Aaron Brooks starts for Oakland A's Saturday, Max Muncy optioned

The Oakland Athletics recalled right-handed starting pitcher Aaron Brooks from Triple-A Nashville to start Saturday's contest against the Arizona Diamondbacks. Corner infielder Max Muncy was optioned to Nashville. Jesse Chavez was pushed back to Sunday. Felix Doubront, Chris Bassitt, and Sonny Gray will follow when the A's return home to face the Los Angeles Angels.

Aaron Brooks returns to the MLB club after making two starts with Nashville, most recently on August 23 when he tossed seven innings of one-run ball while visiting the Reno Aces. He struck out eight and walked none during that start. By returning today, he starts on something resembling regular rest while Felix Doubront gets a chance to rest his bruised foot an extra few days.

Brooks had been optioned to Triple-A after the club needed to press him into bullpen service on August 14 in the 13th inning against the Baltimore Orioles, where he allowed the game-winning home run to Manny Machado after two pitches. Felix Doubront took his place in the rotation, though Kendall Graveman's strained oblique allows Doubront to remain in the rotation.

Max Muncy was called up when the A's placed Kendall Graveman on the disabled list on August 24. Muncy made just one appearance, entering as a pinch hitter in the ninth inning of Friday's 6-4 loss to the Diamondbacks. Muncy got aboard on a base hit to right, but was erased when Marcus Semien grounded into a double play. Muncy will be eligible to return to the MLB club in 10 days, September 8, which happens to coincide with the end of Nashville's season on September 7.