The Oakland A’s currently sit atop the AL West with their impressive 51-36 record, so do they really need any reinforcements? The A’s have a young pitching stud in Sacramento by the name of Sonny Gray who has caused much hype this year. So, when should the A’s call up Gray and do they really need him?
The A’s pitching staff has been anything but consistent this year as many starters have had some ups and downs, but they have plenty of pitching depth. At the start of the season, Brett Anderson was the ace and was expected to be the ace throughout the season, but, as always, the injury bug bit Anderson yet again and he has been on the DL since May 1st due to a fractured foot. Some good news has been announced regarding Anderson, the boot has been taken off and he is able to resume baseball activities, which will provide the starting rotation some extra help as the season winds down.
In Anderson’s absence, the 40-year-old Bartolo Colon has taken over as the ace of the staff posting a record of 11-3 with a 2.78 ERA. Tom Milone is 8-7 with a 4.11 ERA, A.J. Griffin is 6-6 with a 3.95 ERA, Daniel Straily is 5-2 with a 4.52 ERA, and Jarrod Parker is 6-6 with a 4.11 ERA.
In his last start, Parker left the game due to hamstring issues and missed a start due to the hammy. He is projected to start this Saturday and depending on how he pitches, Gray could get the call-up sooner rather than later. Parker has been pitching great as of late, but if he indeed struggles and still feels tightness in the hamstring, the A’s should give Gray a chance.
Gray is 8-5 with a 2.81 ERA and 107 strikeouts for the Sacramento River Cats. Very impressive numbers which is why he may get a chance in the bigs this year. There will be no room for inconsistency as the season progresses and the A’s are in the middle of a pennant race. Straily has shown inconsistency this season, but pitched phenomenally in his last start. If his performance declines, Gray should be his replacement as well.
The fact that the A’s have some pitching depth and a young starter waiting in AAA, is a great advantage to have. The A’s have technically passed the halfway point of the season and possess one of the best records in the game. Gray should get the call-up when the opportunity presents itself; whether it be due to injury or inconsistency by another starter. Having him, as well as Anderson, as a reinforcement will greatly help the rotation.