The Royals selected Long's contract from Triple-A Omaha on Monday.
Long earns a look with the big club after putting up a 1.31 ERA and 23:5 K:BB over 20.2 innings at Omaha. The left-hander holds a career 4.92 ERA over 80 appearances (12 starts) at the major-league level.
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Royals' Sam Long: Inks minors pact with Royals
Rotowire
Kansas City signed Long to a minor-league contract Thursday.
Long was outrighted off the 40-man roster in Oakland at the end of the 2023 regular season after struggling to a 5.60 ERA and 32:21 K:BB across 45 innings. The 28-year-old left-hander joins the Royals as organizational bullpen depth for the 2024 campaign.
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Athletics' Sam Long: Loses 40-man roster spot
Rotowire
Long cleared waivers and was outrighted to Triple-A Las Vegas on Thursday.
The Athletics needed to do some 40-man roster maneuvering and felt Long's spot could be put to better use. He put up a 5.60 ERA and 32:21 K:BB over 45 innings out of Oakland's bullpen this season.
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Athletics' Sam Long: Sent down to Triple-A
Rotowire
Long was optioned to Triple-A Las Vegas on Wednesday.
Long was knocked around for four runs (three earned) over 1.2 relief innings in Tuesday's loss to the Blue Jays. He'll be replaced by a fresh bullpen arm.
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Athletics' Sam Long: Recalled to MLB bullpen
Rotowire
Oakland recalled Long from Triple-A Las Vegas on Friday.
Long will give the Athletics some extra bullpen depth with rosters expanding from 26 to 28. The 28-year-old left-hander has posted a 5.27 ERA and 32:18 K:BB in 42.2 major-league innings this season.
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Athletics' Sam Long: Optioned to Triple-A
Rotowire
Long was optioned to Triple-A Las Vegas on Saturday.
Long had been in the big leagues since the Athletics acquired him from the Giants in late April. He's struggled to a 5.27 ERA in 42.2 innings, striking out just 17.3 percent of opposing batters. Francisco Perez was called up to take his place in the bullpen.
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Athletics' Sam Long: Takes first loss Friday
Rotowire
Long (0-1) took the loss as an opener against the Red Sox on Friday, allowing three earned runs on three hits and a walk over one-plus inning. He struck out two.
Long's considerably busy line is the byproduct of two very different frames. The left-hander got through the opening inning unscathed, working around a Justin Turner single. However, Long failed to retire any of the three hitters he faced to open the second inning, leaving the bases loaded for Luis Medina. All three inherited runners eventually came across, saddling Long with his second three-earned-run tally in the last four outings. Despite the occasional hiccup, Long has contributed two saves and two holds along with a serviceable 4.36 ERA across 26 appearances.
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Athletics' Sam Long: Opening Friday
Rotowire
Long will serve as the Athletics' opener Friday in Boston, Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports.
Right-hander Luis Medina is set to handle the bulk of the innings for the A's, but it will be the southpaw Long first out of the chute. Left-handed batters are hitting only .200/.293/.314 off Long this season.
Long picked up the save Sunday against the Brewers. He allowed one hit over one-third of a scoreless inning.
Long was thrust into a bases-loaded situation with two outs and four runs of cushion but managed to shut down the Brewers' comeback efforts to claim his second save of the season. Though Long gave up a single to Abraham Toro that plated two runs, he managed to retire his next batter to improve to a perfect 2-for-2 in save opportunities in 2023.
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Athletics' Sam Long: Gets first save Saturday
Rotowire
Long recorded his first save in Saturday's extra-inning win over the Brewers, firing a perfect 10th inning.
Long breezed through his one frame on 15 pitches, 10 which he threw for strikes. The southpaw and first-year Athletic has mostly been a bright spot for manager Mark Kotsay, and he's now allowed just one run over seven innings covering his last four appearances while also recording a hold in addition to Saturday's save.
Long was traded from the Giants to the Athletics on Sunday in exchange for cash considerations.
Long was designated for assignment by San Francisco on Wednesday, but he'll have an opportunity to carve out a role with the Athletics. The southpaw began the season at Triple-A Sacramento and posted a 9.90 ERA and 1.90 WHIP in 10 innings over four relief appearances, and it wouldn't be surprising to see him head to Triple-A Las Vegas to begin his time with his new club.
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Athletics' Sam Long: Reporting to big club
Rotowire
Long, whom the Athletics acquired from the Giants on Sunday in exchange for cash considerations, was added to the 26-man active roster Monday.
Though Long has a minor-league option remaining and posted a 9.90 ERA and 1.90 WHIP across 10 innings at Triple-A Sacramento, the Athletics will have him report to the big club right away rather than joining their top affiliate in Las Vegas. Long is expected to fill a multi-inning role out of the bullpen after the Athletics placed one of their other long relievers, Adrian Martinez (elbow), on the 15-day injured list in a corresponding move.
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Giants' Sam Long: Booted off 40-man roster
Rotowire
The Giants designated Long for assignment Wednesday, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
The left-handed pitcher was removed from the 40-man roster to make room for outfielder Cal Stevenson, whom the Giants acquired in a trade with the Athletics. If Long goes unclaimed off waivers, he'll likely report back to Triple-A Sacramento, where he's struggled to a 9.90 ERA and 1.90 WHIP over 10 innings this season.
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Giants' Sam Long: Falls short in roster bid
Rotowire
The Giants optioned Long to Triple-A Sacramento on Monday, Evan Webeck of The San Jose Mercury News reports.
Long's demotion comes as little surprise after he was blitzed for seven runs (six earned) on 11 hits and three walks while striking out seven over 5.2 innings across his four appearances in the Cactus League. The southpaw was previously one of the Giants' more interesting pitching prospects when he joined the organization in 2020, but he's struggled to stake a claim to a regular role in the big leagues the past two seasons. It's unclear if the Giants intend to have him continue his development as a starter at Sacramento or make a full-time move to the bullpen.
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Giants' Sam Long: Ready for spring training
Rotowire
Long (oblique) reported to spring training this week and won't face any restrictions, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
Long missed the last month-plus of the 2022 season with a right oblique strain. The left-hander was effective as a reliever for the Giants in 2022 with a 3.61 ERA and 1.25 WHIP over 42.1 innings of work, but he also has experience as a starter. The 27-year-old could compete for one of the final spots in the San Francisco rotation during the Cactus League, but his most likely landing spot to begin the 2023 campaign is the bullpen.
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Giants' Sam Long: Placed on 60-day IL
Rotowire
Long was recalled from Triple-A Sacramento and placed on the 60-day injured list Friday due to a right oblique strain.
Long was sent to the minors in early August but will be forced to miss the remainder of the 2022 season due to his oblique injury. The team planned to stretch him out as a starter following his demotion, so it's not yet clear what role he'll play if he's deemed healthy in time for spring training 2023.
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Giants' Sam Long: Sent to minors
Rotowire
Long was optioned to Triple-A Sacramento on Wednesday.
Long has primarily pitched in relief for the Giants this year with 22 of his 28 outings coming out of the bullpen, and he's pitched well overall with a 3.61 ERA, 1.25 WHIP and 33:14 K:BB across 42.1 innings. The left-hander will now join Sacramento to get stretched out as a starter after the Giants traded away Matthew Boyd, per Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle.
