Jun 10, 2021; Oakland, California, USA; Oakland Athletics relief pitcher Jesus Luzardo (44) pitches the ball against the Kansas City Royals during the eighth inning at RingCentral Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Kelley L Cox-USA TODAY Sports
When the Oakland A’s activated Jesus Luzardo and placed him in the bullpen, the expectation was that they had added a key piece to their bullpen. Luzardo had been lights out as a reliever in 2019, and although he was inconsistent in the rotation, he may be able to find himself as a pitcher in a different role. Manager Bob Melvin had already indicated his confidence in the lefty, as he was thrust into high leverage situations in his previous stint in the bullpen.