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Athletics Reinstate Frankie Montas, Designate Beau Taylor For Assignment

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The Athletics announced Wednesday that they’ve reinstated right-hander Frankie Montas from the restricted list now that his 80-game PED suspension has been completed. Oakland had a full 40-man roster, so catcher Beau Taylor was designated for assignment in order to open a spot for Montas’ return. Montas won’t be postseason-eligible because of that suspension, but he’ll take the ball and start tonight’s game against the Angels.

Montas, 26, hasn’t pitched since June 20 after testing positive for the banned substance Ostarine. As with virtually all players who fail a drug test, Montas claimed to have been unaware he’d taken a banned substance, blaming the positive test on a “contaminated supplement” which he “purchased over-the-counter at a nutrition store here in the United States.” Regardless of intent (or lack thereof), he served out the full 80-game ban that first-time offenders face.

It’s not clear what type of workload Montas will be able to handle, although general manager David Forst indicated earlier this month that the A’s have kept Montas stretched out with a series of simulated games. Whatever volume of innings Montas can handle, they’ll all be pivotal at this point; the A’s are in the thick of a three-team AL Wild Card race with the Indians and Rays.

If the A’s get anything close to the form Montas displayed from March until late June, then they’ll be in excellent shape for tonight’s contest. Through 90 innings earlier this season, Montas pitched to a pristine 2.70 ERA with a similarly strong 2.91 FIP and a 3.42 xFIP. He averaged 9.7 strikeouts, 2.1 walks and 0.7 homers per nine innings pitched while keeping the ball on the ground at a healthy 50.8 percent clip.

Of course, skeptics will attribute that apparent breakout to Montas’ failed drug test, and there’ll be nowhere near enough time in 2019 for him to prove that he’s capable of sustaining that level of pace post-suspension. He’ll surely have a place earmarked in Oakland’s 2020 rotation, at which point he’ll strive to continue upon this year’s breakout and distance himself from that suspension as best he can. He’ll presumably be joined by Sean Manaea and Mike Fiers in that regard. Righties Chris Bassitt, Daniel Mengden and Jharel Cotton will compete with top left-handed pitching prospects Jesus Luzardo and A.J. Puk for the final spots in Oakland’s rotation.

Montas, who’ll turn 27 next March, lost more than half a season’s worth of service time but will still ever-so-narrowly eek out enough service to reach two full years of big league service in 2019. As such, he’s still controlled through the 2023 season and remains on track to be arbitration-eligible following the 2020 campaign.

As for the 29-year-old Taylor, this won’t be the first time he’s been cut loose by the A’s. Oakland outrighted him off the 40-man roster following the 2018 season but re-signed him to a minor league deal, and the Athletics also designated Taylor for assignment earlier this year. He landed with the Blue Jays via a waiver claim but was eventually DFA’ed by Toronto and returned to Oakland on a second waiver claim.

Taylor is 5-for-30 with a pair of homers in a tiny sample of 36 MLB plate appearances. He’s spent parts of three seasons at the Triple-A level and batted a combined .256/.373/.385 there. He’s been about a percentage point below average in terms of caught-stealing rate for his pro career and has drawn average or better pitch-framing grades in the past few seasons.

Blake Treinen, Lou Trivino Done For Season

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The Athletics shut injured reliever Blake Treinen down for the regular season last week, but the hope then was that he’d return from the stress reaction in his back for a potential playoff run. That’s now out of the question, though, as Treinen’s officially done for the year, per Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle. Meanwhile, fellow righty reliever Lou Trivino is “likely” finished for 2019 as a result of a cracked rib, according to Slusser. Trivino suffered the injury when he slipped in his shower earlier this month.

While Treinen and Trivino were two of the Athletcs best relievers just a year ago (the former was historically good), they don’t look like enormous losses for the hard-charging A’s this season. Neither has pitched in a couple weeks, and when the two have taken the mound, they’ve been anything but lights-out.

It’s especially surprising how much the 31-year-old Treinen declined this season. Treinen notched an otherworldly 0.78 ERA (1.82 FIP) across 80 1/3 innings in 2018, when he also posted 11.2 K/9 with 2.35 BB/9 and converted 38 of 43 save chances. But everything trended the wrong way in 2019 for Treinen, whom injuries helped limit to 58 2/3 innings of 4.91 ERA/5.15 FIP ball with 9.05 K/9 and 5.68 BB/9. He also blew five of his 21 save attempts and lost his spot as the A’s closer to Liam Hendriks.

Now, it’s up in the air whether Treinen has thrown his final pitch as an Athletic. As MLBTR’s Steve Adams pointed out last week, Oakland will face an offseason decision on whether to tender Treinen a contract for next year. He earned $6.4MM this season and will collect a raise over that figure if he makes his last trip through arbitration over the winter.

There are no such financial concerns with Trivino, who’s still in the pre-arb phase. The 27-year-old wasn’t the dominant force Treinen was in 2018, but Trivino more than held his own as a rookie setup man. Trivino didn’t offer particularly valuable results this year, however, as he struggled to a 5.25 ERA/4.54 FIP with 8.55 K/9 and 4.65 BB/9 over 60 frames.

Marcus Semien Set To Break Franchise Record

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For those actively searching for a player ready to assume Anthony Rendon’s former title as the game’s “Most Underrated” player, Athletics shortstop Marcus Semien is making a valid case for himself in 2019. As Martin Gallegos of MLB.com notes, Semien scored his 120th run of the season on Sunday, placing him just three runs behind Reggie Jackson 1969 record for most runs scored by an Athletic in a single season (link). Besides that possibly impending accomplishment, it’s important to note that the 28-year-old Semien has done more than just cross the plate in 2019. Among AL shortstops, his 32 homers place him 3rd, his 90 RBIs are good for 2nd, and his 7.2 WAR valuation places him behind only Houston’s Alex Bregman at his position. However you slice it, 2019 has been a banner year for the former Cal Bear, who will likely garner MVP consideration at season’s end.

Lou Trivino Injured In At-Home Accident

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  • Athletics reliever Lou Trivino hasn’t pitched since Sept. 14 because of left oblique and rib soreness. It turns out Trivino suffered the injuries when he slipped in his shower, he told John Shea of the San Francisco Chronicle on Friday. Trivino does expect to pitch again this season, which wasn’t going according to plan for him even before his at-home accident. While the 27-year-old largely stymied opposing hitters as a rookie in 2018, he has only managed a 5.25 ERA/4.53 FIP with 8.55 K/9 and 4.65 BB/9 in 60 innings this season.

Frankie Montas To Rejoin A’s Next Week

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Athletics right-hander Frankie Montas will return from suspension during the club’s series against the Angels, which begins Tuesday, Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports. Montas will be eligible to pitch Wednesday, but it’s not yet clear whether the 26-year-old will start or relieve during his late-season comeback.

With a 2.70 ERA/2.90 FIP and 9.7 K/9 against 2.1 BB/9 in 90 innings, Montas has unquestionably been the A’s most effective starter this year. However, a shocking 80-game performance-enhancing drug ban on June 21 cut off his breakout campaign and will stop him from participating in the playoffs. The A’s aren’t locks to reach the postseason, but at 92-61 and two games up on the AL’s No. 1 wild-card spot, they look to be on their way. Whether from their rotation or their bullpen, Montas could further bolster the A’s chances of a second straight playoff trip over the last week of the season.

Thanks in part to Montas’ absence, this is the second consecutive season the A’s rotation’s trying to battle through adversity and reach the top of the mountain in baseball. Multiple injuries have also added to the difficulty for Oakland, but its starting staff has found some late-season stability. Trade deadline pickups Homer Bailey and Tanner Roark have provided solid results since coming over in July; Sean Manaea has been nearly unhittable since he made a long-awaited return from injury Sept. 1; and Mike Fiers and Brett Anderson have defied unspectacular peripherals en route to ERAs in the low-4.00s this year.

Blake Treinen Diagnosed With Stress Reaction In His Back

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The Athletics are shutting down right-hander Blake Treinen for the remainder of the regular season due to a back issue, manager Bob Melvin announced after today’s game (Twitter links via Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle). MLB.com’s Martin Gallegos tweets that Treinen has been diagnosed with a stress reaction in his back.

The issue has been bothering Treinen for the past three weeks, it seems, and it’s reached the point where he requires some downtime. It’s worth noting that the team has not yet formally ruled Treinen out for a postseason run, though that’ll surely depend on how his back responds to this shutdown. In his absence, the A’s are moving Chris Bassitt into a long relief/piggyback role, per Slusser, and seemingly going with a rotation consisting of Sean Manaea, Mike Fiers, Tanner Roark, Brett Anderson and Homer Bailey.

It’s been an ugly season for Treinen, who stepped up as one of baseball’s premier relievers almost immediately upon being traded to Oakland at the 2017 deadline. The now-31-year-old posted 38 innings of 2.13 ERA ball with a 42-to-12 K/BB ratio down the stretch for Oakland in ’17 before turning in a ridiculous 0.78 ERA (1.82 FIP) with 11.2 K/9, 2.4 BB/9 and a 51.9 percent ground-ball rate in 80 1/3 innings last year.

Treinen, however, lost his grip on the closer’s role in 2019 and has generally struggled since a late-April meltdown against in Toronto. His regular season will come to a close with a 4.91 ERA (5.14 FIP, 5.02 xFIP), 9.1 K/9, 5.7 BB/9, 1.38 HR/9 and a 42.8 percent grounder rate. Treinen’s average velocity, swinging-strike rate, opponents’ chase rate and opponents’ hard-hit rate have all trended sharply in the wrong direction, leaving the A’s with somewhat of a decision in the offseason; he’s due a raise on this year’s $6.4MM salary in his final offseason of arbitration eligibility. For a team with the type of payroll constraints the Athletics face each year, that could be viewed as a steep price to pay for a rebound candidate.

The Athletics, now 92-61 on the season, have won eight of their past 10 games and now hold a 2.5-game lead on the top Wild Card spot in the American League. There’s still time for the Rays and/or Indians to overtake them, but the A’s are in a fairly commanding spot with regard to the AL Wild Card race at this point. Their schedule the rest of the way features three home games against the Rangers, two on the road against the Angels and four on the road in Seattle.

Latest On Stephen Piscotty

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The Athletics have been rolling lately, but not everything is glorious for the American League wild-card leaders. Manager Bob Melvin said Monday that outfielder Stephen Piscotty’s high right ankle sprain might keep him out for the rest of the regular season, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.

Piscotty, who hasn’t played since Aug. 24, is still dealing with soreness in his ankle, according to Melvin. That continues what has been a tough campaign for the 28-year-old Piscotty, a highly valuable Athletic last season who has only managed a .252/.312/.416 line with 13 home runs in 389 plate appearances. Piscotty has missed quite a bit of time along the way, as he previously sat out after he underwent surgery to remove a melanoma from his right ear and was later shelved with a right knee sprain.

A healthy Piscotty has been the A’s go-to pick in right field this year, but they’ve turned the position over to a mix of Chad Pinder, Robbie Grossman, Mark Canha and Ramon Laureano in his absence. Oakland has carried on just fine with that group, evidenced by the club’s 15-6 record since Piscotty last played.

If the A’s earn a playoff spot in a couple weeks but Piscotty’s still unable to suit up, they’ll likely place left-hander Jesus Luzardo on their postseason roster, Slusser suggests. The phenom Luzardo, 21, has thrown six innings of two-run ball in a pair of appearances since debuting in the majors Sept. 11.

Jesus Luzardo, Super-Reliever?

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Jesus Luzardo’s second Major League appearance resulted in his first career save, as the star Athletics rookie allowed a run on two hits and two walks over three innings of work in Oakland’s 6-1 win over the Rangers today.  Luzardo has tossed three innings in each of his two MLB games, both times coming directly after a starter (Brett Anderson on Wednesday after five innings, and Sean Manaea after six innings today).  Should the A’s reach the postseason, there’s certainly a case that Luzardo could serve as either a multi-inning reliever or even as a proper starter.  “That gives us a little pause for thought about how we potentially might do things down the road,” A’s manager Bob Melvin told reporters, including the San Francisco Chronicle’s Susan Slusser.  “Obviously, we have to get there, a lot of work between then and now. But you definitely think of some options, especially with Luzardo coming out of the pen doing what he’s doing.”

Mike Fiers Exits With Right Arm Nerve Irritation

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9:31 pm: The club has announced that Fiers was pulled with “right arm nerve irritation”. As Slusser points out, that descriptor can foreshadow a wide range of possible outcomes and recovery timetables; Brett Anderson was sidelined briefly last year with left arm irritation, while Andrew Triggs required surgery for thoracic outlet syndrome (link).

8:52 pm: Athletics starter Mike Fiers set Twitter ablaze twice on Saturday. Initially, it was the veteran’s flamboyant, swirl-shaped facial hair that drew attention; however, by the second inning of tonight’s game with the Rangers, eyes were on Fiers for far more troublesome reasons, as Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle points out (link). After issuing a balk placed Danny Santana at second base, Fiers was visited on the mound by manager Bob Melvin and a trainer; Fiers rubbed his arm several times during the mound visit. Melvin left the righty in the game, but Fiers proceeded to serve up a home run and a walk while throwing his fastball 3-5 mph below normal velocity. Melvin then pulled Fiers from the game.

Oakland fans will hope that this is just a case of late-season dead arm for the 34-year-old Fiers. Their staff, of course, has already been something of a carousel in 2019, while Fiers has been a source of consistency.

Fiers entered Saturday with a 14-4 record buttressed and 3.97 ERA in 30 starts–numbers recorded in the first season of a two-year, $14.1MM deal signed with Oakland this past offseason. 2019’s version of Fiers certainly hasn’t been an overpowering one, as he’s logged just a 6.14 K/9 rate in 170.0 innings this year, but he’s managed free passes (2.65 BB/9) and, as he did last year, far outpitched his fielding-independent estimators (5.11 FIP). Oakland has recently been using a six-man rotation frontlined by the impressive return of starter Sean Manaea.

Stephen Piscotty Participates In Batting Practice

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  • Athletics outfielder Stephen Piscotty is ramping up activity, per Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle. Slusser reports that Piscotty, who has been sidelined with an ankle injury since Aug. 25th, was taking batting practice with the team today (link). He had better hurry in his recovery–Oakland entered play today with just a .5-game lead for the top spot in the American League Wild Card race. Piscotty, 28, holds a .252/.312/.416 slash this year in 389 plate appearances, representing roughly league-average offensive output (95 wRC+).
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