Laborious-throwing Athletics righty reliever Lucas Erceg is “drawing important curiosity,” in line with Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic. Erceg, 29, is controllable for 5 seasons past this one.
Erceg, a second spherical decide by the Brewers again in 2016, had served as a two-way participant in faculty however didn’t get critical about pitching till 2021. This yr, his second for the A’s, Erceg has reduce his previously worrisome stroll fee down to eight.3%. That’s paired with a wholesome 26.3 Okay% and a 98.8 common fastball velocity that ranks thirteenth in MLB. Erceg additionally has a robust 50.5% groundball fee and wonderful barrel and hard-hit charges, so the elements are in place for an ERA decrease than his present 3.68 mark.
Erceg spent a pair weeks on the IL for forearm tightness earlier this season. He’s proven no sick results together with his fastball velocity, however did battle for a few weeks upon his return. Erceg’s previous three outings have been scoreless, nevertheless, together with a save Friday in Los Angeles.
Erceg’s bullpen-mate Mason Miller, one of many few relievers in baseball who throws tougher, fractured his left pinkie a couple of days in the past. That strikes Erceg up within the pecking order for A’s supervisor Mark Kotsay, together with fellow commerce candidate Scott Alexander. Based on Rosenthal, the A’s have additionally “exchanged names” with groups on Alexander, a veteran lefty who bears little resemblance to Erceg as a pitcher.
Michael Kopech, who sits simply above Erceg on the velocity rankings, landed with the Dodgers in a three-team deal Monday afternoon. ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel related the Phillies to each relievers earlier earlier immediately, although he was uncertain how the Phillies’ acquisition of Carlos Estevez impacts their curiosity. Erceg, who won’t be arbitration-eligible 2026 on the earliest, could possibly be of explicit attraction to groups with aggressive steadiness tax considerations.
