
OAKLAND, Calif. — Making a roster move Monday to add infield depth and overall versatility, the Oakland A’s claimed infielder/outfielder Danny Valencia off waivers from the Toronto Blue Jays.
Valencia is a .266 career hitter in 479 games over six seasons for five teams — Minnesota, Boston, Baltimore, Kansas City and Toronto. He has 44 home runs and 215 RBIs. This year, Valencia was batting .296 with seven home runs and 29 RBIs in 58 games for the Blue Jays before being designated for assignment Saturday.
Valencia is expected to report to the A’s on Tuesday.
“He swings the bat pretty well,” A’s manager Bob Melvin said before Oakland’s 9-2 loss to the Baltimore Orioles. “We’ll probably have him targeted to play against some lefties. I know he’s played a little bit of second, mostly third. We’ll see where he fits in as far as where we’re going to run him out there. It will probably be against left-handed pitching.”
During his career, Valencia has played 354 games at third base. He has also played second base, first base, left field and right field. This year, he started 27 games in left field, nine at third base, one in right field and one at first base.
Melvin said Valencia likely will get most of his playing time at third base and second base. If he plays third, then regular third baseman Brett Lawrie could move to second, a position he often played with Toronto.
“It just depends on how comfortable Valencia is (at second base),” Melvin said.
The right-handed-hitting Valencia is a .326 career batter against lefties and a .231 hitter vs. righties. However, he has 28 home runs and 124 RBIs vs. righties and just 16 homers and 91 RBIs vs. lefties. The numbers say he might eventually get some at-bats against right-handers, too.
“We’ll see,” Melvin said. “I know right now we’re looking at it mostly for left-handed pitching, but obviously if you do well when you’re in there, you make your own opportunities.”