Elephant Rumblings: Rookie Zach Jackson becoming key reliever for A’s
MLB news roundup
Happy Monday, Athletics Nation!
27-year-old reliever Zach Jackson made his MLB debut on April 9 against the Phillies. He led off with a walk before inducing a 6-4-3 double play and finishing off a 1-2-3 inning with his first big league strikeout. He’s built a pretty stellar line through 19 appearances since then:
- Jackson, MLB 2022: 2.89 ERA, 18⅔ ip, 25 Ks, 12 BB, 0 HR, 2.50 FIP
The rookie righty still has all three options left, but if he keeps pitching the way he is they may never be needed. Matt Kawahara at The San Francisco Chronicle remarked that Jackson “epitomizes Oakland’s fledgling bullpen” in a piece published on Saturday following his latest successful high leverage appearance on Friday, in which Jackson got the last out in the sixth inning and then shut down Taylor Ward, Mike Trout, and Shohei Ohtani with just 11 pitches in the seventh, helping the A’s along to a 4-2 win.
Jackson struck out Trout and Ohtani, two of the game’s biggest stars, showing a lot of grit and resilience versus Shohei by throwing two curveballs after falling behind 3-1. The first was a whiff, the second a called strike. That curve has produced a 38.5% swing-and-miss rate so far this season.
Jackson projected growing confidence in comments to Kawahara:
“It’s obviously nice to see. There’s no way to figure out how good your stuff is unless you’re facing the best of the best.”
Jackson has been tough to hit for right- and left-handed batters alike, holding them to averages of .177 and .185, respectively. This 2020 minor league Rule 5 draft pick is panning out spectacularly so far—keep on dealing, Zach!
A’s Coverage:
- Hall: Game #43: Another quiet loss
- Hall: A’s roster moves: Cole Irvin activated from IL, Nick Allen optioned
- Hall: Game #42: A’s 5-3 loss compounded by injuries
- Hall: A’s injuries: Frankie Montas and Ramon Laureano leave Saturday game early
- Nico: Gnu Gnotes From The Eyeball Scout
- Kawahara: Zach Jackson emerging as a go-to reliever for the A’s ($)
- Polishuk: Mets Scouting Frankie Montas, Tyler Mahle
- Rodriguez: Lowrie describes differences between Kotsay, BoMel as managers
MLB News & Interest:
- Wagner: Look Good, Feel Good, Play Good. Smell Good? ($)
- Polishuk: Mets Notes: Paddack, Hosmer, Smith, Bassitt
- Fegan: In flap with Tim Anderson, there’s little reason to take Josh Donaldson at his word ($)
- Shea: Padres’ Profar calls Giants fans ‘worst in the league’ for throwing items onto field ($)
- Shea: Giants beef up Oracle Park security after fan incidents with Padres’ Jurickson Profar ($)
- Passan: A tricked-out ambulance? A doctorate in deception? Johnny Cueto is still the most interesting man in baseball
- Polishuk: Dodgers Extend Blake Treinen
- Polishuk: Mariners Sign Justin Upton
- McDonald: Rockies Reinstate Kris Bryant
- Today in Baseball History
Best of Twitter:
Inexcusable.
Really confused by the objects thrown at Jurickson Profar in San Francisco. Unless something has dramatically changed, he was one of the kindest humans in Oakland. Beyond that: no athlete should be subject to their safety being jeopardized.
— Brodie Brazil (@BrodieNBCS) May 21, 2022
A’s-M’s scheduled starters.
Pitching probables for upcoming A's-Mariners series:
— Matt Kawahara (@matthewkawahara) May 22, 2022
Mon: LHP Logue vs. LHP Gonzales
Tue: RHP Kaprielian vs. RHP Kirby
Wed: RHP Blackburn vs. LHP Ray
Return of the Jedouble.
That was Jed Lowrie's first double this season in 89 plate appearances.
— Matt Kawahara (@matthewkawahara) May 22, 2022
Trout hits a milestone in latest series.
Mike Trout scored his 1,000th career run in the sixth. Most against:
— Matt Kawahara (@matthewkawahara) May 22, 2022
Rangers: 142
Mariners: 132
A's: 119
Roster moves! (does the moonwalk)
A'S RECENT MOVES: RHP Daulton Jefferies to IL, LHP Kirby Snead to LV, LHP Zach Logue & RHP Jacob Lemoine to A’s, OF Jonny Butler off LAN IL, RHP Zack Plunkett signed to minor league deal/assigned to ACL A’s… https://t.co/joKXkzbDRy
— Athletics Farm (@AthleticsFarm) May 21, 2022
Kudos to Jake Lemoine for some fine relief after Frankie’s exit on Saturday.
He'll probably get rewarded with a demotion because baseball can be very unfair, but that was huge for the entire staff that Jake Lemoine went 2 2/3 innings with Montas having to leave with injury so early. Minimizes the impact of the bullpen game on everyone else.
— Melissa Lockard (@melissalockard) May 22, 2022
Langeliers topping the A’s MiLB bombers.
A's minor league HR leaders:
— Athletics Farm (@AthleticsFarm) May 22, 2022
C Shea Langeliers (LV): 11
SS Max Muncy (STK): 8
3B Brett Harris (LAN): 7
C-1B Tyler Soderstrom (LAN): 7
IF Jeremy Eierman (MID): 7
Congrats to Mitch Myers on being Friday’s PotD. This Stockton-born boy salutes you!
A’s Prospect of the Day is RHP Mitch Myers @mitch_myers9 who threw 6 1/3 shutout innings to help @stocktonports win on Saturday… https://t.co/g0CAtrcJfA pic.twitter.com/qo0yPSzRD0
— Athletics Farm (@AthleticsFarm) May 22, 2022
A holler to Oller! Get that groove back.
A’s Prospect of the Day is RHP Adam Oller @adamoller who threw 5 shutout innings to earn the win for @AviatorsLV on Friday… https://t.co/g0CAtrcJfA pic.twitter.com/go2FItteez
— Athletics Farm (@AthleticsFarm) May 21, 2022
Welcome back, Bob!
Eric Hosmer on @Padres manager Bob Melvin's return after prostate surgery: "He's been a blessing for everyone."
— FOX Sports: MLB (@MLBONFOX) May 21, 2022
@Ken_Rosenthal with more on this story ⬇️ pic.twitter.com/m4PPj1aZvc
Prince Fergie (did I make that up?) enshrined.
ICYMI: What a great day for @fergieajenkins ! #Cubs https://t.co/IFnNDkNrcL
— Carrie Muskat (@CarrieMuskat) May 21, 2022
A’s-mazing fan art from @GuySliwinski!
A compilation of the last five covers of Super A’s! It’s been a fun month, Kaptain A got the most “likes” on IG of any Super A’s cover, Super Critters reached over 23k people on Twitter, & I got to be on the A’s pregame show! Y’all are Super! @Athletics
— Guy Sliwinski (@GuySliwinski) May 22, 2022
♂️⚾️ #DrumTogether pic.twitter.com/AnLscs49sg