Oakland A’s reinstate Mike Fiers from IL, but he won’t join the rotation immediately
Mike Fiers, who missedall of spring training and the first month of the season with a back injury, was reinstated from the 10-day IL on Monday, the Oakland A’s announced. Reliever Adam Kolarek was optioned to the alternate site in Stockton to make room on the active roster.
Fiers, typically a starter, will pitch out of the bullpen for now, A’s pitching coach Scott Emerson said. While there are no plans for a six-man rotation, the A’s have anot discussed how Fiers’ return will alter the rotation.
“We haven’t really had a round table about it,” Emerson said. “I think that if you look at the fact that we have six capable starters on staff right now. These games play out where we need a long guy in the series. So we take it one game at a time and see where we’re at. That’s the approach I’m taking. Let Mike take the cleats tonight and sit in the bullpen and we’ll take it from there.”
Decisions will be made based on day-to-day needs. Cole Irvin was initially seen as Fiers’ seat warmer in the rotation, but his performance has been too good to replace. Irvin has a 3.86 ERA through four starts with 17 strikeouts and three walks. In his last two starts, against the Detroit Tigers and Baltimore Orioles, Irvin allowed one earned run over 11 1/3 innings with 12 strikeouts and one walk.
Fiers has been throwing well at the A’s alternate site in Stockton, Emerson said. Fiers, 35, missed all of spring training as he dealt with a lower back and hip injury that required an MRI. He started the year on the injured list.
“He will sit in the bullpen as of now,” Emerson said, adding that the A’s will figure out his role moving forward. Fiers signed a one-year $3.5 million deal in the offseason after a 4.58 record in 11 starts in 2020.
“We signed Mike to be a starter and everybody’s pitched well enough to remain in the rotation, including Cole,” manager Bob Melvin said. “It’s the route we have to go with at this point.”
The A’s bullpen needs some relief. J.B. Wendelken’s 13 appearances lead the league. Closer Lou Trivino and Yusmeiro Petit have made 11 appearances each. Fiers, for now, will fill in a long relief role, Melvin indicated.
Kolarek got off to a rough start this season giving up five earned runs over his first three appearances, but hasn’t given up a run in his last five outings. The left-handed reliever will work at the alternate site on pounding the strike zone — but the main priority at the alternate site will be to get him more work.
“He hasn’t pitched a ton here,” Melvin said. “Got off to a slow start and there were quite a few teams that had switch or right-handed hitters and he didn’t get consistent work. My guess he will be back here soon at some point in time.”