A’s add left-handed bullpen arm previously with team in 2017
Oakland A's select Sam Moll, option Domingo Acevedo and DFA Jordan Weems.
The A’s are making moves to bolster their bullpen heading into the second half of the season.
They made a trade with the Arizona Diamondbacks Friday, acquiring left-handed reliever Sam Moll in exchange for cash considerations, then selected Moll’s contract from Triple-A Las Vegas on Saturday. Right-handed reliever Domingo Acevedo was optioned to Las Vegas and reliever Jordan Weems was designated for assignment to create room on the 40-man roster.
After sending Jesús Luzardo back to the Las Vegas Aviators two weeks ago, the A’s were down to one left-handed reliever — Jake Diekman — in their bullpen. The hope was to have Luzardo regain his confidence and find his fastball command again with the Aviators, but Luzardo has a 10.38 ERA with 10 strikeouts and six walks in four starts.
A.J. Puk, another left-handed option who with potential impact out of the bullpen, has a 9.86 ERA in 15 appearances (21 innings). Puk has struggled with shoulder injuries since he returned from Tommy John surgery and went to Triple-A Las Vegas to stretch out and string together multiple healthy outings, but his inconsistencies have held him back.
Moll’s 2.92 ERA and 0.89 WHIP against left-handed hitters in Triple-A Reno, the Diamondbacks’ affiliate, is notable and surely the numbers the A’s considered.
“Sometimes you look at team’s lineups now, especially with the tree-batter minimum, there are match-ups that come up before Diekman’s number is called,” manager Bob Melvin said. “Looks like his numbers are good against lefties in Triple-A, but this is our front office making the subtle move which they do to enhance our team.”
Moll, 29, pitched for the A’s in 2017, when he recorded a 10.80 ERA in 11 games, his only major league playing time. Moll has been with seven different organizations — the Rockies, Pirates, Mariners, Blue Jays and Giants, in addition to the A’s and Diamondbacks.
Acevedo allowed three runs over his three appearances with the A’s, all against the Texas Rangers. He’ll go back to Las Vegas to work through some mechanical fixes. Weems appeared in three games with the A’s this season and allowed three runs over 4 1/3 innings. He had a 7.36 ERA in 15 games with Las Vegas.