Liam Hendriks on a good roll in A’s bullpen
Liam Hendriks on a good roll in A’s bullpen
ANAHEIM — Relievers tend to be subject to big ups and downs over the course of a season, so when a reliever is going well, managers tend to turn to him more frequently and in ever more important situations.
Right now, that man in Oakland’s bullpen is Liam Hendriks, who came into Wednesday night’s game with one out and the bases loaded and the seventh and got a force at the plate and a pop-up to end the inning, then threw a 1-2-3 eighth on just six pitches.
“Here recently, if we’re in the sixth inning and we have a problem, he’s getting it,” manager Bob Melvin said.
Before, I was more targeting a clean inning for him.
Hendriks said that he had something of an epiphany July 14 when the A’s played the Blue Jays, his former club.
Hendriks, who had an 8.27 ERA and a .394 opponents average in 11 games before going on the disabled list with a triceps strain in May, hasn’t allowed an earned run in nine of his past 10 outings.
Jed Lowrie got a scheduled day off Thursday, and season-ending surgery remains a possibility as the second baseman deals with a painful bunion.
Specialized inserts have been ordered for Lowrie but have not yet arrived; it’s unclear how much difference they’ll make, given the amount of force a hitter exerts on his back foot when swinging a bat.
If Lowrie opts for surgery, recovery time is three months.
Melvin confirmed that starter Henderson Alvarez, who has yet to return from right shoulder surgery performed 13 months ago, was examined for thoracic-outlet syndrome this week, but Dr. Greg Pearl found no evidence of the condition, in which compression on nerves and/or blood vessels between the collarbone and ribcage causes shoulder pain. …
Alvarez, an All-Star with Miami in 2014, is beginning a conditioning program, but it doesn’t appear likely that he will pitch for Oakland this season.
Getting some innings in the instructional league or perhaps in winter ball might be an option.
Utility infielder Eric Sogard (knee surgery) will begin hitting soft toss in the next week.
Susan Slusser is a San Francisco Chronicle staff writer.
Tall task: “They’re adding pieces to try to accomplish the ultimate goal,” said manager Bob Melvin of the Cubs, who acquired closer Aroldis Chapman.