Elephant Rumblings: Bullpen shows dramatic improvement in series win

MLB news roundup

Happy Monday, Athletics Nation!

They did it! The A’s took the tiebreaker in Sacramento yesterday against the Orioles to win their first series in over a month, and their first at home since April 27. What’s more, it didn’t require overpowering offensive performances, as one might expect from a team whose pitchers posted a 7.25 ERA over the last 30 days. Nope—the A’s didn’t need more than a respectable five spot of run support in their pair of wins over The Birds.

A’s starters had their ups and downs through the series: neither JP Sears nor Luis Severino had terrific starts, though the good Jacob Lopez showed up to contribute to the A’s start-to-finish dominance on the mound Sunday.

The real difference in this series was a bullpen that went from being an unmitigated disaster to allowing just one run through 12⅓ innings against Baltimore. Sean Newcomb and T.J. McFarland are welcome returns: Newcomb backed Lopez with three full scoreless innings of long relief yesterday while McFarland made good on two late appearances, as did Grant Holman, who seems to be settling in alongside his veteran teammates.

On the back end, star closer Mason Miller continued to distance himself from a very bad patch he went through in May. His five-out save on Friday was critical in maintaining the A’s razor thin lead, and The Reaper put in another scoreless inning on Sunday—shockingly, without a strikeout.

This bullpen resurgence is most welcome indeed, and the latest reinforcements inspire some confidence that the A’s relief corps have been glued back together to reform a more capable unit. Let’s see if this theory holds up on the road against the Angels this week.

A’s Coverage:

• A’s Win Again, Beat Baltimore 5-1
• A’s Acquire Austin Wynns
• Tempered Excitement: Starting Pitching On The Way, Most Definitely Maybe
• A’s Drop Another, Fall To Baltimore 7-4
• Athletics Win Again, Beat Baltimore 5-4
• A’s roster moves: Seth Brown recalled, Langeliers to IL
• Wilson continues torrid rookie pace vs. Orioles
• Yankees Claim CJ Alexander
• Brewers Claim Drew Avans

MLB News & Interest:

• 9 trade candidates for reliever-needy contenders
• Angels Acquire LaMonte Wade Jr.
• Blue Jays Recall Spencer Turnbull For Season Debut
• Orioles Notes: Westburg, Mullins, O’Neill
• Tigers Notes: Vierling, Olson, Urquidy, Boyd
• Phillies Claim Ryan Cusick, Designate Kyle Tyler
• Julio Rodriguez Helped Off Field Following Apparent Injury
• Pirates Place Endy Rodriguez On 10-Day IL, Designate Joey Wentz
• Today in Baseball History

Best of X:

Roster moves.

Next, watch him take the lead in batting average.

Fun for the whole Rooker family on bobblehead day.

Butler’s adjustments continue to pay dividends.