3. The A’s had plenty of injuries and opportunities for Zito.
The A’s endured through a rough 2015 season. They had injuries, bad chemistry and plenty of opportunities for a guy like Zito to receive a call-up.
The A’s may have used more than 28 pitchers during the ’15 season, but Zito was not one of them until late in September when fans demanded the A’s give into nostalgia.
The small victory for the fans allowed Zito to face off against Tim Hudson, his former Big Three teammate, in a Bay Bridge Series showdown. Both pitchers were excited to face one another, but the results were mixed.
Both Zito and Hudson struggled in their duel and the game was largely disappointing.
Still, Zito received a shot to start in front of thousands of fans in the Coliseum. The call-up, however, did not seem all that genuine.
The A’s repeatedly passed on Zito during the season and opted to give guys like Sean Nolin an opportunity to pitch in the big leagues.
Zito’s final start in Oakland may have been disappointing, but his final career start was more Barry-like. He faced off against the Angels and pitched four strong innings for the A’s and reminded fans that he still had a few ounces of talent remaining.