Denzel Clarke making another start in CF

Bolte’s first four-hit game as a major leaguer put him at .279/.362/.407 through 455 plate appearances. His second double tonight left his bat at 115.1 mph, which is a new high for him. He previously topped out at 113.7 mph on a single against the Rays just last week.

Cortes entered the game as a pinch-hitter in the seventh inning following the departure of left-handed starter Yusei Kikuchi. With a runner on, he cut into the Angels’ lead with a triple before scoring on a base hit. Cortes then put the A’s ahead with a two-run homer off Sam Bachman in the eighth inning. The 29-year-old outfielder has hit .257/.323/.408 with ten homers and 43 RBI across 368 plate appearances.

Even if Clarke, Max Muncy and Tommy White aren’t necessarily among the Athletics’ best nine starters, it’s odd just how little playing time they’re getting down the stretch here. Clarke, perhaps the game’s best defensive center fielder, entered today with one plate appearance in nine days. He actually did really well on his rehab assignment last month (.353/.463/.588 in 11 games for Las Vegas), and it would have made sense for the A’s to give him all the time he could handle to figure out whether he should in their 2027 plans. As is, he’s 2-for-14 with two walks and two strikeouts since being activated on Sept. 1.

Bolte has been on a tear and is up to four home runs and five stolen bases since September began. Wednesday’s round-tripper followed a monstrous game on Monday in which he homered and swiped three bases. He now has 10 homers and 19 steals, and he’s hit leadoff in every game for the A’s since August 18. Their lineup has been ravaged by season-ending injuries this year, but Bolte is taking advantage of the favorable home park down the stretch. He’ll likely enter 2027 with some sleeper appeal, though it’s fair to wonder if he’ll still fit that description given how hot he’s been to close the year.

Clarke was included in the lineup against lefties in his first two games back from the IL last week, but he’s since started just one of seven games. If he’s not going to play much this month, with the A’s missing most of their best players, it doesn’t bode well him claiming a spot in the 2027 outfield. He might be the league’s best defensive center fielder, but his bat leaves a great deal to be desired.

Cortes provided one of only two runs the A’s could score against José Soriano on Tuesday, taking him deep for a solo home run in the fourth inning. The 29-year-old outfielder is hitting .261/.328/.405 with nine homers and 40 RBI across 341 plate appearances.

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.

Bolte belted a two-run homer off Cody Bradford in the third, and Zack Gelof made it back-to-back with a round-tripper of his own. Then in the fourth, Bolte connected for another two-run homer that even he thought was foul off the bat, but it stayed just inside the right-field pole. It was his first career multi-homer game, and he picked up his 15th steal of the season. He’s been caught eight times, so the efficiency hasn’t been great, but the roto-friendly skill set was on full display this afternoon. Bolte has hit leadoff in every game for the A’s dating back to August 18.

Clarke is finally back 4 1/2 months after suffering a right foot bone bruise and nearly 3 1/2 months since he strained a hamstring on his initial rehab assignment. He just hit .353 with two homers in 11 games for Triple-A Las Vegas, and he should finish out the season as the Athletics’ primary center fielder. Henry Bolte can slide over to left, giving the A’s maybe the game’s best defensive outfield. Carlos Cortes will likely spend more time at DH, taking at-bats away from Max Muncy.

Cortes put the A’s on the board with a two-run blast off Taj Bradley in the second inning, breaking a run of eight games without an extra-base hit. The 29-year-old outfielder is up to eight homers and 37 RBI while hitting a respectable .258/.332/.407 across 310 plate appearances. He should continue to see regular playing time in left field against right-handed pitching.