Jake Diekman Picks Up Fourth Save Of The Season
3 years agoOakland Athletics left-hander Jake Diekman picked up his fourth save of the season, slamming the door shut on the Boston Red Sox in the A's 3-2 victory. The southpaw walked Alex Verdugo to lead off the ninth before striking out JD Martinez and subsequently walking another batter, this time Xander Bogaerts. Rafael Devers then grounded into a fielder's choice at second base before Christian Vazquez fouled out to end the ball game. For those paying attention to the lefty, righty splits, only the leadoff hitter and the fourth hitter of the inning were lefties. Oakland clearly favors Diekman when a save situation involves top-tier left-handed hitters. At this current pace, Diekman will end the season with 22 saves. Pair that with a 2.25 ERA, 1.19 WHIP, and 12.94 K/9, Diekman suddenly looks like a top-flight bullpen arm. Quietly underappreciated, Diekman is a clear trade target.
Source: MLB.com
Source: MLB.com