Oakland A’s: Free agent Fujinami will stay on throwing schedule he followed in Japan

MESA, Ariz. — The A’s aren’t saying what right-hander Shintaro Fujinami’s place in the rotation will be to open the season, but manager Mark Kotsay confirmed that Oakland will keep the free agent in a routine similar to the one he followed for nearly a decade in Japan.

Tuesday, Kotsay indicated the A’s likely will open the season with a five-man rotation, but that Fujinami could go six or even seven days between starts depending on off-days and the use of spot starters.

Kotsay is expected to name his Opening Day starter later this week and didn’t rule out having Fujinami start opposite his former high school rival, Shohei Ohtani, on March 30 at the Coliseum against the Angels. But he noted the importance of maintaining the hard-throwing right-hander’s familiar process amid all the adjustments he’s having to make.

“We feel strongly about keeping him in that routine,” Kotsay said. “He hasn’t done anything different in his time in Japan and to change that program, there’s a lot of change already going on for Fuji. We want to try to at least keep something as consistent as possible and that’s his routine.”

One of the biggest differences that Fujimani, 28, recognized early in camp between MLB and what he was used to in Japan was the recovery time between starts, something he keyed on potentially adjusting to this spring.

“There’s like six days in between outings in Japan, but here, like four or five,” Fujinami said through Japanese interpreter Issei Yamada. “I would like to find a way to adjust the difference.”

Spots in the A’s rotation remain very much up for grabs as the team prepares to break camp this weekend. In addition to newcomers Fujinami and Drew Rucinski, there are returners James Kaprielian, JP Sears and Adam Oller, as well as highly-regarded prospects Kyle Muller and Ken Waldichuk.

“There’s seven guys that are obviously in the mix for a rotation spot,” Kotsay said. “At this point, we’re pretty well into it. How this plays out, days they fall and land on can still be manipulated because we still have those two off days before the season starts.

“I think they are all built up enough in terms of being able to manipulate their days with the off days we have.”

One of the frontrunners leading into spring training for the Opening Day nod appeared to be All-Star righty Paul Blackburn, but after suffering a right middle finger avulsion earlier this spring, he is expected to start the season on the injured list. As a result, that spot is now up for grabs.

Fujinami has flashed his lauded potential throughout the spring despite showcasing some lapses in command, but he has certainly put himself in a favorable position to be at the top of Oakland’s rotation.

In four Cactus League appearances, Fujinami has posted a 4.26 earned run average across 12.2 innings pitched, striking out 17 batters. His last start, a 4.2-inning outing against the Los Angeles Dodgers in Glendale, included five walks, the most he’s issued in a game to this point. In total, Fujinami has walked 13 batters so far this spring.

Kotsay praises A’s top prospects who made deep run into camp

On Sunday, the A’s optioned three of their top Top-15 prospects to minor league camp, catcher Tyler Soderstrom, infielder Zack Gelof and outfielder Denzel Clarke, ending their stay with the big-league club with just under a week left in Cactus League play.

Kotsay expressed nothing but high praise for the trio, noting that they all grew considerably over the course of the spring.

“I think they understand now the time they got to spend with us, the detail that goes into being a big leaguer,” Kotsay said. “You saw Tyler’s growth, Tyler really benefited from being here. One of the last games he caught, every aspect of the game that we watched from the beginning of spring training up until the last game he played improved. I think that’s going to stick with him in his season this year.”

Soderstrom, Oakland’s No.1 overall prospect according to MLB Pipeline, had eight hits in 31 at-bats, including a home run.

Veteran backstop Manny Piña’s lingering wrist injury, which has put his status for Opening Day in doubt, seemed to heighten Soderstrom’s odds of beginning the season with the A’s as the team’s backup catcher. They will ultimately go in a different direction at that position, though, after signing free-agent catcher Carlos Pérez to a minor-league deal Sunday, with Kyle McCann and Yohel Pozo as potential options as well.

Soderstrom, 21, still has a chance to debut with the A’s this season if he stays on his current track.

“It’s always really exciting,” Soderstrom said. “That’s obviously my goal is to get to the big leagues and contribute to the A’s and help us win. It’s exciting, I know it’s getting here quick. I’m excited and ready to get going.”

Gelof missed much of the spring after joining Team Israel at the start of the World Baseball Classic, but still made a favorable impression while he was in camp, hitting .318 in 22 at-bats. The 23-year-old appears to be on a similar track to big leagues as Soderstrom after a solid 2022 campaign that saw him hit .270 in 96 games between Double-A and Triple-A.

“In terms of Zack, obviously it was great for him to represent his country,” Kotsay said. “It did take away from a view that we would’ve liked and enjoyed to have with him. I think we saw enough to know that with Zack, what’s left for him to do in the minor leagues is to go dominate a level. He’s aware of that and he’s excited for it, he’s excited for his opportunity.”

Clarke also stood out in limited appearances with the A’s after a brief stint with Team Canada during WBC Pool play. He hasn’t played above High-A to this point in his career, but Clarke managed to turn in an impressive showing, hitting .462 (6-for-13) with a double, a triple and four walks.

Despite going hitless in eight WBC at-bats, Kotsay said that Clarke benefited greatly from his opportunity in the tournament.

“I think the WBC experience for Denzel was great,” Kotsay said. “Being around a guy like Freddie Freeman and having a conversation with him. And when he came back, Denzel and I talked about that experience, what he learned from it.

“He’s maybe a tick behind Gelof and Soderstrom, but he’s got a bright future, he’s got great tools and it’ll be fun to watch his progress.”