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Oakland A’s need Yusmeiro Petit more than ever

By David Hill

Sep 14, 2021; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Oakland Athletics relief pitcher Yusmeiro Petit (36) pitches against the Kansas City Royals during the sixth inning at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 14, 2021; Kansas City, Missouri, USA; Oakland Athletics relief pitcher Yusmeiro Petit (36) pitches against the Kansas City Royals during the sixth inning at Kauffman Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jay Biggerstaff-USA TODAY Sports /
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The Oakland A’s bullpen is going to look drastically different come 2022. Between free agency departures and possible trades, the A’s are going to be searching for cost effective options that can actually get outs at the major league level. That quest should lead back to Yusmeiro Petit.

Petit has been a fixture in the A’s bullpen for the past four seasons. Originally signed to a three year deal following the 2017 campaign, he returned on a one year, $2.55 million contract for 2021. Considering that he was 36 years old and not the hard throwing reliever that teams tend to target, it was not overly shocking that Petit was still available in February.

Yusmeiro Petit can be key piece for Oakland A’s in 2022

He easily outperformed that modest deal last year. Petit once again ranked amongst the league leaders in appearances last year as he pitched in 78 games. Despite the workload, he posted a solid 3.92 ERA and a 1.038 WHiP, striking out 37 batters with 12 walks.

Those strikeout numbers are not going to grab anyone’s attention. At a time when teams expect their relievers to strike out more than a batter per inning, Petit had a 4.3 K/9 mark. However, he once again did an impressive job of limiting hard contact, holding the opposition to a .233/.264/.395 batting line in 313 plate appearances.

Chances are, Petit will not be one of those relievers immediately snapped up when the lockout ends. Although virtually every team will be looking for help in the bullpen, he is likely to be overlooked once more – an aging arm who does not register on the radar gun.

And that is just fine for the A’s. They can bring back a solid veteran arm for the bullpen, someone who can help mentor their young pitchers and solidify a relief corps that will likely need that veteran presence. Petit could make an impact, not just this season, but into the future.

Next. Irvin needs to take another step forward. dark

The Oakland A’s are going to be looking for cost effective ways to get outs. That could mean Yusmeiro Petit returns to the A’s bullpen in 2022.