Jake Bennett to start first game Wednesday vs. O’s

Healey also notes that it’s likely Crochet will not pitch in a game in the majors or minors before returning for the postseason. One would assume the Red Sox would not want to use him in high-leverage innings right away without any rehab assignment, but it’s possible that he could be used as a three-or-four-inning opener or bulk reliever, perhaps in tandem with Ranger Suarez or Brayan Bello in a postseason rotaiton that will likely feature Sonny Gray and Payton Tolle as well.

Andujar has been sidelined since June 20th with a fractured wrist when he was hit by a pitch. There are just 12 days left in the Triple-A season, so it wouldn’t be a surprise to see him spend the majority of that with El Paso given how long he’s been sidelined and then return to the Padres roster for the final week or two and potential playoffs.

Drury was hitting just .241/.373/.387 with six home runs and a 26 percent strikeout rate in 60 games at Triple-A. He did have a 45 percent hard-hit rate, and he can play multiple positions, so it wouldn’t be surprising for the 34-year-old to receive a spring training invite somewhere next season.

Leclerc was making his way back from last August’s shoulder surgery, but he posted just a 7.77 ERA in 24 1/3 innings in the Padres’ minor league system and an 11.74 ERA in seven appearances at Triple-A specifically. We’d expect him to get another minor league contract in the offseason.

France has thrown just 10 2/3 MLB innings since 2024 due to shoulder issues. The 31-year-old was let go by the Astros earlier this season and posted an 8.44 ERA in 10 2/3 innings out of the bullpen for Triple-A El Paso before the Padres decided to move on as well.

The A’s won the game in the bottom of the ninth on a Jeff McNeil infield single off Louis Varland with the bases loaded and two outs. Bolte had drawn his third walk just prior to that hit. His homer was a 341-foot opposite field shot off Dylan Cease. He was actually on base all five times up tonight, since he reached on an Ernie Clement throwing error after his 103-mph grounder in the seventh. Blessed with a great deal of power and speed and cursed with one of the highest groundball rates in the league, Bolte is going to be a fascinating pick in fantasy leagues next spring. First, he might win some leagues for people this month if he keeps running like this. He’s 5-for-5 stealing bases in September and is up to 19 steals in 102 games on the season.

It’s Lopez’s first time giving up more than two runs in 10 second-half starts, but it didn’t have to be; he allowed only an Alejandro Kirk solo homer through six. The seventh started with a Kazuma Okamoto homer, but even so, Lopez was left in to allow a pair of soft singles and an RBI double before being lifted. Luis Medina took over then and did nice work in getting out of the inning with only one more run scoring. Lopez was still in line for a win at that point, but it didn’t last, and he was left with his seventh no-decision in his last eight starts. He figures to make his next start Sunday against the Mariners.

Harris had allowed just one homer to a lefty this season before Andrés Giménez clubbed a 415-footer off him to tie things up in the ninth tonight. It went as Harris’s seventh blown save, but the A’s picked him up by winning the game in the bottom of the inning.

Cease’s velocity bounced back some last time out in a strong outing against the Guardians, but he averaged a season-low 94.9 mph with his fastball tonight. His previous low was 95.2 mph from his Aug. 28 outing. He averaged 97.6 mph through 18 starts, but his high mark in nine starts since is 96.2 mph. It seems like it could be a real concern for the Jays if they make it to the postseason, though they have to get there first and tonight’s loss doesn’t help. Cease figures to make his next start Saturday or Sunday versus the Orioles.

The two singles Varland allowed tonight were hit 43 and 52 mph. Third baseman Kazuma Okamoto couldn’t make a play on the first one, and the second, with two outs and the bases loaded following two walks, was a grounder to short beaten out by Jeff McNeil, ending the game. It’s the first run Varland has given up since Aug. 8 and just the 10th earned run he’s allowed on the season.