Athletics Roster Moves: Bleday non-tendered, Medina & Waldichuk signed

The following release is courtesy of the Athletics

The Athletics have agreed to terms with right-handed pitcher Luis Medina and left-handed pitcher Ken Waldichuk on one-year contracts for the 2026 season, avoiding arbitration, and did not tender a contract to outfielder JJ Bleday for the 2026 season, making him a free agent.

Medina did not pitch this season, as he continued recovery from August 2024 “Tommy John” surgery. In two seasons with the A’s, he is 5-14 with a 5.35 ERA in 31 games, including 25 starts. He has struck out 138 batters for an average of 8.3 strikeouts per nine innings.

The A’s agreed to terms with RHP Luis Medina and LHP Ken Waldichuk on one-year contracts for the 2026 season, avoiding arbitration, and did not tender a contract to OF JJ Bleday for the 2026 season, making him a free agent.

— A’s Communications (@AthleticsPR) November 21, 2025

More on the Athletics roster moves

Waldichuk underwent “Tommy John” surgery in May 2024 and began the 2025 season on the 60-day injured list. The 27-year-old was placed on rehab assignment on June 22 and optioned to Triple-A Las Vegas on July 19. In 11 minor league games, including 10 starts, following the option, he went 2-3 with an 8.38 ERA.

Both players, along with left-handed pitcher JP Sears and minor league infielder Cooper Bowman, were acquired from the Yankees at the 2022 trade deadline in exchange for right-handed pitchers Frankie Montas and Lou Trivino.

Bleday was designated for assignment on Tuesday. He batted .212 with 14 home runs, 39 RBI and a .698 OPS in 98 games over three stints with the Athletics in his fourth season in the majors in 2025.

The 28-year-old left-handed hitter made his Major League debut with Miami in 2022 and was traded to the Athletics for A.J. Puk prior to the 2023 season. Bleday is a .215 career hitter with 49 home runs, 142 RBI and a .702 OPS in 404 games in four seasons with the Marlins (2022) and Athletics (2023-25).

More MLB content from Sactown Sports

The San Francisco Giants are in need of a big splash this offseason, and free agent outfielder Kyle Tucker will be a player the Giants–as well as several other teams around the league–will be chasing in the coming weeks.

Tucker, 28, is the top free agent available this offseason and will be in the market for a new contract expected to start above the $400 million mark.

While some have expected that San Francisco will be in the mix for Tucker’s services, ESPN’s Jeff Passan pointed to the Giants as a potential landing spot for the All-Star right fielder.

Kyle Tucker is an intriguing free agent due to his age (28 years old), ability to play right and left field in the big leagues, and the fact that he holds a career batting average of .273 and an on-base percentage of .358 over eight MLB seasons with the Houston Astros and Chicago Cubs.

During the span of his MLB career, Kyle Tucker is a four-time All-Star, a Gold Glove Award winner (2022), a Silver Slugger Award winner (2023), and a 2022 World Series champion with Houston. Over the span of his eight-year career, Tucker has posted an impressive .856 on-base-plus-slugging percentage (league average has not been above .758 since 2006).

Passan: SF Giants ‘make sense’ for free agent OF Kyle Tucker

Upcoming San Francisco Giants & MLB Offseason Schedule

• MLB Free Agency begins the day after the World Series concludes
• December 7-11th – MLB Winter Meetings in Orlando, Florida
• Mid-November – MLB Non-Tender Deadline
• Early-January – MLB Arbitration Negotiations
• Mid-February – Pitchers & Catchers report for Spring Training

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