MLB: A’s pitching roles will look different in 2020,
It’s still unclear when Jesús Luzardo will be cleared to enter the Coliseum. The state of his prized left arm comes to us in bits and pieces. We know Luzardo, who tested positive for the coronavirus before camp began, is locked away in isolation doing, what pitching coach Scott Emerson assumes, a lot of sock throws (a baseball inside of a sock taped to the forearm).
Luzardo’s role when he returns won’t be determined until ... he returns. At the very least, coaches will need to see Luzardo throw to hitters before the season begins on July 24. But Emerson and the coaching staff started laying out options to slot Luzardo in as a cog in an unorthodox pitcher deployment for the 2020 season.
With 13 pitchers likely taking up spots on the 30man roster to start, expect a handful of typical bullpen arms to be stretched out for three-plus innings. Some swingmen may fall more heavily into tandem/ piggybacking roles. The end product: games early on could see a lot of pitching changes, and regular members of the rotation could have shorter starts.
“Each game is worth between 2.6 and 3 wins. Every win is important,” Emerson said. “We’re in a zone where we need guys to get stretched out. We always
talk about tandems, and how many tandems you can have. Those are good for two to three days, but once you get to day four or five, your bullpen is worn out.”
Among the relievers expected to be stretched out to pitch three innings: LHP T.J. McFarland, RHP Yusmeiro Petit, RHP JB Wendelken and RHP Burch Smith.
Petit has not only experience, but also success as a starter and long-relief man. Wendelken has the repertoire — 95 mph fastball, slider, curveball and changeup — to flip a lineup. Smith, who was traded across the Bay from the Giants in February, has impressed with an elevated fastball that’s touched 96 mph in camp.
Daniel Mengden, who is currently on the 60-day injured list due to offseason arthroscopic elbow surgery, is expected to follow Chris Bassitt’s footsteps as another swingman.
Until Luzardo returns to starter form, Bassitt’s the most likely option to slide into the rotation — he will pitch in the second exhibition game against the Giants on Tuesday. But he is capable of transitioning back to a long-relief bullpen option.
With a beyond-crowded path toward a rotational spot, Mengden’s role on this A’s roster will need to be malleable.
“Daniel will have to go through that, and you have to accept that if you want to excel,” Melvin said.
Emerson says the goal is to build Luzardo up starting at two innings, 35 pitches. Then add 15 after that. If the A’s don’t have time to build him toward starts out of the gate, they may stretch him out in high-leverage situations. As the season progresses and he stretches, he’ll fall back into the rotation.
“He’s in great shape, and he’s been doing a lot,” Emerson said of Luzardo. “The two weeks isn’t going to set him back much, because he’s athletic, he is young, he knows he’s in the right place. He’s stretching and limber and ready to go. I don’t expect him to miss too much time when he comes back.”