The A’s have claimed right-hander Devin Sweet off waivers from the Mariners. Sweet was designated for assignment earlier this week.
The 26-year-old made his Major League debut this season, appearing in two games with Seattle and posting two innings (with a 9.00 ERA). An undrafted free agent in 2018, Sweet is changing teams for the first time in his pro career, as he has a 3.67 ERA over 326 1/3 career innings in the Mariners’ farm system.
Those numbers include only seven innings at the Triple-A level, as Sweet was actually promoted to the majors from Double-A Arkansas for his two MLB games before he ever pitched for Triple-A Tacoma. He got the Mariners’ attention with a 1.54 ERA, 34.6% strikeout rate and 5.9% walk rate over 35 innings of Double-A ball, a decided step up from his work in Arkansas in 2021-22. Most prominently, Sweet showed great improvement at keeping the ball in the park, as he gave just one homer over those 35 frames at Double-A this year after allowing 27 homers over 137 2/3 innings in 2021-22.
It makes for some interesting potential, and it isn’t surprising that the rebuilding Athletics would want to take a look at a young and controllable arm. Oakland has optioned Sweet to Triple-A for now, but might very well call him up for some more Major League action before the season is over.
Sweet K/BB ratios in the minors
This pickup may be sweet but kind of a sour season for a’s fans (both of ’em).
So Sweet… No guarantees A’s pitching staff won’t continue to be in a “state of flux” next season but hey it’s a chance to prove Sweet’s value so he stays…
I hope he stays. The A’s have a nice bunch coming up or have been called recently. What they need now is a few good pieces and adopt that ‘is against the world’ mentality. Not the worst thing they have this record
Smart pickup
Sweet pick up bro
Sell the team, John Fisher
It looks like the A’s are trying to sugarcoat an awful season.
Do ya think so? Of course they are. Look at their loser owner. Billy Beane included
Billy Bean is just a minority owner of the A’s. If anything, Billy made the A’s better when working in operations which feels like he is pretty much involved still… Some trades worked out while the other ones, well…
your grasp of the obvious is frightening
I feel like the Mariners gave up on this guy too soon. Seems to have some real potential to be a solid big league reliever.
I’ll bet you young buckeroo’s don’t know who said, how sweet it is.
Same guy who used to say, “And away we go!”