Jacob Wilson Returns to A's Lineup in Time to Face Seattle Mariners

The Athletics made a slew of roster moves on Friday before the opening game of their series with the Seattle Mariners. The two clubs have split the ten games they've played this season, and this will be their final matchup of 2025. The winner of the weekend series will also win the season series, and if that team happens to be the A's, that would be a huge boost for the club heading into 2026 after strugglng against the M's for years.

The A's have been rolling of late, going 16-8 since July 25, making them the third-hottest team in baseball over that stretch. They'll also see the return of Jacob Wilson, who was an All Star for the A's this year, though he hasn't been on the field much since the break.

On Friday the club announced that they have activated Wilson from the 10-day IL, and recalled right-handers Joey Estes and Eduarniel Nuñez from Triple-A Las Vegas. Estes was optioned to the minors back in April after a pair of rough starts to begin the year. Nuñez was the most MLB-ready piece of the return that the A's received in the Mason Miller and JP Sears deal with the San Diego Padres.

He went 1-0 with a 3.60 ERA in four relief appearances with the Aviators, striking out 10 batters five innings. Estes was 4-4 with a 5.51 ERA and .846 opponents OPS in 17 games, including 15 starts.

Unfortunately, the A's had to clear some space on the 26-man roster to make those moves happen, and those transactions included right-hander Jack Perkins landing on the IL with a strained right shoulder and left-hander Ben Bowden also landing on the 15-day IL with a strained left lat.

The other move the club made was to option Max Schuemann to Triple-A. Schuemann is loved by the coaching staff and is a great guy to have in the clubhouse, but he's been playing sparingly of late and is batting .200 with two home runs and 12 RBI in 90 games. He made just 41 starts but appeared in games at every position except pitcher, catcher and first base.

Mark Kotsay spoke to reporters about Schuemann before Friday's game, "He's a super utility player, and I see that role being filled by him when this club has a chance to play in the postseason. He's a dynamic player we can use all over the field and brings energy every day."

Schuemann has also been the A's best defender outside of Denzel Clarke this season, so even without the bat working for him consistently, he was bringing plenty to the field each day. With the emergence of Darell Hernaiz in recent weeks, there just wasn't going to be a spot for both of them on the roster when Wilson returned.