Reliever Coulombe nearly flawless for A’s to start season

Left-hander able to handle both righties and lefties

SEATTLE » Whilemuch has been made of the strong start from the several new additions to theA’s bullpen this season, one pitcher remaining from last year’s collection has been just as impressive.

Danny Coulombe has been nearly f lawless through six appearances this season, allowing one run and four hits with seven strikeouts and one walk.

And those numbers have not just come against lefties. The left-handed Coulombe has also performed well against right-handed batters, giving A’smanager Bob Melvin another valuable piece to go to later in games.

“He’s been really good. He’s gone through some righties. We’ve seen that before from him,” Melvin said. “He’s getting more comfortable with pitching to lefties. We don’t have too many guys in the bullpen that are groundball pitchers, but you look at his numbers, he’s a ground- ball pitcher on top of it.

“He’s gotten some double plays and is really starting to get a lot more comfortable at the big league level.”

Coulombe is one of two A’s left-handed relievers after the club traded for Ryan Buchter in the offseason. Melvin said the combination of Coulombe’s groundball stuff along with the more strikeout-minded Bu- chter allows for some variety when it comes to approaching left-handed hitters.

Coming off a season in which he appeared in a career-high 72 games for the A’s, Coulombe’s number of games could go down slightly with Buchter around. But as long as Coulombe continues to throw that big curveball of his around 79 mph to go along with his 90 mph fastball, that variation in speeds will continue to serve as a valuable weapon.

“With his cutter, it’s a little bit to the right or left. Then you have a 12-6 curveball, not only are you pitching in and out but your pitching up and down,” Melvin said. “It’s helped him quite a bit.”

• In Wednesday night’s 16- 6 blowout win over the Los Angeles Dodgers, Melvin inserted Mark Canha into the starting lineup to give first basemanMatt Olson a breather.

Though Olson, eventually made his way into the game, Canha went 1 for 2. It allowed Melvin to get Canha a chance to keep his bat going.

“We have to get some of these other guys in the games, Melvin said. “We’ve predominantly been playing the same lineup, and when Mark Canha’s swinging well, you don’t want him sitting around too long.”

Trayce Thompson, who got his first start with the A’s on Wednesday night after he was claimed off waivers last week, could also see more starts in the next week.

“We’re down a couple of guys and for a new guy coming over and has been inactive basically, based on what’s been going on with him with the waiver stuff, you have to get him in a game,” Melvin said. “You sit around too long, and it’s like spring training all over for you.”

Thompson singled off Dodgers reliever Wilmer Font in the ninth for his first hit in the big leagues since Sept. 29. After a promising first full year in the majors with the Dodgers was cut short in 2016 by a back injury, Thompson was pleased just to finally find himself starting in a big league game again.

“It felt great just to play baseball again,” Thompson said. “Last yearwas a roller coaster for me with not a lot of highs. It feels good just to be here and try to help these guys get a win every day.”

• Franklin Barreto has not had an at-bat since his call up to replace the injured Chad Pinder on the roster Sunday in Anaheim, but Melvin expects to get him into a game in the upcoming series against the Seattle Mariners.

Barreto, the A’s top positional prospect, has been taking fly balls in the outfield during batting practice. He could get time out there in addition to shortstop and second base.