Athletics Bullpen Update: Mitch Spence to be Wild Card; Most Will Have Multi-inning Ability
MESA, Ariz. (Mar 20) — As Opening Day draws closer, the relief corps of the Athletics is taking its final shape. Right-hander Mitch Spence will have multiple roles. Additionally, all but one reliever will have the ability to go two innings if needed.
Mitch Spence to Be Bullpen Wild Card
As reported by Martin Gallegos of MLB.com, Athletics manager Mark Kotsay announced Wednesday that the fifth pitcher in the starting rotation will be Joey Estes. This means Spence will be part of the relief corps. Spence will have multiple roles. “He’s the Joker in the deck, where you can use him in any capacity out of the bullpen,” Kotsay said Thursday. “You can make a spot start with him; you could open the game with him. (We) could pitch him in the eighth inning if you need a leverage guy. I think he has all the weapons to do that and have success. In my conversation with him, it was a big, big reason to move him into the ‘pen and have him impact more games for us.”
All but Miller: Multi-inning Ability
Kotsay also said Thursday that, outside of closer Mason Miller, each reliever can go two innings. “I think all our relievers have that ability to throw two innings, and that really helps manage the bullpen. When you’ve got a reliever that can go 35–40 pitches, obviously, there’s a time frame that he’ll be down for. But having that flexibility, having that option, is something that we’ve strived for over the last couple of years. We have more of that ability this year than we have in the past.”
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