A pitching staff in flux was the Oakland A’s weakness from this season’s start.
The injury bug that plagued the rotation — Sean Manaea’s shoulder surgery, A.J. Puk and Jharel Cotton’s Tommy John recovery and No. 1 prospect Jesus Luzardo’s slow return from a shoulder strain — compounded with a bullpen letdown manifested from subpar performances by Lou Trivino and Blake Trienen.
This patchwork pitching staff has been able to keep heads above water; the bullpen’s 4.7 WAR (wins above replacement) is the second-best in baseball, for example. But the best is yet to come.
After trading for Jake Diekman, general Manager David Forst asserted that he didn’t plan to put his phone down before Wednesday’s trade deadline.