White Cleat Beat
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Handing out hardware to the 2022 Oakland A’s

By David Hill

Sep 25, 2022; Oakland, California, USA; Oakland Athletics catcher Sean Murphy (12) hits a double against the New York Mets during the first inning at RingCentral Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports
Sep 25, 2022; Oakland, California, USA; Oakland Athletics catcher Sean Murphy (12) hits a double against the New York Mets during the first inning at RingCentral Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports /
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Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports
Mandatory Credit: Jayne Kamin-Oncea-USA TODAY Sports /

Oakland A’s Cy Young – Cole Irvin

Paul Blackburn may have been the A’s All Star, but he also faded once the first half was over and was eventually lost for the season due to injury.

Instead, it was Cole Irvin who was the most consistent pitcher for the A’s this season. He allowed more than three runs in just nine of his 30 starts, posting a solid 3.98 ERA and a 1.160 WHiP over his 181 innings. Irvin also moved in the right direction in terms of his strikeout and walk rates, notcihng 128 strikeouts with just 36 walks.

While Irvin may not be a top of the rotation starter for a playoff contender, he can be a solid piece moving forward. For one year at least, he was the A’s Cy Young winner.

Oakland A’s Reliever of the Year – Zach Jackson

Another pitcher who was given a chance because the A’s needed to fill out their bullpen, Zach Jackson took the opportunity and ran with it.

After cracking the Opening Day roster, Jackson worked his way into becoming a key part of the A’s relief corps. He finished the season with a 3.00 ERA and a 1.271 WHiP over his 48 innings, striking out 67 batters with 33 walks. His command issues were mitigated by a .175/.315/.232 opponent batting line in 202 plate appearances as he induced weak fly balls and kept the ball in the yard.

The A’s have surprisingly built a solid bullpen core over the course of the 2022 season. Jackson is going to be a part of that going forward.