"He'd have to respond pretty quickly and get back on a mound."
MESA, Ariz. — Mike Fiers had been kept from Cactus League games dealing with a troublesome back injury. After experiencing a set-back throwing on Friday, the right-handed pitcher has been shut down will get an MRI on Sunday.
On this timeline, the setback could put in jeopardy Fiers’ readiness for Opening Day, manager Bob Melvin said.
“He’d have to respond pretty quickly and get back on a mound,” Melvin said. “If there’s anyone able to do that, it’s probably Mike. You’ve seen his durability with us. In the time he’s been here. I don’t think he’s missed a start. And there have been some games where he hasn’t felt great, but he takes the ball and goes out there and pitches.”
The A’s will make sure he’s not making regular season sacrifices in a spring training environment. Fiers, 35, was first shut down with a back ailment, but waking up Saturday morning after throwing on Friday, Fiers told trainers the pain had moved to his hip. He will have an MRI on both his hip and back.
As Melvin noted, Fiers has been one of the A’s most durable starters since his arrival in 2018 — one reason the A’s signed the veteran pitcher to a one-year, $3.5 million deal. Fiers made all his starts last year, but struggled to find footing in a truncated season, posting a 4.58 ERA in 11 starts. Fiers posted sub-4.00 ERAs in both seasons as an Athletic prior to 2020.
Fiers seemed one obvious choice to be the A’s fifth starter to start the season along with A.J. Puk, who threw a simulated game on Saturday. Considering Fiers’ setback, Puk might be a little further on track to join the rotation to start the season. With 10 straight games at home to start the season, the A’s will need an honest five-man rotation to start off, no question.
The A’s are building up a handful of starters as depth for such an event Fiers and Puk aren’t ready to start games when the season begins. With the continued progress of his slider, Daulton Jefferies hasn’t allowed an earned run in six innings over three starts this spring, collecting seven strikeouts. Cole Irvin, who has allowed one earned run in five innings over two starts, could be a spot starter, too.
The A’s have two weeks left for the dust to settle and situations to fully unfold before we know what’s happening with the rotation in full, but the Fiers setback tosses that fifth spot up even more for grabs.
Murphy ramping up
Sean Murphy, 26, was a late arrival to camp in Mesa after undergoing surgery on his collapsed lung during the winter. He will take live at bats in a simulated game on Saturday, Melvin said.
One of baseball’s best catchers and one of the A’s strongest hitters, Murphy’s progress as opening day approaches on April 1 is imperative. Murphy finished fourth in rookie of the year voting in 2020 after a scorching “second-half” to the 60-game season. He posted a .277 average with a 1.062 OPS in the month of September, hitting a game-winning home run in the clinching wild card win over the Chicago White Sox.
Ka’ai Tom could play Monday
We’ve yet to catch even a glimpse of 2020 Rule 5 draftee Ka’ai Tom in green and gold. He’s been held back all of camp while dealing with an oblique injury. After taking some live at bats, Tom is on track to play in Monday’s game against the Cleveland Indians.
Tom has a half of the Cactus League season to vie for an open outfield roster spot. Seth Brown — who hit his first home run of spring on Thursday — Greg Diechmann, Skye Bolt and Luis Barrera are among the others in contention to fill a specific left-handed-hitting (or switch-hitting) outfield spot. They could use one with right-handed hitters Ramón Laureano, Mark Canha and Stephen Piscotty occupying three outfield spots.
“We’ll start to look at some of the other variables that might effect our roster,” Melvin said.
Who’s starting?
Frankie Montas will make his Cactus League debut on Sunday against the White Sox. Montas hasn’t had any game action as he dealt with COVID-19 issues.
After that, the rotation will turn again. Chris Bassitt will start Monday’s game against the Indians and Jesús Luzardo should start Tuesday’s game against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
