A’s lose to Mets despite big day at the plate from Semien.
A’s All Star doesn’t start in loss; team signs Carter, calls up Olson
NEW YORK – The A’s roster continues to churn.
The team announced a series of moves that appear to position them to deal All-Star first baseman Yonder Alonso, who is reportedly coveted by a number of suitors as trade talks heat up.
First baseman Matt Olson and right-hander Frankie Montas were promoted from Triple-A Nashville and joined the club before Friday night’s game against the Mets. In another move that could help the A’s compensate for Alonso’s loss, they announced the signing of slugging first baseman Chris Carter to a minor league contract and assigned him to Nashville.
Interestingly, Alonso, 30, did not start Friday night’s 7-5 loss to the Mets with left-hander Steven Matz starting. Ryon Healy got the nod at first base instead, but Alonso did end up replacing Healy after Healy took a bad ground ball off the face in the sixth inning. Alonso, who made his first All-Star appearance and was the leading vote-getter on the players’ ballot, took a .273 batting average with 21 home runs and 45 RBIs into the game which he was 0-for-1.
Carter, 30, tied for the National League lead with 41 home runs for Milwaukee last year but faltered with the Yankees this season, triggering his release on July 10. He batted .201 with eight home runs and 26 RBIs for the Yankees and failed to make contact an alarming number of times, with 76 strikeouts in 184 at-bats.
The itinerant Olson was recalled from Nashville for the fourth time since June 3. He is doing what he can to put a positive spin on the uncertainty he is facing.
“It’s always nice to be the guy they want when they have an extra spot,” he said. “I just deal with the travel.”
Manager Bob Melvin believes Ol-
son will join Montas in being an integral part of the plans moving forward.
“As much experience as he can get this year will be good for him based on the fact that we feel he has a hell of a future here,” the manager said.
Melvin is eager to see what Montas, 24, can provide as a long or short reliever, depending on his needs.
“He’s going to get this thing figured out pretty soon and he’s going to be a force for us, whether he’s in a starting role or, this year, in a bullpen role,” Melvin said.
The highly-regarded Montas struggled earlier this season, compiling a bloated 6.91 ERA in 21 relief appearances from April 5 to June 7. Opponents batted .308 against him with nine home runs, most among major league relievers at the end of his first stint.
He was optioned to Nashville on June 11. He was used primarily as a starter there because, according to Melvin, the organization wanted him to refine all of his pitches, including his changeup, and not rely quite so heavily on his high-octane fastball.
“In a relief role, you might not have time to establish all of those pitches,” Melvin said. “But there are times when you need another pitch in your pocket.”
Montas appeared in seven games with the Sounds, six of them starts, and went 0-1 with a 4.22 ERA. He limited opponents to a .213 batting average.
• Right-hander Paul Blackburn, a former star at Heritage High in Brentwood, pitched well enough for the A’s to defeat the Mets. But that was not enough.
Ineffective relief pitching, a season-long problem, and a throwing error typical of the A’s defensive gaffes throughout this rough summer, turned a potential victory into a loss that marked the rookie’s first defeat.
Blackburn worked 5 1/3 innings in his fourth major league start, allowing four runs on six hits. He struck out one and walked one while throwing 43 of his 76 pitches for strikes. On this team, at least, he needed to last longer. And do more.
Nursing a 3-2 edge, with both Mets runs coming on Michael Conforto’s two-run home run in the third on a changeup that stayed up, Blackburn issued a leadoff walk to Asdrubal Cabrera in the sixth that proved costly. He rebounded to fan Jay Bruce but was lifted after former A Yoenis Cespedes singled to left.
“They roughed him up a little bit,” Melvin said of Blackburn. “I felt at that point, with a couple of runners on, it was time to do something different.”
Blackburn, 23, was replaced by left-hander Daniel Coulombe, who allowed a bad-hop smash that left Healy motionless when it caught him in the face for a hit that loaded the bases. He was replaced by Alonso. Melvin said a medical examination indicated Healy does not have a concussion.
Coulombe gave way to Blake Treinen. The righthander, acquired from the Nationals last Sunday, also fell short. T.J. Rivera ripped a two-run single to center. Duda was thrown out at third while Rivera raced to second. Chapman made an errant throw to second and the ball bounded into right field without any backup in sight, allowing Rivera to jog home.
“Everybody was trying to back up,” Melvin said. “That’s the one spot you don’t expect it to be.”
Conforto tacked on a two-run homer in the seventh off Montas.