Athletics' Tyler Soderstrom: Will see time in left field
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Athletics general manager David Forst said Tuesday that, upon the promotion of Nick Kurtz from Triple-A Las Vegas, Soderstrom will see some playing time in left field and at designated hitter, Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports.
Soderstrom has never played a position other than first base and catcher during his time in pro ball, so he will be learning left field on the fly. Brent Rooker will also see increased reps in left field in addition to DH. Kurtz is likely to see some action at DH, as well, but it sounds like most of his playing time will come at first base, where he is regarded as a superior defender to Soderstrom.
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Athletics' Tyler Soderstrom: Adds six RBI to explosive start
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Soderstrom went 3-for-5 with a pair of three-run home runs Tuesday against the White Sox.
Soderstrom continued his upstart beginning to the season, cranking his seventh big fly of the year to bring three runs in during the first inning. He wasn't done there, however, launching his eighth long ball to drive in three more runs and push the Athletics in front 9-3 in the sixth inning. The 2020 first-rounder leads the major leagues in homers to this point, slashing an exceptional .328/.403/.734 with two doubles, 17 RBI and 15 runs scored through 72 plate appearances.
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Athletics' Tyler Soderstrom: Could get reps at third base
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The Athletics have mulled giving Soderstrom some reps at third base as a way to clear a spot for the arrival of Nick Kurtz, Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports.
It might be the least likely of the numerous ideas the A's are kicking around to come to fruition. Soderstrom has never played third base before, and having him attempt to learn a new position on the fly while he's showing signs of an offensive breakout could be unwise. A likelier scenario is Brent Rooker moving back to the outfield while Soderstrom and Kurtz split reps between first base and designated hitter.
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Athletics' Tyler Soderstrom: Cleared to start Wednesday
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Soderstrom (calf) will start at first base and bat third in Wednesday's game against the Padres.
Soderstrom was forced out late in Tuesday's 10-4 win due to a right calf contusion, but his early exit was likely precautionary more than anything, given that the Athletics held a six-run lead at the time of his departure. Even with a quick turnaround for Wednesday's day game, Soderstrom is feeling well enough to handle his usual duties as the Athletics' starting first baseman. The 23-year-old has been on fire at the dish to begin the season, batting .378 with a .440 on-base percentage and six home runs through 12 games.
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Athletics' Tyler Soderstrom: Injury labeled as contusion
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Athletics manager Mark Kotsay said after Tuesday's 10-4 win over the Padres that the right calf injury Soderstrom sustained earlier in the game was a contusion, Jessica Kleinschmidt of Baseball America reports.
The team initially labeled Soderstrom's injury as right calf tightness shortly after he was lifted for a pinch hitter in the eighth inning, but Kotsay seemed to downplay the severity of the health concern afterward. Before exiting the game, Soderstrom went 1-for-3 with a walk and a run scored. The Athletics will conclude their series with San Diego on Wednesday with a day game after a night game, and it wouldn't be surprising if Soderstrom were held out of that contest, especially with a team off day looming Thursday.
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Athletics' Tyler Soderstrom: Removed with calf tightness
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Soderstrom was removed from Tuesday's game against the Padres due to right calf tightness, Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports.
Soderstrom went 1-for-3 with a walk and a run scored before being lifted for a pinch hitter in the eighth inning. His removal may have been precautionary since the Athletics were up 10-4 by that point in the inning, but it's still something the team might keep an eye on over the next couple of days.
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Athletics' Tyler Soderstrom: Moves into tie for MLB homer lead
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Soderstrom went 2-for-3 with two solo home runs and a walk in a loss to the Padres on Monday.
Soderstrom first went deep with a 385-foot blast to right field in the third inning, then tacked on another homer with a 389-foot shot to right in the seventh. The third-year first baseman is off to a blistering start to the campaign, slashing .381/.435/.857 with six homers, 10 RBI and nine runs through 46 plate appearances. The six long balls are tied for the MLB lead with Aaron Judge, and Soderstrom is one of 18 players to have reached double-digit RBI to date.
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Athletics' Tyler Soderstrom: Two homers in season opener
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Soderstrom went 2-for-3 with two solo homers in Thursday's loss to the Mariners.
Soderstrom looks set to play every day at first base and may get some playing time behind the plate as the Athletics' third catcher. He's picking up where he left off last September, when he posted an .852 OPS with two homers in 12 contests after a wrist injury in early July forced him to miss two months.
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Athletics' Tyler Soderstrom: Starts another spring game at catcher
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Soderstrom started at catcher in Sunday's spring training loss to the Giants. While it's unlikely that Soderstrom will be the backup catcher in addition to being the starter at first base, manager Mark Kotsay said he could play the position during the regular season, MLB.com reports.
Jhonny Pereda has likely won the backup catcher job behind Shea Langeliers, but it's possible Soderstrom could get enough playing time at catcher to qualify in some fantasy leagues. Soderstrom played just one game at catcher in the majors but logged 21 games at the position in Triple-A in 2024.
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Athletics' Tyler Soderstrom: Still in mix as catcher
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The A's are open to Soderstrom serving as their backup catcher this season, Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports.
Soderstrom has progressively seen his playing time behind the plate dwindle as his professional career has progressed, and he appeared there only once in 61 big-league games last season. He's projected to serve as the A's primary first baseman to begin the season, though the team is considering him as the backup to Shea Langeliers to maximize their roster flexibility. While Soderstrom won't enter the season with catcher eligibility in most formats, his potential to pick it up during the campaign would be a significant boost to his fantasy appeal.
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Athletics' Tyler Soderstrom: Swats pair of doubles in win
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Soderstrom went 2-for-4 with an RBI double and another two-bagger in a win over the Rangers on Tuesday.
The rookie drove home Shea Langeliers in the first inning with his first double and later added his ninth double of the season. Soderstrom's bat has caught fire after he went 0-for-7 over his first two games back from the injured list, as he's hitting .471 (8-for-17) with four extra-base hits, five RBI, two walks and three runs over his last five games.
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Athletics' Tyler Soderstrom: Gets aboard four times
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Soderstrom went 2-for-2 with a double, two RBI, two walks and one run scored in Sunday's 7-4 loss to the Yankees.
Soderstrom logged multiple hits for the third time in his last four games, and he also drew a walk for the first time since he returned from a wrist injury. He's held down more than a strong-side platoon at first base since his return, though he's not in the lineup versus every southpaw. Soderstrom is slashing .229/.314/.416 with eight home runs, 24 RBI, 16 runs scored and two doubles over 142 plate appearances as a rookie this season.
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Athletics' Tyler Soderstrom: Belts eighth homer
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Soderstrom went 2-for-4 with a home run, two runs scored and two RBI in Wednesday's 5-3 win over the Cubs.
He got the A's on the board in the fourth inning with a solo shot off Ethan Roberts. It was Soderstrom's first homer in four games since being activated from the IL, and his eighth of the year in 53 contests. With four hits in two games during this series at Wrigley Field, the 22-year-old has boosted his slash line on the season to .224/.304/.410.
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Athletics' Tyler Soderstrom: First hits since return
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Soderstrom went 2-for-4 in a loss to the Cubs on Monday.
Soderstrom had gone 0-for-7 in his first two games back from the injured list, but he was able to break the ice Monday by generating one of the Athletics' trio of two-hit efforts. Soderstrom is slated to continue seeing everyday playing time at first base for what remains of the regular season, ahead of what figures to be a pivotal offseason for his development.
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Athletics' Tyler Soderstrom: Scores run in return from IL
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Soderstrom, who was activated from the injured list earlier in the day, went 0-for-5 with a run in a loss to the White Sox on Saturday.
Soderstrom made his first MLB appearance since July 9 after overcoming his wrist injury, but he wasn't able to carry over the red-hot bat he'd wielded during his minor-league rehab assignment. Nevertheless, the rookie is expected to get plenty of chances to rediscover his stroke before the end of the regular season, as MLB.com reports manager Mark Kotsay plans to give Soderstrom "the bulk of the first-base reps" down the stretch of the campaign. "I think the focus these next 14 games is to keep him healthy," Kotsay said. "Allow him to finish the season and go into the offseason with a good frame of mind [knowing] that he's healthy and can go train and prepare for next year."
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Athletics' Tyler Soderstrom: Activated from IL
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Soderstrom (wrist) was activated from the injured list and is starting at first base and batting seventh Saturday against the White Sox.
Soderstrom missed the last two months with a bone bruise on his left wrist. Prior to being activated, he went 9-for-20 with three homers, eight RBI, six runs scored and four walks during a rehab assignment for Triple-A Las Vegas. Soderstrom didn't get the call-up this season until May and got off to a slow start, but he hit six homers with a 19.8 percent strikeout rate in his 100 at-bats prior to hitting the IL, and Oakland will likely give him steady playing time against right-handed pitching down the stretch.
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Athletics' Tyler Soderstrom: Plays seven innings on defense
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Soderstrom (wrist) played the first seven innings of Triple-A Las Vegas' win over Albuquerque on Tuesday at first base and went 3-for-4 with an RBI single, a triple, a walk and two runs.
Soderstrom's stint in the field was the longest yet of his rehab assignment, and he continued to show plenty of proficiency with the bat as well. The rookie's time on the farm is essentially going about as well as could be expected, and he could therefore be in line for activation by the end of the week.
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Athletics' Tyler Soderstrom: Big day at plate in Vegas
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Soderstrom (wrist) took a full game's worth of plate appearances as the designated hitter in Triple-A Las Vegas' loss to Round Rock on Sunday, going 2-for-3 with a two-run home run, an RBI single and two walks.
Not only was Soderstrom able to play in back-to-back games for the first time during his rehab assignment, but he more than demonstrated his previously injured wrist was up to the task with his productive evening with the bat. Soderstrom seems to quickly be working off any rust from his near two-month layoff, as he's hitting .333 with Sunday's round tripper and five total RBI over his first three rehab games.
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Athletics' Tyler Soderstrom: Nearly ready for rehab assignment
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Soderstrom (wrist) will take batting practice at Oakland Coliseum on Tuesday and is expected to begin a rehab assignment Wednesday, MLB.com reports.
The rookie has been able to make steady progress over the last week-plus with respect to swinging a bat, and Tuesday will mark his biggest test yet. Assuming his BP session goes off without setbacks, he'll head to Triple-A Las Vegas for a rehab assignment. Soderstrom has been sidelined since July 9.
Soderstrom (wrist) has been hitting off a tee and is slated to start a soft toss hitting program near the end of the week, MLB.com reports.
The rookie has been ramping up his activity level in recent days, playing catch for the first first time on Wednesday and then advancing to swinging a bat over the weekend. Soderstrom still projects for a return at some point in September, which would give him an opportunity to build some momentum before heading into what is expected to be a key offseason for his development.
