It’s the middle of July and the Oakland Athletics, to the surprise of many, are still in the thick of playoff contention. They’ve now made their first move to bolster their team for the stretch run.
The A’s acquired veteran starting pitcher Homer Bailey in a trade with the Kansas City Royals on Sunday.
The A’s sent minor league infielder Kevin Merrell back to the Royals in exchange for the new member of their starting rotation.
2019 has been a bounce-back year for Bailey, who has improved greatly on his dreadful season last year with the Reds. He’s posted a 4.80 ERA in 90 innings pitched, striking out 81 batters.
The 33-year-old isn’t a top-tier starting pitcher as he was during his early day with Cincinnati, but he is expected to be a reliable, stabilizing presence in Oakland’s rotation down the stretch. Many believe that his numbers will improve due to the pitcher-friendly nature of the A’s home stadium and the team’s excellent defense.
Bailey has also improved in recent months, posting a 3.30 ERA over his last eight starts.
The right-hander is expected to make his starting pitching debut with Oakland on Wednesday against the Seattle Mariners.
