The Athletics got a little healthier on the mound, and right now that matters.
José Suarez is back in the big-league bullpen after being reinstated from the 15-day injured list, giving the A’s another left-handed option at a time when the relief group could use all the help it can get. With Justin Sterner and Mark Leiter Jr. both done for the season, adding a healthy arm back into the mix is no small thing for a club that has leaned on waiver claims and patchwork innings.
Suarez has been a mixed bag this season, but he’s still one of Mark Kotsay’s more trusted southpaws. The 28-year-old carries an ERA just north of five, yet he’s also shown flashes of being an effective middle reliever. He’s even handled opener duties well at times, though his five innings in that role include one rough outing that pushed his numbers up.
The A’s have needed depth wherever they can find it, especially with Nick Kurtz and Jacob Wilson out for the rest of the season. Both were All-Star representatives for the club this summer, and Wilson and Kurtz finished first and second in American League Rookie of the Year voting last season, respectively. Shea Langeliers could potentially be rushed back after surgery, but with Oakland well out of the AL West race, that doesn’t sound like a move worth forcing.
To clear a spot for Suarez, the Athletics optioned left-hander Drew Rom to Triple-A Las Vegas.
Rom’s path with the A’s was a little unusual from the start. He was originally supposed to report to the Aviators after being claimed, but a delay at the airport led the club to fly him out to join the major-league roster instead.
For a stretch, Rom gave the A’s a useful arm. But a rough outing against Kansas City sent things downhill, and now he’ll head to Las Vegas with the hope of sharpening his stuff and working his way back sooner rather than later.
The official move: “The Athletics have reinstated left-handed pitcher José Suarez from the 15-day injured list and optioned left-handed pitcher Drew Rom to Triple-A Las Vegas.”
It’s not a season-changing development, but for a bullpen that has taken its share of hits, getting Suarez back is at least a step toward stability.
In Other News...
As Let Another Home Opportunity Slip Away In Painful Loss
The Athletics kept hanging around Tuesday night at Sutter Health Park, and for a while it looked like they had found a way to turn a frustrating script into something better. Baltimore scored early and held the lead through much of the night, but Oakland got a lift from catcher Jonah Heim's home run and a strong start from Jacob Lopez, then pushed all the way back to even in the late innings.
By the time the game reached extra innings, the As had already shown enough fight to make the loss sting a little more. They tied it in the eighth and gave themselves a chance to cash in on a home field opportunity, only to come up short in a 4-3 defeat that fit too neatly into a pattern Oakland has been trying to escape. [Read more 🡒]
As Loss Still Left One Encouraging Trend Hard To Ignore
The Athletics had enough fight to force extras against the Orioles, but not enough to finish the job in a 4-3 loss that still offered a few reasons to keep watching. Lawrence Butler pulled them level in the eighth, Jacob Lopez gave them a solid five-inning start after his return from Triple-A, and Max Muncy added a two-hit night during his third stint with the club this season.
Oaklands bullpen then kept the game within reach through four scoreless innings before the pressure finally shifted in the 10th. Even in a defeat, the broader picture around Lopez and the lineups ability to scratch back late was hard to miss, especially for a team still trying to sort out which parts of this roster can carry into the second half. [Read more 🡒]
A's Depth Pieces Are Suddenly Giving Fans A Reason To Pay Attention
The As farm system had another lively night, with Las Vegas continuing to swing the bats and give the organization a little something to watch beyond the big club. The Aviators rolled past Sugar Land 11-3, and the lineup kept producing throughout the game as Cole Conn and Jack Winkler each chipped in multiple hits and runs to help keep the pressure on.
Luke Mann was the headliner, continuing a stretch that has started to make him impossible to ignore in the box score. His big night at third base was part of a broader minor league evening that also included wins for Tulsa, Great Lakes and Stockton, a reminder that Oakland has a few depth pieces beginning to put themselves on the radar at the right time. [Read more 🡒]