A’s option Jordan Weems to alternate site

Back down to 26 players, after yesterday’s doubleheader

The Oakland A’s got to add a 27th player to their active roster yesterday to help with their doubleheader, but that means someone has to go down today to reduce the roster back to 26.

That odd player out is reliever Jordan Weems, who was optioned to the alternate site, the team announced Wednesday morning.

Usually when a team adds the extra player for a doubleheader, they do so by calling someone up from the minors and then sending the same player down at the end of the day, but the A’s took a different path this time. On Tuesday they simply activated lefty reliever Reymin Guduan from the injured list and gave him the 27th roster spot. However, Guduan is out of minor league options and can’t be sent down without being sent through waivers, whereas Weems can be optioned without losing anyone from the organization.

The right-handed Weems was called up April 6, effectively taking Guduan’s place after the southpaw got hurt, and pitched three games in a mop-up role. Between his strong 2020 rookie year, and his early if brief callup this season, he’s clearly high on the overall bullpen depth chart and there’s every chance we’ll see him in Oakland again this summer.

• Weems, 2021: 3 games, 2⅓ ip, 1 run, 3 Ks, 1 BB, 1 HR, .449 xwOBA

As for Guduan, who missed two weeks to a sprained left thumb after a collision at first base, he’ll look to take a mulligan on the first week of the season and start fresh. He made it into three games during the A’s disastrous opening skid, and recorded as many runs as outs — eight of each. Along the way he walked three and uncorked four wild pitches, and over half of his batters reached base. But Oakland isn’t giving up just yet, and it appears he’ll get another chance to find the strike zone with his 93-95 mph fastball.

• Guduan, 2021: 3 games, 2⅔ ip, 8 runs, 0 Ks, 3 BB, 9 hits, .508 xwOBA

Here’s the updated 26-man roster. Click here for the latest injury report.