Short time to impress for Rule 5 draft pick
GOODYEAR, Ariz. — Outfielder Ka’ai Tom faces a short audition. As a Rule 5 draft pick, Tom must make the A’s roster out of camp or be offered back to his former team. An oblique injury, though, kept him out of Cactus League games until Monday.
Two weeks of spring training remain. Is it enough for Tom to make a case for a roster spot?
“I think so,” Tom said. “I don’t try to think of it, so to speak, that way. Just taking it day by day, making sure my body is OK, my oblique is OK. And whenever I do have any opportunity, whether it’s at the complex or at the games, just give it my all.”
Said manager Bob Melvin: “It’s all he’s got. So without trying to reinjure him, we’ll try to get him as many atbats as we can.”
Tom made his spring debut Monday against his former team, Cleveland. He lined a single for his lone hit in three atbats and played six defensive innings. Melvin noted Tom pulled a single to rightcenter against lefthander Logan Allen and “looks like he runs pretty well.”
Tom said his oblique, which he injured hitting in the offseason, has “felt good for a little bit.” He faced A’s pitchers in simulated games, but is still readjusting to game speed. He is among several potential backup outfielders still in camp, with Seth Brown, Buddy Reed and Cody Thomas.
“They have been doing a very good job of building me up and making sure I have enough swings to kind of get back into the rhythm of things,” Tom said.
⏩ The A’s returned another Rule 5 draft pick, reliever Dany Jiménez, to Toronto on Monday and reinstated starter Frankie Montas from the COVID19related IL. Melvin said the A’s “probably didn’t see ( Jiménez’s) best velocity,” but given their more recent bullpen additions “it’d probably be hard for him to stick.”
⏩ Chris Bassitt said his fastball was “basically there” and his curveball was “unbelievably good” in his 32⁄3inning start Monday. Bassitt recorded five strikeouts and allowed one run. Andres Giménez tripled in Jake Bauers, who doubled against the slider Bassitt is working on this spring. “Overall, I think my stuff ’s pretty dang good right now,” Bassitt said. ⏩ Reliever Adam Kolarek allowed two singles and a walk, then gave up a grand slam to Roberto Perez in the sixth inning of the A’s 73 loss. Melvin did not sound concerned: “He probably didn’t get a few low strikes that he normally gets. Very rarely does he give up too many balls in the air, so just an off day for him today.” ⏩ Starter Mike Fiers is “probably a long shot” to open the season in the rotation after an MRI showed inflammation in his hip, Melvin said. Fiers was scheduled to receive a cortisone shot Monday afternoon and be reevaluated after a couple of days.