OAKLAND -- Catcher Josh Phegley was placed on the three-day paternity list Wednesday, leading the A's to bring Ryan Lavarnway back to the big leagues for the first time since 2015.
Lavarnway, who played in 37 games with the Braves and Orioles in 2015, signed on with the A's through a Minor League contract in the offseason. The catcher was batting .274 with four home runs and 20 RBIs in 61 games for Triple-A Nashville.
Lavarnway also hit .421 in 14 Spring Training games as a non-roster invitee for the A's and suited up for Team Israel in the World Baseball Classic, going 8-for-18 in six games to earn Pool A MVP honors.
"He has a veteran presence to him, he understands how to run a pitching staff, and he swung the bat pretty well for us," A's manager Bob Melvin said. "So any time you have a guy that has some experience at the big league level and gets the catching end of it, that's a good third guy to have in your system."

Lavarnway, 29, made his big league debut with the Red Sox in 2011 and is a .198 career hitter in 134 games across five seasons with Boston, Baltimore and Atlanta. The right-handed batter could potentially draw a start in Seattle on Friday, with the A's scheduled to face lefty James Paxton.
Phegley and his wife, Jessica, welcomed their second child early Wednesday morning, son Calvin James.
Worth noting
• Corner infielder Ryon Healy remained out of the A's lineup a third straight day Wednesday because of upper back spasms.
• Shortstop Marcus Semien (right wrist surgery) went 2-for-5 in his latest rehab game with Nashville on Tuesday and remains on track to rejoin the A's in Seattle later this week.
• Renato Nunez, ranked by MLB Pipeline as the A's No. 17 prospect, has been chosen to participate in the Triple-A Home Run Derby scheduled for Monday in Tacoma, Wash. The infielder hit his Pacific Coast League-leading 22nd home run on Tuesday.