Reliever Smith returns
TORONTO — Oakland almost went back to its eightman bullpen Monday, calling up Josh Smith from Triple-A Nashville and sending first baseman-outfielder Matt Olson back down.
Reliever Frankie Montas, however, was stuck in New York for the day because of visa trouble, leaving Oakland a player short for the first game of the series against the Blue Jays. Montas is expected to arrive in Toronto in time for Tuesday’s game.
Smith, back for his second stint with Oakland, went two innings and allowed one hit and he walked in a run in the seventh.
“Last time I was here I was making some stupid mistakes I hadn’t ever, really, so I went down and ironed some things out,” Smith said. “I was just making dumb pitches, didn’t have as much confidence in some pitches as I should have.”
Olson joined Oakland for last weekend’s series against the Mets in New York, and he was 1-for-2 with a pinch-hit single. He’s had five stints with the A’s this season and knows the drill now as the designated yo-yo between Nashville and Oakland.
“He sees me coming,” manager Bob Melvin said. “Usually I have someone come to my office, now I just kind of look at him and it’s like, ‘Ah. OK.’ ... He understands.”
Alonso’s funk: All-Star Yonder Alonso went 0-for-3 and is hitless in his past 10 at-bats and hitting .193 over his past 36 games, but he said before the game that he isn’t worried; he’ll stick to the process that made him so successful in the first half.
“Baseball’s like a stock,” Alonso said. “Sometimes you have a bad week where the stocks are down, and the next week, the stock is booming. Hopefully, we continue on and the stock starts booming.”
Axford’s woes: John Axford took over in the seventh Monday, gave up a hit and two walks and didn’t retire a batter; the Blue Jays scored a run when Smith replaced Axford and walked Justin Smoak. Axford’s ERA climbed to 6.43.
“The walks have really been killing him,” Melvin said. “He has a history of throwing the ball over the plate, he’s just having trouble doing that now.”