Daulton Jefferies had finally made his major league debut in 2020. The minor league control artist had gotten his chance late in the year, potentially getting a chance to stake a claim in the Oakland A’s rotation for the 2021 season. Instead, he imploded, allowing five runs in his two innings, as he just was not ready for the moment.
On Sunday, he will get a second chance to make a first impression. With James Kaprielian heading to the Injured List due to a shoulder issue, Jefferies will be getting another opportunity.
Daulton Jefferies will be called up and start tomorrow for the A’s.
— Martín Gallegos (@MartinJGallegos) July 31, 2021
Daulton Jefferies finally gets his second chance with Oakland A’s
Jefferies was considered the favorite for the fifth starter role in Oakland when A.J. Puk was sidelined with yet another injury. However, Cole Irvin was even better, seizing the role in the final days of March. Jefferies was injured with the need for another starter arise, with Kaprielian getting the call.
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Jefferies numbers in Triple-A do not seem impressive. He has produced a 5.19 ERA and a 1.288 WHiP in his 59 innings, striking out 54 batters with nine walks. While his ERA is high, and he has given up 12 homers, it is also important to note that the league he plays in has been a hitting haven this year, while offensive numbers are higher in Las Vegas. His overall production is actually relatively solid in comparison.
It is certainly not how the A’s were hoping that Jefferies would get that shot. Kaprielian has been one of the better surprises of the year, and should get some attention in the Rookie of the Year ballot. As it is, the A’s do not expect that Kaprielian will be sidelined for that long, as his placement on the IL is being referred to as more precautionary in nature.
Nonetheless, this is a chance for the A’s to get a sense of what they have in Jefferies. Given the timing of Kaprielian’s placement on the IL, Jefferies should be able to get at least a couple of starts before a possible return. If he performs well, he could have a role on the team, both in the future and when Kaprielian comes back.
Daulton Jefferies is getting a second chance with the Oakland A’s. They certainly hope he does better than the first time.