The second week of September is upon us, which means that the Single-A and High-A baseball seasons are set for the postseason. It also means a flurry of roster moves for several major league clubs preparing for October pennant races while those out of contention are looking to finish their regular seasons strong.
The last two weeks of the MLB regular season are particularly significant for Bay Area baseball fans, despite the Athletics having a 63-82 record — the fifth-worst in baseball — coming into Friday night’s contest against the Houston Astros. There are 18 games left for the A’s not just for the 2024 campaign, but for the team’s time in Oakland. After 56 years of playing at the Oakland Coliseum in “The Town,” the A’s plan to play at least the next three seasons at West Sacramento’s Sutter Health Park as they await their planned stadium on the Las Vegas Strip to be completed.
The controversy surrounding the move and the fact the team is 19 games under .500 has not fazed the young Athletics, who have achieved a 26-21 record since the All-Star Break and have many players under rookie or expiring contracts that are hoping to solidify themselves as major league players. That includes Turlock native Tyler Soderstrom.
The 22-year-old Soderstrom is still recovering from a stress fracture in his left wrist, but has been taking significant steps towards returning to big league action. On Thursday, he began his rehab assignment with the Athletics’ Triple-A team, the Las Vegas Aviators. As the designated hitter in that day’s game against the Round Rock Express (Texas Rangers) at Las Vegas Ballpark, the 2020 Turlock High graduate went 1-for-3 in an 11-2 win. The left-handed hitter’s lone hit came in his third and final plate appearance, a two-run, game-tying blast into the Aviator bullpen in right field. He went hitless in three at-bats in Saturday’s 4-2 loss, but bounced back nicely in the series finale Sunday, going 2-for-5 with a three-run home run, a base hit and two walks in the Aviators’ 9-6 loss.
Athletics beat writer Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reported Tuesday that the organization felt as if Soderstrom had been progressing well in his rehab, and that he could be activated from the injured list and rejoin the club later this week in Chicago. The club starts a three-game series with the White Sox on Friday before taking the short trip north to Wrigley Field for a three-game set with the Cubs.
The former Bulldog hasn’t played since July 9 when he went 1-for-5 in a 12-9 loss to the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. Two days later, the A’s placed him on the 10-day injured list with a bone bruise in his left wrist. He was sent back to Oakland that day to undergo further testing when it was revealed he had suffered a stress reaction and that season-ending surgery wouldn’t be necessary. Manager Mark Kotsay expressed relief at the test results, which he described as “the best-case scenario.”
Soderstrom has remained with the big league club throughout his inactivity, seen in the dugout during games donning a splint. In recent weeks, he began a scheduled strengthening program in which he resumed playing catch, hitting off a tee and in soft toss. Last Tuesday, Soderstrom took batting practice at the Oakland Coliseum before the A’s took on the Seattle Mariners. Apparently, the swings looked good enough for the organization to give the green light for the start of a rehab assignment.
The 26th overall pick by the A’s in the 2020 MLB Draft, Soderstrom was coming off a sizzling June before the injury put his season to an abrupt halt. That month, he had 20 hits, including six home runs and a pair of doubles, drew six walks and drove in 13 runs. In his sophomore campaign, he has played in 49 games, batting .219 with seven home runs and 20 RBI. He is batting .192 with 10 homers and 27 RBIs in 94 games over parts of the last two seasons since making his MLB debut on July 14, 2023.
The final game at the iconic Coliseum is Sept. 26 against the Texas Rangers. The team wraps up the 2024 season in Seattle on Sept. 29.
Carrigg leads Spokane into High-A playoffs
Soderstrom’s high school teammate, Cole Carrigg, is also in action in the minor league ranks this week after the Spokane Indians, the High-A affiliate of the Colorado Rockies, clinched a berth in the Northwest League Championship Series.
The Indians, who won the NWL’s first-half title with a 38-26 record, began the best-of-five series Tuesday against second-half champion Vancouver Canadians of the Toronto Blue Jays organization.
Carrigg, 22, led off for the Indians on Tuesday as he has done for the entirety of the 2024 season, collecting two hits including a double and drawing a walk in the 4-3 win.
He came in as hot as ever, fresh off of his second NWL Player of the Week nod. Last week, he had a .391 average (9-for-23) and a 1.136 OPS with two home runs, four RBI, five runs scored and five stolen bases. In the regular season, the super-utility man out of San Diego State batted .280 (123-for-440) with a league-leading 16 home runs and 11 triples. The eighth-ranked Rockies prospect, per MLB Pipeline, drove in 60 runs, drew 50 walks and stole 51 bases.
Game 2 is slated for 7:05 p.m. from Nat Bailey Stadium in Vancouver. The series will transition to Washington. Since the Indians’ home park, Avista Stadium, is undergoing renovations, Game 3 (and Games 4 and 5 if necessary), will be played at the Patterson Baseball Complex at Gonzaga University. Game times for each are set for 6:35 p.m. All games can be listened to for free at www.milb.com/spokane and can be viewed with an MLB.TV subscription.
Modesto Nuts begin defense of California League title
Closer to home, the Modesto Nuts are hoping to repeat as kings of the California League. Their path to a second straight title will be a familiar one.
On Tuesday, the Nuts traveled to Excite Ballpark to take on the San Jose Giants of the San Francisco organization, winning by a 4-2 score. The Seattle Mariners' Single-A affiliate will now welcome the Giants to John Thurman Field on Thursday at 6:30 p.m. If necessary, the Nuts would host a third and deciding game on Friday afternoon, the time of first pitch is to be announced.
The Nuts achieved a 73-57 overall record in the 2024 regular season. They clinched their playoff berth in June after winning the Cal League North Division title, with largely the same roster they fielded when they won it all a year ago. But times have changed, as Top 100 prospects Colt Emerson, Lazaro Montes and Michael Arroyo have all been promoted to High-A Everett, while Jonny Farmelo has missed most of the year with an ACL tear.
Some returners remain, though. Offensively, Seattle’s No. 11 prospect Tai Peete and Luis Suisbel remain at the top of their lineup. Those left from the Opening Day roster are Charli Pagliarini and Carson Jones. Promoted from the Arizona Complex League near the All-Star Break was No. 29 prospect Carlos Jimenez.
The pitching has been anchored by season-long ace, No. 18 prospect Tyler Gough, complemented by Walter Ford and No. 28 ranked Ahton Izzi.
2024 draft picks including third-round pitcher Hunter Cranto and fourth-found catcher Josh Caron were recently added to the roster.
All games can be listened to for free at www.milb.com/modesto and can be viewed with an MLB.TV subscription.
