A.J. Puk To Compete For Rotation Spot
2 years agoOakland Athletics left-hander A.J. Puk will get a chance to compete for a starting rotation spot in 2023, according to general manager David Forst. The 27-year-old southpaw was a starter as a prospect in the minor leagues, but he's made 84 appearances for the A's in three seasons, with all of them coming in relief. Puk had a career-best 3.12 ERA (3.68 FIP), 1.15 WHIP, his first four MLB saves and 76 strikeouts in 66 1/3 innings for the A's last season. The A's have been mindful of his workload since he had Tommy John surgery in 2017, but Puk's desire for a bigger workload could land him a rotation spot to open the 2023 season. The hard-throwing lefty has lots of strikeout ability, which is why he fit the high-leverage relief role well, but staying healthy will be his primary concern if he ends up taking on a bigger workload as a starter.
Source: San Francisco Chronicle - Matt Kawahara
Source: San Francisco Chronicle - Matt Kawahara