MINNEAPOLIS – Josh Smith thought he’d lost his throwing partner when Bobby Wahl was told he was being promoted to join the Oakland bullpen.
Then later in the day the A’s called down to Nashville for more pitching help, and Smith was the guy they wanted.
Wahl was promoted to take over some late-inning bullpen work with Sean Doolittle going onto the disabled list. When Cesar Valdez gave up three homers in one inning later Tuesday and his ERA soared to 9.64, the A’s designated him for assignment and called on former Reds reliever Smith.
“It was neat, because he’d never gotten that call before,” Smith said of Wahl.