CINCINNATI (AP) - Tanner Roark was on the road headed to Atlanta for the Cincinnati Reds’ next series when he stopped to get something to eat and learned that he’d be going in a much different direction.
The playoff-contending Oakland Athletics acquired Roark on Wednesday, filling out a rotation that also could have left-hander Sean Manaea back soon.
“This is a gamer that gets after it,” A’s manager Bob Melvin said. “He competes really hard, he throws strikes. He works quickly, which the fielders enjoy. Nice addition for us.”
Oakland sent outfield prospect Jameson Hannah to Cincinnati. The Reds are sending Oakland $2.1 million to offset much of the $3,225,806 remaining of Roark’s $10 million salary.
The trade was announced about an hour before the deadline for making deals. It was Oakland’s third trade in 17 days. The A’s previously acquired starter Homer Bailey and reliever Jake Diekman in a pair of deals with Kansas City.
“We needed starting pitching depth and a back-end arm in the bullpen, and to be able to finish it off with the trade this morning, we were really happy,” A’s general manager David Forst said. “We’re in a lot better shape than we were at the All-Star break. We went into the break worried about what happens if we have an injury or how does our rotation work, and I feel a lot better about it now.”
The A’s began the day a half-game out of the second AL wild-card spot.
Roark lasted a season-low 3 1/3 innings during Cincinnati’s 11-4 loss to the Pirates on Tuesday. He is 6-7 in 21 starts with a 4.24 ERA and can become a free agent after the season, which left him a candidate for a midseason trade.
“I knew coming into the season that this was a possibility,” Roark said. “That’s how the game is. I’m excited about it. They’re playing good baseball. They’re in the wild-card hunt.”
With the Reds headed to Atlanta for their next series, Roark decided to drive on his own. He was about 20 minutes outside Cincinnati on Wednesday when he stopped to eat and saw reports that he was being traded.
“I realized I’d better turn around and come back,” he said following the Reds’ 4-1 win on Wednesday.
The Reds traded Roark a few hours after getting Trevor Bauer from the Indians for right fielder Yaisel Puig in a three-team swap that included San Diego. Roark figured he was likely going to be dealt to open a spot in the rotation for Bauer.
“We had seven starters,” he said. “That’s two odd men out. It was in my head.”
Roark could possibly make his A’s debut Sunday against the St. Louis Cardinals.
“We’ve got two tough months left,” Melvin said. “To have this kind of pitching reinforcements is terrific and shows the team that the front office definitely believes in us.”
Manaea struck out eight in six innings of a rehab start with Triple-A Las Vegas on Tuesday night. He’s likely to get one more rehab start before being activated. He had shoulder surgery last September.
Also on Wednesday, the A’s placed center fielder Ramón Laureano on the injured list with a stress reaction in his right calf - a move Melvin announced after Tuesday’s 3-2 walk-off win in 10 innings over the Brewers. Catcher Josh Phegley also went on the injured list retroactive to July 29 with a bruised left thumb.
Right-handed pitcher Andrew Triggs was designated for assignment to clear a spot on the 40-man roster for Roark.
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