Oakland Athletics activate outfielder JJ Bleday from IL

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Tuesday, September 26, 2023

The Oakland Athletics activated outfielder JJ Bleday from the 10-day injured list on Tuesday and optioned shortstop Kevin Smith to Triple-A Las Vegas.

Bleday, 25, had been on the IL since Aug. 15 with a sprained left ACL. On rehabilitation assignment with Las Vegas, he went 5-for-10 with three runs, two extra-base hits, four RBIs and three walks in three games.

He last played for the Athletics on Aug. 13. This season, Bleday is batting .203 with 10 home runs and 27 RBIs in 241 at-bats over 77 games.

Bleday played his rookie season in 2022 for the Miami Marlins and batted .167 with five homers and 16 RBIs in 65 games before he was traded to Oakland on Feb. 11.

Smith, 27, is batting .185 (25-for-135) with five homers and 11 RBIs in 49 games this season.