The Oakland Athletics made a roster move Monday by trading for catcher Jonah Heim from the Atlanta Braves in exchange for cash, addressing their need behind the plate.
Oakland needed to fill a spot on their 26-man roster after putting regular starting catcher Shea Langeliers on the paternity list, and the switch-hitting Heim will step into that role.
The 30-year-old Heim had been released by Atlanta earlier on Monday. During his brief stint with the Braves this season, spanning 12 games, he posted a .231 batting average along with one home run and eight RBIs. His most recent performance came Sunday in Atlanta’s 11-6 victory over Colorado, where he contributed a home run and five RBIs.
The Buffalo, New York native had inked a one-year deal worth $1.5 million with Atlanta back in February, following his tenure as Texas’s main catcher beginning in 2022.
This marks a return to familiar territory for Heim, who began his major league journey with Oakland in 2020, participating in 13 contests. He subsequently joined Texas in 2021 before becoming their regular starter the following season.
Heim’s standout campaign came in 2023 when he received All-Star recognition, posting a .258 batting average with 18 home runs and 95 RBIs while recording a .755 OPS for the championship Rangers squad.
Throughout his major league tenure, Heim has accumulated 620 games of experience with a career batting average of .225, along with 69 home runs and 290 RBIs.
