The Athletics have spent most of this season trying to patch together a pitching staff that’s been battered by injuries and dragged down by underperformance. Two of the biggest bullpen additions from the offseason are already gone - Mark Leiter Jr., who was supposed to be a possible closer, saw his year end in mid-summer because of injuries, and Scott Barlow was eventually designated for assignment after a rough stretch.
That has left the A’s digging through the waiver wire, and one of the more recent bets is starting to pay off.
Right-hander Scott Blewett, bought out from the St. Louis Cardinals just a few weeks ago, is beginning to look like a legitimate late-inning option in West Sacramento. The 30-year-old is doing exactly what this staff has struggled to do all season: keep the ball on the ground and keep it in the park.
Blewett’s appeal isn’t hard to see. He was noted as a soft-throwing righty who had boosted his velocity, and that uptick has helped turn him into a useful middle-relief piece. His seven feet of extension rank in the 93rd percentile of all pitchers, which helps his mid-to-high 90s fastball play up even more as it reaches hitters faster than they expect.
The underlying numbers back up the early results. His hard-hit percentage, barrel percentage, and chase rates all sit in excellent territory. He’s not qualified for percentiles yet, but the raw figures are eye-catching: a 39.3% chase rate and a 3% barrel percentage.
That kind of production gives the Athletics something they’ve been missing. Elvis Alvarado appears set to handle the closer role the rest of the season, and Blewett’s job is more likely to be the bridge in front of him. If he can keep thriving in that setup role, the A’s might at least have one bullpen arm they can trust down the stretch.
Blewett has already shown flashes of why the team liked the fit. He struck out the side in the sixth inning on three different pitches, setting down Christian Encarnacion-Strand, Leody Taveras, and Christian Franklin in order.
There’s also a bigger-picture angle here. With the A’s expected to look for a new GM next season, the bullpen could become a target area for trade and free-agent additions. Pitching is still the team’s biggest need, and that makes sense if the front office wants to reshape the staff.
If Blewett keeps this going through the rest of the season, he could do more than just help in the short term. He might pitch his way into a role on what the A’s hope will be a much stronger bullpen next year.
In Other News...
As September Slide Is Starting To Raise A Bigger Concern
A late-season stumble is starting to feel a little more pointed for the Athletics after they dropped the series opener to the Rangers, 8-1, on Monday night. The loss pushed Oakland to four straight defeats and turned what had been a difficult stretch into a sharper concern, especially with the offense mostly quiet against Jacob deGrom and the game getting away early.
Rookie Gage Jump was hit hard in the start, and the As are still sorting through what comes next on the mound. They have not announced a starter for the next game after skipping J.T. Ginn, while the Rangers are set to come back with MacKenzie Gore, leaving Oakland with another important decision to make as the slide keeps building. [Read more 🡒]
Denzel Clarkes Return Could Create A New As Outfield Dilemma
Denzel Clarke is finally on track to rejoin the Athletics as rosters expand to 28 players, giving the club another option in the outfield at a time when playing time is already a moving target. Clarke has missed most of the season while working back from a foot bone bruise and a high-grade left hamstring strain, and Oakland is hopeful the extra runway of the final month will give him a chance to settle in and help.
His return also puts a little more pressure on how the Athletics sort out center and right field down the stretch, where Henry Bolte has continued to see action. The club wants Clarke healthy enough to contribute, but the bigger question now is how much of a role there will be once he is back in the mix and how the A's decide to distribute those reps as the season winds down. [Read more 🡒]
Athletics Skid Is Putting Mark Kotsay Under Real Pressure
The Athletics have spent enough time dealing with uneven offense and shaky pitching that the pressure is no longer just about the roster, but about how Mark Kotsay is steering it. Recent losses have put a sharper focus on the managers choices, especially the way he has handled his pitching staff and bullpen while the team tries to stop the slide. For a club already searching for answers at the plate, every small decision on the mound has started to carry a little more weight.
Oakland still needs more from several key players if it is going to have a realistic shot in the next set of games, but the urgency around the dugout is growing in a different way. The As have been trying to patch together enough quality innings to stay competitive, and the way Kotsay manages those moments is becoming part of the story, too. With another Mariners matchup coming up, the margin for error feels thinner than ever. [Read more 🡒]