MAY 5, 2021 • WHITECLEATBEAT.COM
AUSTIN ALLEN
Oakland A’s: Austin Allen getting another chance Austin Allen has not had much of a chance to show what he could do at the major league level. With just 103 plate appearances in the backup...
Moreland's 2-run HR backs Irvin gem as A's top Blue Jays 4-1
Mitch Moreland hit a two-run homer on the heels of Jed Lowrie’s two-run double in the second inning to back Cole Irvin’s pitching gem, and the Oakland Athletics made the early lead...MAY 5, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Joins big-league club Allen was recalled from Triple-A Las Vegas on Tuesday, Matt Kawahara of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
Impact The 27-year-old was unable to earn the backup catching job in spring training, but he'll join the Athletics on Tuesday with Aramis Garcia heading to the injured list. Allen should work as the secondary catcher behind starter Sean Murphy until Garcia is healthy.
MAY 5, 2021 • ROTOWIRE
A's backup catcher down to Garcia, Pèrez The A’s have narrowed down their list of candidates for the backup catcher job to two. Austin Allen was optioned from big league camp to Tri...
MARCH 24, 2021 • MLB.COM
Optioned to Triple-A Allen was optioned to Triple-A Las Vegas on Wednesday.
Impact Allen was competing for the backup catcher job with the Athletics during spring training and hit .261 with one home run, two runs, two RBI and seven strikeouts over 12 Cactus League games. He'll begin the year in the minors, while Aramis Garcia should serve as the primary backup behind Sean Murphy at catcher.
MARCH 24, 2021 • ROTOWIRE
Sent to alternate site Allen was optioned to Oakland's alternate training site Monday.
Impact He hit .194 with a 14:1 K:BB in 31 at-bats this season as the backup catcher. Jonah Heim was recalled from Triple-A in a corresponding move.
AUGUST 24, 2020 • ROTOWIRE
Canha's sacrifice fly lifts A's past Angels in 10
Mark Canha hit a sacrifice fly in the 10th inning, and the Oakland Athletics beat the Los Angeles Angels 5-4AUGUST 24, 2020 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
OK after taking bat to helmet Allen remained in the game in Saturday's loss to the Angels after getting hit in the right side of the head by Tommy La Stella's bat in the second inning, the Associated Press repo...
Impact The backup catcher's helmet flew off upon impact in what was a scary moment for both Allen and La Stella. After getting checked out by manager Bob Melvin and athletic trainer Nick Paparesta, Allen was able to remain in the game and finished 1-for-3 with a strikeout.
AUGUST 23, 2020 • ROTOWIRE
Trout drives in 3 runs, makes diving catch as Angels top A's
Mike Trout drove in three early runs, then made a key catch late as the Los Angeles Angels beat Oakland 4-3 Saturday to snap the Athletics’ nine-game home winning streakAUGUST 22, 2020 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Rare success at plate Allen went 2-for-3 with a double in a loss to the Diamondbacks on Monday.
Impact Allen was the only other Athletics bat besides Robbie Grossman with multiple hits in a relatively quiet night for what had recently been a red-hot offense. The 26-year-old snapped a modest 0-for-8 skid that had encompassed the last three games during which he'd registered an official at-bat, but he's still carrying an anemic .185/.214/.333 slash across his first 28 plate appearances.
AUGUST 18, 2020 • ROTOWIRE
Ejected from Sunday's game Allen went 0-for-3 with two strikeouts before being ejected from Sunday's game against the Astros.
Impact After the dust settled on a benches-clearing scuffle in the seventh inning, Allen and Ramon Laureano were ejected. Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle noted that Allen "looked like he was mixing it up pretty good in a second scrum." Manager Bob Melvin told Brian McTaggart and Martin Gallegos of MLB.com that he expects some suspensions given the violation of protocols.
AUGUST 10, 2020 • ROTOWIRE
Astros, A's clear benches, empty seats; Oak wins 9th in row
Benches cleared and even the stands emptied during the seventh inning of the Astros-Athletics series finale at the ColiseumAUGUST 9, 2020 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
A's hold off Astros in 13th inning for seventh straight win
Marcus Semien singled home the winning run in the bottom of the 13th in a game that matched the longest this season with baseball’s new extra-innings rule, and the AL West-leading...AUGUST 8, 2020 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Rays hold Yankees to 2 hits in 1-0 win
AUGUST 8, 2020 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Hits first big-league homer Allen went 1-for-3 with a two-run home run in Wednesday's 6-4 win over the Rangers.
Impact Allen made a rare start in place of Sean Murphy, and he made it count with the go-ahead homer in the seventh inning. The long ball is the first of the 26-year-old catcher's career, as well as his second hit in 2020.
AUGUST 6, 2020 • ROTOWIRE
A's top Rangers 6-4, win 5th straight behind Olson's 2 HRs
Matt Olson homered twice, Ramon Laureano also went deep and the surging Oakland Athletics rallied to beat the Texas Rangers 6-4 on Wednesday nightAUGUST 6, 2020 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Allen's 1st career HR lifts A's to 5th straight W Every newcomer is in search of that first big moment to make them feel like they are truly a part of the team. That moment finally came for...
AUGUST 6, 2020 • MLB.COM
First-place Marlins sweep O's, move to 5-1 despite outbreak
AUGUST 6, 2020 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Successful '20 debut Swanson fired a clean ninth inning in a loss to the Athletics on Sunday, recording two strikeouts.
Impact Just recalled from the Mariners' alternate training site earlier in the day, Swanson was put right to work by manager Scott Servais, and the right-hander needed just nine pitches to get through the trio of Austin Allen, Tony Kemp and Marcus Semien. Swanson was deployed as both a starter and reliever during his rookie 2019 campaign, finishing with a 5.74 ERA and 1.17 WHIP over 27 appearances (eight starts). The 26-year-old will aim to do a better job of keeping the ball in the park -- something he never had trouble with during his minor-league career -- after surrendering a bloated 2.6 HR/9 across his 58.0 innings last season.
AUGUST 3, 2020 • ROTOWIRE
Secures backup job Allen will open the season as the A's backup catcher as the team informed Jonah Heim he won't be making the season-opening roster.
Impact Both young catchers had impressive showings in spring and summer training, but Allen will begin the 60-game slate as the reserve option to starter Sean Murphy. Heim will be a member of the three-man taxi squad and will quickly be able to join the team if there are any roster openings. Allen made his big-league debut with the Padres last season and appeared in 34 games before being traded to the Athletics for Jurickson Profar in December.
JULY 21, 2020 • ROTOWIRE
AL West Preview Capsules
JULY 17, 2020 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Works on defense during shutdown Allen, who has previously carried a reputation as a hit-first catcher, worked regularly on his defense during the shutdown as part of his bid to secure the backup catcher job, Mart...
Impact Allen only slashed .215/.282/.277 across his first big-league 71 plate appearances last season in San Diego, but he hit between .273 and .330 in his last five minor-league stops before his promotion, eclipsing 20 home runs in three of those stints. In a fierce battle with Jonah Heim for the backup catcher job behind Sean Murphy when spring training was suspended, Allen was able to focus on improving his defense and footwork behind the dish while following a routine outlined for him by bullpen coach Marcus Jensen during the shutdown, as he regularly found workout partners such as Nate Lowe, Francisco Lindor and various pitchers in the Orlando, Florida area. Given that teams will be allowed to carry 30 players on the active roster for the first two weeks of the season, there remains a chance manager Bob Melvin keeps all three catchers to start the regular season.
JULY 15, 2020 • ROTOWIRE
Allen: A's catchers 'help each other' Austin Allen finds himself battling with fellow catchers Sean Murphy and Jonah Heim in Summer Camp to see who will receive the bulk of playi...
JULY 15, 2020 • MLB.COM
Likely to make Opening Day roster Heim, who was in a heated competition for the backup catcher job when spring training was suspended, is now highly likely to make the Athletics' Opening Day roster, Mark Saxon of T...
Impact Heim turned plenty of heads in Cactus League play with a .325 average (8-for-25), enough that he'd made up significant ground on Austin Allen in the battle for the backup catcher job by the time play was paused. While it may have been a close call for manager Bob Melvin had the regular season unfolded under normal circumstances with teams limited to 26-man rosters, Saxon notes the fact there are now four extra slots to work with almost certainly serves to lock in spots for both young backstops. The fact Heim is already on the 40-man roster only ups his chances of staying put when the regular season begins.
JUNE 27, 2020 • ROTOWIRE
Oakland A’s: Austin Allen has done enough to be backup catcher Despite the abbreviated spring training, Austin Allen has done enough to show that he should be the Oakland A's backup catcher. The Oakland...
MAY 16, 2020 • WHITECLEATBEAT.COM
