KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Oakland Athletics optioned left-hander Jared Koenig to Triple-A before Sunday’s game against the Royals, creating an opening in their starting rotation. Reliever Sam Selman was recalled from Triple-A in a corresponding move.
Koenig pitched Saturday, so that spot in the rotation will next come up Thursday in Seattle. A’s manager Mark Kotsay said the team will “look into who we’re going to bring here to make that start.”
“We obviously need some bullpen help today,” Kotsay said Sunday. “And I think we got a good look at Koenig.”
Koenig, 28, made his MLB debut on June 8 and four starts total in his call-up by the A’s, posting a 6.38 ERA. His best start was June 19 in Oakland, as he threw 5 ⅔ scoreless innings against the Royals. Facing that lineup again Saturday, he allowed three runs over 4 ⅔ innings in a no-decision.
“He pitched well enough to give us an opportunity to win,” Kotsay said. “His fastball (velocity) was a little bit down from what we were looking at, but he still pitched. He mixes, adds, subtracts. He’s got opportunity to be back here and be part of this rotation again.”
In four outings, Koenig averaged just 88.7 mph on his sinker, his primary pitch. He used his curveball to effect — hitters were 3-for-20 with six strikeouts in at-bats ending on the pitch. But opponents were 10-for-24 with three homers against the sinker, per Statcast.
“When he was hurt here, I think it was just missed locations,” Kotsay said. “His cutter I think he didn’t feel great with while he was here so that’s another aspect he can go back and just refine, getting that cutter in on righties underneath the hands.”
One option to replace Koenig could be right-hander Adrián Martínez, who started Saturday at Triple-A Las Vegas and would be on regular rest Thursday. Martínez, acquired in the Sean Manaea trade from the Padres, started one game for the A’s during their May 10 doubleheader in Detroit and worked 5 ⅓ scoreless innings. He’s 4-3 with a 5.63 ERA in 13 starts at Triple-A. Right-hander Adam Oller, currently in the A’s bullpen, and left-hander Zach Logue, who has started five games with Oakland and is now at Triple-A, are also options on the 40-man roster.
Selman has a 1.96 ERA in 15 relief outings with Las Vegas and begins his third stint with Oakland this season.
Getting close: Right fielder Stephen Piscotty (calf) was 7-for-17 in his first four games of an injury rehab assignment with Las Vegas and is scheduled to play Sunday. Kotsay said the A’s would then “talk through the timing of bringing him back here.”
Kotsay said there’s a “possibility” Piscotty could rejoin the A’s during their three-game series at Yankee Stadium: “But I don’t want to say that’s set in stone.”
Tough task: Paul Blackburn will bring a strong road resume — a 5-0 record and 1.00 ERA in eight starts — into Monday’s opener against a Yankees team that led the AL in home runs and OPS entering Sunday.
“I mean, they’re the best team in baseball right now,” Blackburn said. “So going into their house and playing them, that’ll be fun.”
Blackburn allowed a season-high seven runs in four innings in his last start against the Mariners. He said he and pitching coach Scott Emerson felt he was “being a little too quick with my front side and letting my arm be inconsistent timing-wise. My bullpen went well, so we’ll get back on the train tomorrow.”
Matt Kawahara covers the A’s for The San Francisco Chronicle.
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