The Athletics claimed infielder Donovan Walton off waivers from the Angels, as announced by both teams. The A’s already had an open 40-man roster spot, so no further transaction was required.
Walton has hit .319/.354/.505 over 97 plate appearances for Los Angeles this season, while seeing time in the field as part of the Angels’ revolving doors at second and third base. Despite this success, the Angels still chose to designate the veteran for assignment on Wednesday, and Walton has now quickly landed in West Sacramento.
While the Halos’ decision seems curious on paper, Walton entered this season with a career .172/.223/.298 slash line over 214 PA with the Phillies, Mariners, and Giants from 2019-25. Between this lack of a track record and Walton’s current .371 BABIP, the Angels can be forgiven for thinking Walton wasn’t going to keep things up at the plate, yet it also isn’t like the club was exactly teeming with other infield options.
From the Athletics’ perspective, there’s no risk in seeing if Walton can keep the magic going, especially since the A’s are short-handed in the infield. Nick Kurtz and Zack Gelof are both on the injured list, and Gelof’s absence in particular can open up some playing time for Walton at third base. The left-handed hitting Walton can platoon with rookie Joshua Kuroda-Grauer at the hot corner, and Walton adds some balance in general to an A’s lineup that is fairly heavy in right-handed bats.
