matter. Because MLB rules require a player to be on the 40-man roster when he is on the major league club, Oakland must have a roster spot available at both levels to make the selection possible. MLB Trade Rumors’ report specifically notes that “corresponding moves will need to be made” to add Meneses to both rosters, which implies the Athletics will need to remove or transfer another player to keep within roster limits.

For Las Vegas, the corresponding roster action may mean a shift elsewhere in Triple-A playing time and depth. For the Athletics, the move suggests they view Meneses as a ready option to contribute in the near term, whether as a first baseman, an outfield complement, or a versatile bat depending on how the club manages lineup matchups. Even without the specifics of his day-to-day role, the selection itself indicates the team is looking for immediate on-field value rather than waiting for a later, more permanent roster adjustment.

There is also a broader context to these late-summer roster decisions. Teams often use June and July roster churn to balance immediate performance needs with longer-term development, and contract selections can be both a reward for minor league production and a pressure test of whether a player’s skill set translates against major league pitching. The Athletics’ willingness to move quickly with Meneses suggests they want clarity now, not later.

What to watch next is whether Oakland’s corresponding transaction involves optioning a different player, making a roster replacement move, or otherwise adjusting depth. After Meneses is added to the 26-man active roster and the 40-man roster, his first games and how often he is used will provide the clearest indication of what Oakland plans to do with his bat and defensive assignments going forward.