The Athletics announced a series of roster moves in the lead up to the Houston series beginning tonight, including the club’s first trade of the 2025 season that will bring former Athletic Sean Newcomb back to the organization from the Boston Red Sox in exchange for cash considerations:

The Athletics placed first baseman Nick Kurtz on the 10-day injured list retroactive to May 25 with a strained left hip flexor and selected outfielder Drew Avans from Triple-A Las Vegas, the club announced today. The A’s also acquired left-handed pitcher Sean Newcomb from the…

— A’s Communications (@AthleticsPR) May 27, 2025

The club also announced the placement of first baseman Nick Kurtz on the injured list with what the team is called a left hip flexor strain, as well as the DFA’s of relievers Matt Krook and Ryan Cusick to make room on the 40-man roster. And finally the club also added young outfielder Drew Avans from Triple-A. The club will still need to make a move to make room for Newcomb when he reports to the team, likely tomorrow.

The addition of Newcomb should provide a boost to a pitching staff that has seen major struggles recently. The soon-to-be 32-year-old spent the 2023 and 2024 seasons with the A’s organization, though he pitched just 25 innings due to knee issues. He signed with the Red Sox in the offseason on a minors deal and surprised many when he cracked their Opening Day roster. The early results for Newcomb have been positive as he posted a 3.95 ERA in a swing role for the BoSox, making 12 appearances including five starts. Unfortunately for him as Boston’s other starters began getting healthy, the team ran out of roster space for him, hence the trade today.

It’s unclear how the team plans to utilize Newcomb but they have options. Fellow lefty Jacob Lopez is the current #5 starter for the club but would likely be better suited in a depth or relief role. Newcomb could slide into the starting rotation in Lopez’s place, or he could continue to act as a swing man for the A’s whenever they need one. His role going forward will be something to keep an eye on.

The loss of Kurtz isn’t the best thing in the world especially with the lefty-swinging Kurtz finally finding his groove at the plate in recent games. The rookie is hitting just .245/.316/.447 with five home runs on the season but the 22-year-old had begun finding his power stroke with four home runs over his past seven games. That’s compared to just one long ball in his first 21 contests at the game’s highest level. His placement on the IL isn’t ideal for an A’s team trying to claw their way back into the playoff picture but hopefully it’s for the minimum amount of time.

With Kurtz on the IL the club has a few options to turn to at first base. Rookie infielder Logan Davidson has seen plenty of time at first base in the minors this year and got the start at first base on Sunday but has just five major league at-bats. This could be the perfect time to see if the former 1st-round draft pick is ready to handle major league pitching. The club could also send Tyler Soderstrom back to his old position on the infield but bouncing him between two positions isn’t the best idea and left field seems to be his long-term home. Best not to mess with his development as an outfielder. Or the club could turn to Miguel Andujar as a way to keep his bat in the lineup but he has just five career major league appearances at the position.

The lefty-swinging Avans will join the Athletics for the first time and will make his big league debut when he takes the field for the first time. The longtime Dodgers farmhand found his way to the A’s this offseason on a minor league deal after spending the previous four seasons with Los Angeles’ Triple-A squad and he’s enjoyed playing for the Aviators. In 48 games while playing all three outfield spots Avans is slashing an impressive .328/.414/.444 with 16 stolen bases and four home runs. At 28-years-old he’s no spring chicken anymore but could be a serviceable fourth outfielder/pinch-runner off the bench.

Krook only just joined the A’s organization over the winter on a minor league pact. He’d been a solid lefty option down in Vegas before getting a promotion to the big league club earlier in the month. He only made it into three games before getting optioned back to the minors and he’ll now have to pass through waivers before returning to Vegas.

Cusick, originally acquired in the il-fated Matt Olson trade, began transitioning to a relief role last year and made that move permanent this season. The early results have been rough as he has a 6.75 ERA in 13 relief outings for the Aviators. Still looking to make his big league debut, the team will hope to sneak him through waivers and outright him back to Vegas to act as bullpen depth.