Rosenthal reaches deal with Oakland
The Oakland Athletics appear to have found their new closer, agreeing to a deal with free agent Trevor Rosenthal in a continued revamping of their bullpen.
Rosenthal, 30, and Oakland agreed on a one-year, $11 million deal pending a physical, a source confirmed. The righthander and former All-Star was said to be seeking a multiyear deal after a resurgent 2020, but ESPN reported that he accepted a one-year deal at a higher annual figure for the chance to close with the A’s, who lost Liam Hendriks in free agency.
After a glacial offseason, the A’s in the past week have made a flurry of additions to a bullpen whose lack of returning experience was a concern. Oakland acquired lefthander Adam Kolarek from the Dodgers in a trade and reached free-agent deals with righthanders Sergio Romo and Yusmeiro Petit.
Romo’s signing became official Thursday; Petit’s hasn’t been announced yet.
Petit was one of four freeagent relievers from an A’s team that led the majors in bullpen ERA (2.72) last season. Manager Bob Melvin reserved comment Thursday on moves that aren’t yet official, but said of the bullpen: “Hypothetically, if all these things fall into place, I’d feel just as good (about it as) where we were.”
Rosenthal would bring a track record as a replacement for Hendriks, the 2020 AL Reliever of the Year who signed a three-year, $54 million deal with the White Sox. With the Cardinals, Rosenthal saved 45 games in 2014 and 48 in 2015, when he made the All-Star team and received MVP votes.
After having Tommy John surgery in 2017, Rosenthal missed the 2018 season and had a rough return in 2019, compiling a 13.50 ERA with 26 walks in 151⁄3 innings. But he rebounded in the short 2020 season, posting a 1.90 ERA with 11 saves in 23 games with the Royals and Padres.
Rosenthal drastically righted his command issues last year, totaling 38 strikeouts to eight walks in 232⁄3 innings. After being traded to San Diego in August, he recorded 17 strikeouts and one walk in nine outings.
His percentage of induced swing-and-misses ranked in the top 5 percent in the majors, and his average fastball velocity (98 mph) in the top 1 percent, according to Baseball Savant.
With Rosenthal as their closer, the A’s could keep lefthander Jake Diekman, who allowed one earned run in 2020, in a setup role, potentially along with Romo.
Melvin said it’s early to specify a role for Romo, but the righthander has plenty of experience in the late innings and as a closer.
“It could be setup, it could be match-up in a leverage situation maybe a little earlier than setup, not really sure yet,” Melvin said. “I think he’s open for anything . ... Based on the fact that our bullpen seems to be looking better and better every day, it just means we have a lot of depth and potentially can rest guys a little bit more.”
Melvin said Romo did some on-field drills in the A’s workout Thursday.
“He looks good in green. … Seems to be a bit of a free spirit, and that should play well here and fit in here,” Melvin said.
Romo, a sidewinding slider specialist, and Kolarek, a sinker-baller with a funky arm angle, diversify the looks the A’s have in a bullpen that returns righthanders J.B. Wendelken (1.80 ERA in 21 games last year) and Lou Trivino (3.86 ERA, 20 games), among others.
Melvin said he watched Kolarek’s bullpen session Thursday closely: “The sink on it, fantastic. We’ve looked at all the numbers. This is going to be a really important guy for us.”
“I was very confident with the team even before all these signings,” Trivino said on a video call Thursday morning. “But look, I’m excited. I really am. I think we’re putting together a good group of guys that can compete and do well, and hopefully we can go a little further than we have the last two years, three years. So I think we’re in a really good position, and those moves will help a lot.”