The Athletics will promote left-hander A.J. Puk from Triple-A Las Vegas prior to tomorrow’s game, Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports (via Twitter). Puk, the No. 6 overall pick in the 2016 draft, will need to have his contract formally selected. Oakland has an opening on its 40-man roster to accommodate him.
Puk, 24, is considered by virtually every major prospect outlet to be among the game’s top 50 prospects. He’s viewed as a potential key piece to the Athletics’ rotation down the road, but he’s been working primarily in relief this season as he works back from 2018 Tommy John surgery. The towering 6’7″ southpaw has a lackluster 4.97 ERA in 25 1/3 minor league innings this season, but he’s also punched out 38 hitters against 10 walks in that time.
Fangraphs currently rates Puk as baseball’s No. 21 prospect, putting a 65 grade on his fastball, a 60 on his slider and giving him the potential for two more average or better offerings in his changeup and curveball. MLB.com lists Puk 43rd among MLB prospects and dropped a 70 grade on his heater with a 65 on his slider. Puk, who paced all minor league starters with 13.2 K/9 in his last full season back in 2017, is touted as a potential No. 2 starter at the Major League level. He’ll likely get the opportunity to make good on those bullish forecasts in 2020, alongside the likes of Sean Manaea, Frankie Montas and perhaps fellow ballyhooed left-hander Jesus Luzardo, but for now he’ll step into Bob Melvin’s bullpen and look to help shut things down in the late innings.
Oakland has three left-handers in the ’pen at the moment, with Jake Diekman, Wei-Chung Wang and Ryan Buchter all giving Melvin southpaw options. All three of those southpaws have had issues with commanding the strike zone, though, and none can match Puk’s overall ceiling as a game-changing relief weapon. Taking a broader look, Oakland has seen closer Blake Treinen follow up a dominant 2018 campaign with a dismal 2019 showing. Fellow righty Lou Trivino has taken similar steps backward, leaving the A’s with a bullpen that’s been weaker than they anticipated.
By promoting Puk now, the A’s will be positioning themselves to control him through 2025 season, although future optional assignments to the minors could yet impact that timeline. If he’s in the big leagues from Tuesday through season’s end, he’ll accrue 41 days of big league service, though, meaning in order to push his path to free agency back until the 2026-27 offseason, the A’s would need to keep him in Triple-A for nearly two months next season. In other words, this appears quite likely to be a chance for Puk to cement himself as a big leaguer and leave the minor leagues behind. If he is indeed in the Majors for good, he wouldn’t be eligible for arbitration until after the 2022 season.
A’s Triple A team isn’t in Sacramento
Beat me to it… indeed it transitioned to the sf giants AAA about 3-4 years ago.
Yeah, this isn’t 2013. The Triple-A team plays in Las Vegas.
I wish it still was I’d go to every game
that is a really nice ballpark. Spent many a summer evening at Raley Field when I lived in Sacramento.
Whoops — had just been reading something on Jaylin Davis and had Sacramento on the brain, clearly. Thanks for that. It’s been fixed.
Sacramento wishes they still had the A’s to see a winning AAA team.
I mean the river cats are currently 65-58 and are in first place in the division, so might want to rethink that statement.
Eh, let’s not allow facts to get in the way of your cool story.
When you are in a very bad division that is nothing to brag about. i know for the last few years many in Sacramento complained about how bad the team has been.
L. This isn’t 2014 anymore, the giants farm is nowhere near as bad as it once was.
exciting news for a’s fans … both of them!
I’m one of them!!!!
I must be other? Both of us would like to meet you in the coliseum parking lot.
I’m another!
Omg there’s 4 of us!
I’m not. I’m an Angels fan, lets leave the parking lot stuff to those other nearby teams ;)
Unless you mean, let’s meet in the parking lot for a beer before the game, I’m up for that.
Your stat seems to be incorrect
your joke is old and tired now
Sacramento is the rivercats, the giants triple A affiliate. Speaking of the rivercats they NEED to promote jaylin Davis. Dude is going absolutely bonkers at Sacramento.
Only problem is that all four of the outfielders currently on the Giants’ 25-man are currently doing pretty well. I could see bringing him up as a fifth outfielder but that would limit his playing time significantly.
Not sure that Dickerson is 100% back from his time on the IL. Still looks off.
What I think that they should do is start playing slates in the infield more, start to make him into a super utility guy. That would let them option Avelino and open up a pure OF spot for Davis.
Think this guy will be great. Maybe best. Lol. Think he will start or reilieve? Prbably both. Not. lol. Can’t waitt 20 strike outs. Letttttsssss go!
This comment is a wild ride.
Drugs err bad, m’kay.
Although the A’s bullpen may be “weaker than they anticipated”, it still ranks 4th in FWAR.
20+ blown saves though. Among the worst in baseball.
Closers don’t come out of nowhere, unfortunately. Or if they do it takes them a while to come out of nowhere.
^Yogi Berra
They kinda do, that’s the problem with closers. If they didn’t come out of nowhere, fantasy league players wouldn’t be trying to find the right one every March only to end up being wrong more than half the time every Aug.
I always wait on closers and this year wound up with Kirby Yates and Will Smith so I’m pretty happy
Crazy to say but an ERA under 5 in the PCL is actually good…
if his ERA would be on an east coast team, it would be called “sparkling…unhittable..”
Apparently only 11 of the 25 1/3 innings were in the PCL but to your point…. he actually has 4.91 era with las vegas
Puk will probably be sent back down to stretch out and start in 2020.
They’ll stretch him out in the offseason and spring training to be ready to start next year. We just need him in the pen at the moment.
The cavalry is on its way boys, these young guns couldve easily been up in 2018 if not for injuries. Puk, then luzardo and manaea with in 2 weeks, maybe montas by end of season. Please no more setbacks. Now just get a hot bat in AAA like neuse or seth brown so they can give khris davis some time to heal up on IL
Now that Puk has gotten his Tommy John out of the way he can get on with his career. He should be a good one.
Yeah, because it’s not like anyone has ever had that injury a second or even a third time in their careers.
That’s like saying it’s good to get that first car crash out of the way, because it’s smooth driving from here on.
I’m so glad the Phillies drafter Moniak instead of Puk that year
-__-
/s
They drafted Monisck number 1 overall. Ok? Whats youre poinT? They don’t know. Props for trying on a stud. Come on man !
His point is that he would have rather seen the Phillies draft Puk than Moniak.
I whatever. Why not just say so. I not s minder eader. Otherwise won’t take this job lol.
Thank you 24. Yes, I was mocking the Phillies for messing up practically every first round pick for the past 17 years.
Nick Senzel and Ian Anderson went 2 and 3 after Moniak in that draft as well. The Phillies really screwed that pick up
They screw up every pick. If you look at the last 17 years, The Phillies have selected TWO players with their first pick that ended up making an impact at the major league level- Hamels and Nola. You could argue for d’Arnaud and Crawford, but I wouldn’t consider them “impactful”. 2 for 17 is a joke. They really need to take a long hard look at their scouting department
*screw every first round pick up
Bohm looks like a pretty good pick from last year’s draft but time will tell if he can produce in the big leagues. I get what you’re saying though. It’s pretty weird to see a team that was rebuilding for so long be predominantly comprised of players from outside their organization
Yeah Bohm looks really promising. I definitely am excited to see him develop.
Already 24 with an era like that in the minors!!! He will be a busta
Okay magic 8 ball.
after missing a year and a half with TJS, and in the most extreme hitters park…try again troll
His K’s per 9 has averaged between 11 and 14. He may end up as a bullpen dude long term.
great addition down the stretch. And I like guys getting their feet wet at the MLB level before getting fully promoted.
I love the old school feel of the A’s spring training facility and hit a game there every year. There’s some legitimate talent on the way.
Cedar Rapids iowa natives go get it puk!!!!
What the Puk?!
He was throwing a new two seamer in spring training just before his elbow blew out, not sure if its back, but it was a good looking compliment to his four seam.
Wang optioned to Las Vegas, Dustin Garneau clears waivers and assigned to Las Vegas as well.
Athletics get PUK in time for Hockey season !!
He needs to add body to his hair…..
If all these young pitchers return to full health, the A’s become LEGITMATE World Series candidates in 2020 and beyond. Hopefully the owner will open up the budget a little more next year to re-sign some of their players close to walking (like Siemien) and improves the bullpen a bit too. But they will be right there in October if these pitches are healthy!
They won’t – they already have stockpiled tons of high ceiling MI and their owners are the cheapest in the land. If they win a title without paying anyone, its thoroughly undeserved.
Another reliever named A.J Puk. or was the other guy named different? I am sure they have the same last name. Remember him? Used to pitch for Seattle as a reliever
Kershaw + Sale + Thor = AJ Puk.