The Oakland Athletics (10-35) announced on Friday that they placed Zach Jackson on the 15-day IL with a right flexor tendon strain in his right elbow. This is another setback in a season that has seen just about everything go wrong for them. Jackson has been the lone bright spot in the worst pitching staff in the league. They will turn to their minor leagues to make up the lost productivity.
The Oakland A’s placed RHP Zach Jackson on the 15-day injured list and designated RHP Zach Neal for assignment. The moves clear a spot for RHP Lucas Erceg, who was acquired from Milwaukee for cash considerations on Wednesday.
— Oakland A's Communications (@AthleticsPR) May 19, 2023
Zach Jackson this Season
This season is a continuation of a two-year stretch of being the best reliever the A’s have. This season Jackson has thrown 18 innings with a 2.50 ERA, a 1.556 WHIP, and an 11.5 SO/9. He’s in the top 15% of the league in average exit velocity against, hard hit percentage, and barrel percentage. On a pitching staff with a team ERA over 7, he is the one reliable arm they have.
Where Do the A’s Turn To Replace Him?
On May 17, the A’s announced they had signed Lucas Erceg, from the Milwaukee Brewers for cash considerations. Originally he was sent to the AAA affiliate in Las Vegas, but with the injury to Jackson, he will get the call and make his MLB debut against the Houston Astros this week. If Erceg struggles, they also have James Kaprielian in Las Vegas who is ready to come back up. He was sent down in late April to get some extra reps.
What Does Erceg Bring to the Bullpen?
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The 28-year-old righty was originally drafted by the Brewers in the second round of the 2016 First-Year Player Draft. He played college ball at Cal and eventually Menlo College. Originally drafted as a third baseman, Erceg and the Brewers agreed in 2021 to move him to the bullpen– a smart move because of his strong arm and average numbers at the plate (.223/.270/.379 in 2021). In 15 1/3 innings this season in AAA Nashville, he allowed 15 runs, 16 strikeouts, and 10 walks. He impressively induced grounders at a 53.8% rate.
What stood out most to Oakland was his impressive heater, which sits at 96-99 MPH, and a 9.5 SO/9. This SO/9 follows a trend for the A’s front office. It seems they are singularly focused on that stat when trying to build their “Moneyball” rotation, similar to how they built their lineup around OBP in the early 2000s.
His high BB/9 could be a bit of a concern for the team, but that is to be expected when you have someone who just made the move to the mound two seasons ago. He is certainly a work in progress with a decent upside, but the A’s have a long track record of being able to develop pitchers and revamp careers. In a season when the team has no intentions of winning, this is a flyer the front office is willing to take.
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