After Henderson Alvarez exited his final rehab start in the fifth inning with right shoulder tightness, it appears that Jesse Hahn may be the next pitcher called on to bolster the Oakland Athletics’ rotation.
Oakland Athletics starter Jesse Hahn has spent the majority of 2016 in the minor leagues. After starting the season with Triple-A Nashville, Hahn made a pair of starts for the A’s in which he pitched 12 innings and posted a 3.00 ERA. He was then demoted back to the minors.
Given the struggles of the A’s rotation, it seems odd that Hahn was sent back to Triple-A after just two games. However, Hahn’s second start came in the second game of the double-header in Baltimore, and the Athletics were forced to make a move for bullpen reinforcements after several short starts.
The move comes on the heels of the news that Henderson Alvarez was removed from his Sunday rehab start after experiencing some tightness in his right shoulder. Alvarez was expected to join the major league club this upcoming weekend, and Sunday was his last scheduled rehab appearance. Instead, he left one inning earlier than planned after feeling some discomfort on the mound.
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The right-hander will undergo an MRI to determine whether the setback is a serious one. He has not pitched in the majors since May, but is expected to have a major impact on the A’s rotation once he is healthy.
So far, Alvarez has allowed eight earned runs and struck out 20 batters, in addition to giving up 18 hits and six walks.
The scheduled starter for Wednesday is Eric Surkamp, who has allowed 16 earned runs in 22 innings. Surkamp has struck out 12, but he’s also walked 14 and give up 29 hits, including four homers.
Hahn, meanwhile, has posted a 1.93 ERA in five starts for the Sounds this season, allowing 23 hits in 23.1 innings, walking 10 and striking out 18.
The Oakland Athletics’ primary reason for leaving Hahn in Triple-A following the double-header was due to the 10-day rule, which states that a player who is sent to the minors cannot be recalled for 10 days unless someone on the active roster is sent to the disabled list. Now that the required 10 days are up, it’s time to bring Hahn back.
Although Hahn had a rough Spring Training, it’s still a bit mystifying that he wound up starting the year in the minors after the season-ending injury to Felix Doubront. Doubront pitched better and clearly earned the rotation spot out of camp, but Hahn should have been the obvious choice for a replacement once Doubront was placed on the disabled list.
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Calling Hahn up on Tuesday should be an obvious decision. While the other pitchers have struggled in recent games, Hahn has continued to post consistent results in Nashville. It’s time for him to rejoin the big league club and find out if he can help get the Oakland Athletics back on track before it’s too late.