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Cristian Pache getting another chance with Oakland A’s

By David Hill

May 28, 2022; Oakland, California, USA; Oakland Athletics center fielder Cristian Pache (20) catches the ball during the second inning against the Texas Rangers at RingCentral Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Stan Szeto-USA TODAY Sports
May 28, 2022; Oakland, California, USA; Oakland Athletics center fielder Cristian Pache (20) catches the ball during the second inning against the Texas Rangers at RingCentral Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Stan Szeto-USA TODAY Sports /
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It was a matter of time before Cristian Pache returned to the Oakland A’s. That time came on Sunday.

Pache returned to the majors as part of a series of moves by the A’s, taking David MacKinnon’s place on the roster. While he did not start on Sunday, he did enter the game as a defensive replacement in the top of the eighth, grounding out to short in his only plate appearance.

Oakland A’s hope Cristian Pache can find his footing

Pache was given an extended look in Oakland before he was sent back to Triple-A this season. However, he was unable to do anything with that chance, posting a .159/.203/.224 batting line with two homers and five doubles in his 213 plate appearances. His 26 OPS+ was easily the worst of any player to receive that many plate appearances.

He did show some signs of improvement in Las Vegas. While his .248/.298/.389 batting line with four homers and eight doubles in 171 plate appearances is not ideal, it is much better than what he had done in Oakland.

It is also the type of performance that could be enough for the A’s to keep him in the lineup. Pache is one of the best defensive outfielders in the game, someone whose glove can make a major difference. He just needs to hit enough to even stay on the roster as a fourth outfielder.

That is the question that the A’s are hoping to answer over the final few weeks. Pache is likely to get his chances in the lineup down the stretch with the A’s looking to see if he can be a building block or not. It all comes down to his bat and if that can be useful for more than decoration.

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Cristian Pache is back with the Oakland A’s. He needs to prove himself over these final few weeks to be a part of the future.