Fiers may be just what is needed for playoff push
OAKLAND >> Throughout this incredible A’s run over the past two months that’s got them positioned to nab a playoff spot for the first time four years, the one question has been how much stronger would they be with another reliable starter? We’re about to find out.
The A’s were awarded a waiver claim on starting pitcher Mike Fiers on Monday and struck a deal with the Detroit Tigers in exchange for two players to be named later or cash considerations. He’ll make his A’s debut on Wednesday against the Dodgers and their ace, Clayton Kershaw.
Shortly after the July 31 nonwaiver trade deadline, A’s general manager David Forst said the club would still be actively looking to add pitching for the final stretch run. After adding
reliever Shawn Kelley from the Washington Nationals on Sunday and now Fiers, the club certainly figures to get a boost.
“We were fortunate in both cases that the players were available,” Forst said. “We were hopeful that there were gonna be opportunities, but you just don’t know. A number of players have already been blocked or claimed on trade waivers, so you’re sort of at the mercy of the system.
“In Kelley’s case, he had a falling out in Washington that made him available. With Fiers for whatever reason we were able to get the claim. We consider ourselves lucky in both cases.”
Fiers, 33, represents a significant upgrade for the A’s starting rotation. The right-hander has been solid for the Tigers: 7-6 with a 3.48 ERA in 21 starts with 87 strikeouts and only 26 walks over 119 innings.
A lot of the numbers Fiers has put together this year appeared to tantalize the A’s front office, including the average of 1.97 walks per nine innings and .165 batting average against with runners in scoring position, both top-eight rankings among pitchers in the AL. But it’s Fiers’ ability to produce fly ball outs that Forst believes could turn him into an even better pitcher now playing his home games at the spacious Oakland Coliseum.
“There’s some things we’ve looked at with his repertoire that will play well in our park,” Forst said. “The walk numbers are outstanding. There’s a cutter and changeup that have played really well of late and we look forward
to setting up a pitch plan for him.”
Though A’s starters have been turning in stronger contributions over the past week, allowing just three earned runs in 37 innings (0.76 ERA) through six games and giving up zero earned runs in four of those six, the bullpen has been worked relentlessly for most of the season in order to compensate for the shorter outings from the rotation.
The A’s bullpen currently holds the third-best ERA (3.31) in the American League and fourthbest in the majors, and their 29 wins are the most of any relieving corps in MLB. But get a load of this work rate — Yusmeiro Petit has thrown more innings (69 2/3) than any reliever in baseball this season and is on pace to lead the majors for the second consecutive season. All-Star closer Blake Treinen isn’t too far behind Petit for sixth-most (57) innings pitched in the AL. Even rookie sensation Lou Trivino, who really didn’t emerge as the setup man until May, is top-ten in the AL with 54 1/3 innings.
Here’s where Fiers comes in.
In 21 starts this year, Fiers is averaging about six innings per start. A’s starters outside of Sean Manaea have often struggled to even reach the sixth. Fiers has also allowed three earned runs or less in 11 of his last 12 outings. If Fiers could continue this pace
with Oakland alongside Manaea, the stress placed on the bullpen for the rest of the regular season goes significantly down, maximizing its efficiency. It’s an elite bullpen that the A’s will probably want to lean on heavily in the playoffs, but they have to keep it somewhat fresh before they get there.
Fiers also reunites with catcher Jonathan Lucroy. The two were teammates with the Milwaukee Brewers from 2011-15.
This isn’t Fiers’ first experience switching teams in the middle of a season. He was traded from Milwaukee to Houston at the 2015 deadline, and seemed to gel quickly with the new team as he went 2-1 with a 3.32 ERA in nine starts to help the Astros reach the playoffs that year and pitched out of the bullpen that postseason.
That experience could be of great value, because if the A’s do manage to hold onto this playoff spot and find themselves playing the AL Wild Card game, there’s a good chance Fiers could be on the mound that night. Though Trevor Cahill and Edwin Jackson have been pleasant surprises in the rotation, having Fiers starting such a game, likely against the New York Yankees, would certainly provide the A’s with a little more comfort.
Perhaps the best part of all in this deal, Fiers is no rental. The right-hander is currently on a one-year, $6 million deal, and is under team control for 2019 in what will be his final year of arbitration.
Left-handed pitcher Jeremy Bleich was designated for assignment to make room for Fiers on the 40man roster, but the A’s will still need to make a corresponding move to get him on the active roster.