Oakland A’s do not have backup option for Lou Trivino

It might be time for the Oakland A’s to be concerned with Lou Trivino. The A’s closer, who had been solid for much of the year, is suddenly falling apart at the worst possible time, his struggles coinciding with the team falling out of a Wild Card spot.

The hope was that allowing Trivino some time off would make a difference. His struggles began after being used for a third consecutive day, leading to a blown save. After he blew a second save in as many attempts, it was clear that he had hit the proverbial wall. But, seeing as how he had not pitched since August 23, Thursday appeared to be the right time to get him back in action.

Oakland A’s have to ride with Lou Trivino

Instead, Trivino struggled once more. He allowed the game winning run on a walk and a hit in the ninth, recording two outs before being relieved. That outing continued a disastrous run, where he has allowed six runs on six hits, including two homers, and two walks in 2.1 innings over his last three appearances.

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Given the relatively interchangeable nature of relievers, this is the point in time where there would normally be rumblings about removing Trivino from his role. The A’s were expected to pursue a proven closer at the trade deadline after all, but they instead chose to put their faith in Trivino. As he had been dominant until Sunday, it was a worthwhile gamble to take.

The issue is that the A’s do not really have a backup plan for the ninth inning. Jake Diekman has seven saves on the season, but can be a high wire act at times. Sergio Romo has closing experience, but has not recorded a save yet this season. Yusmeiro Petit could be an option, but he has almost no margin for error.

The ninth inning will continue to belong to Trivino. The A’s have to hope that this is just a rough patch, something that he can work his way through in the coming days. Otherwise, the season could end far sooner than anyone would have hoped for.

It may be time to start to worry about Lou Trivino. The problem is that the Oakland A’s really do not have a backup plan if his struggles continue.