A’s Kaprielian has strong spring debut as Oakland beats Padres

A’s pitcher James Kaprielian took another positive step toward beginning the season in Oakland’s starting rotation with a solid spring training debut Sunday.

Kaprielian, who had off-season AC shoulder joint surgery, started the A’s 8-6 split-squad win over the San Diego Padres and threw 1.2 scoreless innings, with all five of his outs coming on strikeouts. The 29-year-old right-hander gave up one hit and walked three while throwing 43 pitches during his one time through a Padres lineup full of backups at Hohokam Park in Mesa, Ariz.

Kaprielian showed good velocity – his fastball was 94-96 mph and touched 97 – but his command was a bit off. His encouraging start came four days after a simulated game and showed he’s well on his way back to reclaiming a rotation spot he held for most of last season, when he went 5-9 with a 4.23 ERA in 26 starts.

“I’m expecting to be ready to go for the start of the season,” Kaprielian told the San Francisco Chronicle’s Matt Kawahara Sunday.

The A’s suffered a 4-3 loss to the Giants in another split-squad game Sunday, but Oakland received a strong performance from left-hander JP Sears, who worked five strong innings, allowing three hits, one walk and striking out six. He’s now walked two and struck out 15 this spring. Sears’ only blemish was Wilmer Flores’ two-run homer in the fourth inning.

After Sunday’s games, the A’s announced 10 cuts, including infielder Jonah Bride and outfielder JJ Bleday, each of whom hit their first spring homer against San Diego Sunday. Bleday, acquired from Miami in the AJ Puk trade, is slashing .286/.375/.429 this spring.

Like Bride and Bleday, infielder Jordan Diaz, first baseman Dermis Garcia, outfielder Lawrence Butler and left-hander Hogan Harris were optioned to Triple-A Las Vegas. The A’s reassigned four non-roster invitees to minor league camp – catcher Yohel Pozo, outfielder Trenton Brooks, left-hander Garrett Williams and right-hander Jasseel De La Cruz.

After their second round of cuts, the A’s now have 41 players left in big league camp – 31 on the 40-man roster and 10 non-roster players — with nearly three weeks left until Opening Day.