Jeff Passan broke the news that the Athletics are making a move, calling up one of their top prospects, Denzel Clarke. Their 22-29 record isn’t doing them any favors, as the A’s have fallen to dead last in the AL West.
Now three games behind the 24-25 Los Angeles Angels, their recent nine-game skid has put them seven games behind the first-place Seattle Mariners.
Athletics Look for Answers With Denzel Clarke
Having put up five runs in their last three games, the Athletics still aren’t doing enough to get the job done. With losses to the Angels, San Francisco Giants, and Los Angeles Dodgers, it’s crazy to think that this team’s last win was an 11-1 blowout over the reigning World Series Champions.
Four straight losses to their division rival did some damage in the standings, with three home games next for the A’s as the Philadelphia Phillies come to town. The A’s have already secured themselves a losing record during this seven-game homestand.
Just 8-17 at “home” this season, it’s clear that the A’s aren’t enjoying their time in a minor league ballpark. Clarke should be right at home as he heads to Sutter Health Park, one with a similar attendance rate to what he’s used to in Triple-A.
The A’s are shaking up their roster amid a nine-game losing streak and calling up centerfielder Denzel Clarke, one of their top prospects, sources tell ESPN. Clarke, 25, is hitting .286/.436/.419 at Triple-A and is excellent defensively. More moves could be coming as well.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan)
At just 25 years old, Clarke will look to improve the A’s numbers both on offense and defense. Defensively, he’s not able to do much to save their dreadful pitching rotation, but he can keep the team’s errors down and make a few incredible plays in the outfield. Offensively, this is an A’s team that has scored 15 runs in their last three games.
Even though it came against the Angels, it’s a vast improvement from the nine runs they put up in a five-game stretch from May 14-18. It’s clear that the A’s are incredibly inconsistent, as they dropped 11 runs on the New York Yankees on May 10, scored just twice the very next day, and then put up 11 against the Dodgers two days later.
Clarke spent all of 2024 in Double-A, but he’s impressed management so far in 2025. With 105 at-bats in AAA, the Canadian has hit .286 so far this season. With an OPS of .855, it’s up from the .784 he hit with less competition last season.
One of the great things about Clarke is his speed; having stolen 36 bases last season, he has stolen seven so far in 2025, putting his career total at 85. Even though his OPS is high, Clarke hasn’t hit a single home run in 2025. He was able to hit 13 one season ago, with his career high being 15 in 2022.
The 25-year-old was able to hit those 15 with 88 fewer at-bats, an incredible feat as he’s climbed his way up the minor leagues. Clarke is patient at the plate, drawing 23 walks compared to striking out just 29 times. With 30 hits so far this season, he’s touched home an impressive 25 times.