According to Martin Gallegos of MLB.com, Oakland Athletics reliever Trevor Gott has suffered a torn UCL in his throwing elbow that will require Tommy John surgery to fix.
As a result of the surgery, Gott will miss the entirety of the 2024 season. If his rehab goes well, he could possibly return for the start of the 2025 season, though many pitchers who undergo Tommy John surgery can take upwards of 18 months to return to their previous form.
Having been signed earlier this offseason, Gott was expected to be in the mix for late inning work alongside Mason Miller and Dany Jimenez. He had thrown just 3 innings to this point in spring training and had not gotten favorable results.
Gott's injury opens a spot in the Athletics' Opening Day bullpen. It's unclear at this time how the A's will handle it but it provides an opportunity for both Zack Jackson and Michael Kelly to earn roles to start the year.
Trevor Gott has a fully torn UCL in his right elbow and will undergo Tommy John surgery next week. Was expected to be part of the A’s bullpen this season.
— Martín Gallegos (@MartinJGallegos) March 22, 2024
We know that Mason Miller will be on the Opening Day roster. It seems all but certain that Rule 5 pick Mitch Spence will stick around. Dany Jimenez, Sean Newcomb, and Kyle Muller are all locks as well.
Muller might be looking at a spot in the rotation, so the math isn't perfect. But if we assume Muller is in the bullpen and Lucas Erceg's spot is safe, that leaves two open spots in the bullpen to take Gott's place.
Scott Alexander won't be ready for Opening Day but should be ready before the end of April. He'll be in the majors when he's healthy, which could push Muller to the rotation.
Other options on the 40-man include Hogan Harris, Joey Estes, Adrian Martinez, and Osvaldo Bido. None are particularly exciting, but all four have major league experience and wouldn't require an additional roster move.
Outside the 40-man, two names stick out. Stevie Emanuels has been lights out this spring. The 25 year old out of the University of Washington has allowed just 1 run in 7 appearances and has racked up 10 strikeouts in 4.2 innings.
Emanuels excelled at multiple levels last year, including a 2.38 ERA and a 32% strikeout rate at Double-A Midland. Emanuels could be a weapon in the bullpen given the opportunity.
Vinny Nittoli has also had a strong spring, posting a 2.25 ERA in 4 appearances while striking out 6. Nittoli had success in a limited sample with the Mets in 2023. He had a rough go at Triple-A after being traded from the Cubs, but found success in the majors in three outings.
Nittoli is a bit older, having turned 33 this year. He's bounced around several organizations in the minor leagues but has had enough success over the past calendar year that you can see him as a potential option.
GM David Forst has just under a week to evaluate his options and make a decision. As of now, Jackson and Kelly seem like the first guys up but that could change based on performance or further injury.