Graveman gets advice
ARLINGTON, Texas — In his quest to right his season, Kendall Graveman is turning to lots of teammates for help.
Jonathan Lucroy had a long exchange of ideas with Graveman at the team hotel in Seattle and, among other things, the catcher suggested Graveman use his changeup more. Then Trevor Cahill taught Graveman his changeup grip, and it seems to be working; the pitch was much improved in Graveman’s outing. Graveman said he has been closely watching Cahill, who has a similar repertoire. Outfielder Matt Joyce then stood in the box while Graveman threw his bullpen session in preparation for Wednesday’s start at Texas and gave the starter lots of feedback.
“His bullpen was so sharp,” Joyce said. “Kendall hit every spot he was trying to hit. Sometimes this game has a way of beating you down. You have to be reminded how good you are, but he has unbelievable stuff.”
Graveman enters Wednesday with a 10.07 ERA after giving up six runs on seven hits in five-plus innings against Boston on Friday night. He was
encouraged with his modified delivery — he doesn’t go over his head in the windup — and the improved changeup. He struck out six and did not issue a walk.
“I’m excited,” he said. “That’s where I’m at right now. Obviously, everyone knows how it’s gone so far, but I find I enjoy the process of trying to get better. ... I’ve had to go through this hard time to continue to grow and learn.”
Petit leaves team: Yusmeiro Petit returned home to Venezuela early Tuesday after the death of his mother, Rubia, and the reliever was placed on the bereavement list; Lou Trivino was recalled from Triple-A Nashville. He struck out two hitters in the eighth inning sandwiched around Adrian Beltre’s RBI single.
Manager Bob Melvin said that Petit got the news before Monday’s game but still worked 12⁄3 scoreless innings, allowing just one hit. “I was not going to use him in that game unless he really wanted to,” Melvin said.
Petit then was struck in the back of the thigh by a comebacker by Jurickson Profar, but he remained in the game and got the next batter, Robinson Chirinos, to hit into a double play. “I’m amazed,” Melvin said. “He finishes that inning, then goes back and out and gets two more hitters out. I didn’t expect that. I obviously appreciate it.”
Hip procedure for Hendriks: Reliever Liam Hendriks, on the disabled list for an adductor muscle strain, was scheduled to have a cyst removed from his right hip Tuesday, along with a platelet-rich plasma injection to address a tear in the muscle tendon.
“It’s not significant enough to where they feel like they need to do a repair,” A’s trainer Nick Paparesta said of the tear, which is an area also known as the musculotendinous junction.
Hip specialist Dr. Marc Philippon, who performed hip surgeries for Andrew Triggs and Mark Canha, was scheduled to perform the procedure in Vail, Colo.