Athletics right-hander Daniel Mengden underwent arthroscopic surgery on his pitching elbow Monday, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports. Mengden will miss at least two months as a result, making it likely he’ll begin the season on the 60-day injured list, according to Slusser.
The 26-year-old Mengden divided last season between the A’s and their Triple-A affiliate in Las Vegas, totaling 13 appearances for both teams. He started nine games for Oakland and pitched to a 4.83 ERA/4.69 FIP with ugly strikeout, walk and groundball rates over 59 2/3 innings. Mengden fanned 6.34 hitters per nine, walked 4.07 and induced grounders at a 36.3 percent clip. He was much better in those categories in the minors (8.58 K/9, 2.82 BB/9, 51.4 percent GB rate), but his run prevention was somewhat similar. Mengden wound up with a 4.22 ERA/4.55 FIP across 64 frames and 10 starts.
While Mengden has mostly been a starter in the majors since he came on the scene in 2016, he’d have been in line to compete for a bullpen spot this spring. The A’s, after all, have plenty of other rotation candidates or locks (Frankie Montas, Sean Manaea, Mike Fiers, Jesus Luzardo, Chris Bassitt and A.J. Puk are among them). It’s now up in the air whether Mengden will throw another pitch as a member of the organization, considering he’s out of minor league options. But if he does go on the 60-day IL, Oakland will save a 40-man roster spot and put that decision on hold.
I’d love to see Mengden as a multi-inning reliever. He usually did pretty well his first time through the order and it’d be nice to have some insurance in case Petit goes down or has a down year.
But he only does his handlebar mustache as a starter!
he shaved it off completely a while back
only problem with Mengden the reliever is that he sucks outta the stretch.
Damn. Wish they discovered this issue in November.
This is probably better he is good starter depth that cant be optioned so he will be on the DL then can be stretched out in rehab if guys are hurt and they need him.
Exactly!
As a Rangers fan… yes. As a generally good person… nooo, that’s bad. I kind of wish they could’ve found something back in September and made him get surgery then, but oh well, I hope it’s done right.
Probably wouldn’t of made the team anyways
He would have a hard time making the team anyway, but it was good having him in case of injuries or Puk needing some time in the minors. He could be still added to team in june, but if our pitching is doing fine he is a DFA candidate. I know we have a really good rotation in both MLB and AAA with Jefferies, Homles, Kaprielian, Dunshee and Blackburn, but maybe addind someone like Cahill on a minor league deal wouldn’t be a bad idea. I wanted Homer Bailey back at the beginning of the offseason, but not for 1yr/7mln.
He had a good chance of making the bullpen, given the lack of minor league options and sporadic success at the mlb level. With Puk and Luzardo on the way he didn’t have much of a future as a starter, but it would be real nice to have some extra long relievers to help limit pitch counts and protect our young arms.
Good Ag… great guy. Hope he gets back to feeling well soon.
Good Ag… great guy. Hope he gets back to feeling well soon.
this is awfully convenient for someone who’s shot at making the team was almost nonexistent…Daulton Jefferies, come on down!