Oakland A’s: 3 biggest surprises from the first half
Even though the Oakland A’s are second in the AL West, they have still had a relatively successful first half of the season. They are just 3.5 games out of first, holding one of the Wild Card spots. It is entirely possible that the A’s can catch the Astros, winning the division crown for a second consecutive year.
With any successful season, there will be surprises and players who far exceed expectations. In a league where there is not much separating the majority of the teams from the postseason or staying home, there needs to be a bit of luck as well. That can come in the form of a lucky bounce or getting an unexpectedly strong season from a player or two that had minimal expectations at the start of the year.
Three biggest surprises for Oakland A’s in first half
That has certainly been the case with the A’s. In fact, one could argue that, had it not been for some of those unexpected success stories, the A’s would currently be on the outside looking in when it comes to a postseason berth.
Let’s take a look at those three biggest surprises of the first half for the Oakland A’s.
Cole Irvin
There was absolutely no expectation that Cole Irvin would be a key part of the Oakland A’s rotation. In fact, heading into spring training, it was questionable as to whether or not he would be a part of the Opening Day roster.
Acquired for the ever popular cash considerations from the Phillies, Irvin had not exactly put together a track record of success in the majors. However, the A’s needed rotation depth, and decided to give Irvin a chance. Sometimes all a player needs is a change of scenery and an opportunity.
Irvin did not disappoint. He pitched surprisingly well in spring training, earning the fifth starter spot when A.J. Puk was injured. While he was initially considered a stopgap option, he has gone on to be one of the more consistent starters in the A’s rotation, someone who has been a key part of their success this season.
His performance this year shows how wins are not always the best measure of a pitcher’s performance. He has a 6-8 record, but has also posted a 3.65 ERA and a 1.179 WHiP, striking out 78 batters with 19 walks. This is also far more than a small sample size; Irvin’s 106 innings are more than double his total in the majors prior to this season.
No one expected anything from Cole Irvin heading into this season. He has surprisingly become a solid piece in the back of the Oakland A’s rotation.
Jed Lowrie
There is something about Jed Lowrie and the Oakland A’s that just works.
Lowrie has appeared in over 100 games only four times in his 13 years in the majors. Every single time, he has been a member of the A’s. As he has already played in 86 games this season, he seems well on his way for his fifth season passing the century mark.
That in its own right is a shock. He had a total of eight plate appearances over the previous two seasons as injuries made his time with the Mets a complete disaster. After signing a minor league deal with the A’s, few expected he would make much of an impact.
But Lowrie has done just that. He started off the 2021 campaign white hot, and while he has cooled down over the past few weeks, had begun to heat up before the break. Overall, he has posted a .263/.336/.423 batting line with ten homers and 18 doubles in his 333 plate appearances, solidifying second base for Oakland.
No one could have imagined that Jed Lowrie would be a key part of any team. However, he has been exactly what the Oakland A’s needed.
Tony Kemp
Tony Kemp was expected to be part of the Oakland A’s picture at second base in 2020. Instead, the platoon between he and Chad Pinder failed, leading to the acquisition of Tommy La Stella at the deadline.
The miraculous return to relevance by Jed Lowrie made it where the A’s did not need to rely upon that platoon at second base. This allowed Kemp to return to his usual role as a utility man, with the A’s able to spot him in the lineup when he would have more success. And then, the outfield was decimated by injury, leading to more playing time for Kemp.
This time, he has been up to the challenge. Kemp has been swinging a hot bat, posting the best numbers of his career. He has a .240/.369/.385 batting line, hitting four homers and ten doubles in his 226 plate appearances. However, he also has 35 walks with just 37 strikeouts as Kemp keeps finding ways to get on base.
With the A’s missing their regular leadoff hitter, Kemp’s batting eye, solid contact ability, and surprisingly strong season have found a new home. He has been exactly what the A’s needed at this time, a versatile player whose career season has come at the perfect time.
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Tony Kemp struggled in an expanded role with the Oakland A’s in 2020. The second time proved to be the charm.