Fujinami wants to start again for A’s. Not so fast, says his manager
MLB: Shintaro Fujinami earned his second MLB win Tuesday as the Oakland A's clinched a series victory over the Atlanta Braves
OAKLAND – Shintaro Fujinami would like to return to the starting rotation at some point but manager Mark Kotsay said he and the Oakland A’s will continue to take a measured approach with the Japanese-born right-hander.
Fujinami earned his second MLB win Tuesday, as he entered the A’s game with the Atlanta Braves with two outs in the top of the ninth inning. Fujinami used a 97-mph sinker to retire Austin Riley for the last out, and the A’s won the game 2-1 in the bottom of the ninth as Seth Brown scored from third base on Riley’s fielding error on a ground ball by Jonah Bride with the bases loaded.
It was Fujinami’s third appearance in four games since Saturday and the one run he’s allowed in the past 2 1/3 innings before Wednesday was a solo homer to Braves first baseman Matt Olson on Memorial Day.
For the season, though, Fujinami is 2-5 with a 12.00 ERA in 30 innings, as he continues to work his way back from a disastrous start to his big-league career in April.
“We have no plans for Fuji to go back to the rotation right now,” Kotsay said before the A’s played the Braves in the three-game series finale at the Coliseum. “The last three outings you’ve seen us use him in one-inning stints and one hitter (Tuesday) night, and he’s had success.
“We’re going to continue to build that success, build confidence in this role with him and see where it goes.”
Fujinami was signed to a one-year contract by the A’s in January to much fanfare but struggled mightily in his first four starts, going 0-4 with a 14.40 ERA. He was converted into a reliever on April 25 and has found a bit more consistency in May, cutting his WHiP down from an unsightly 2.167 in six games in April to a more reasonable but still high 1.667 in 11 games this month.
“Overall, I’m getting used to the environment, MLB, the travel,” Fujinami said Wednesday morning through interpreter Issei Kamada. “Everything is starting to get easier.”
Fujinami still wants to be a starter but added that he and Kotsay haven’t had conversations to that effect.
“I feel good right now,” Fujinami said. “Better than before.”
“The more success he has, you feel good about putting him into those situations,” Kotsay said. He’s attacking the zone, he’s not beating himself right now in this role, which is great. So from that standpoint, there is more confidence building for him.”
MARLINS SERIES PITCHERS: The A’s have tentatively set their rotation for the upcoming series in Miami against the Marlins. For now, lefty Hogan Harris is slated to start Friday, with righties Luis Medina and Paul Blackburn starting Saturday and Sunday, respectively.
Harris’ start would be his first in MLB. Kotsay said how today’s game unfolds will help dictate what the A’s do starter-wise over the weekend. The series kicks off a season-long nine-game road trip for the A’s, who play both Pittsburgh and Milwaukee three times next week.
Harris threw five scoreless innings in relief on Saturday against the Houston Astros in his second MLB appearance.
“We have high hopes for Hogan in terms of how he threw the baseball last outing,” Kotsay said. “For Hogan, he’s been told he’s going to get to go on Friday, but as you’ve seen these last couple of weeks, we do make changes and we do use openers, so the pitching side is fluid.”