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Oakland Athletics Call Up Australian Pitcher Jack O'Loughlin to Make MLB Debut

Jack O'Loughlin, a longtime member of the Detroit Tigers' farm system, is set to make his first MLB appearance with the Oakland Athletics this weekend.

Sam Connon

Whitecaps' Jack O'Loughlin pitches to a Lugnuts batter in the first inning on Tuesday, April 11, 2023, at Jackson Field in Lansing.
Whitecaps' Jack O'Loughlin pitches to a Lugnuts batter in the first inning on Tuesday, April 11, 2023, at Jackson Field in Lansing. / Nick King/Lansing State Journal / USA
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The Oakland Athletics have called up left-handed pitcher Jack O'Loughlin to make his MLB debut, The Athletic's Ken Rosenthal reported Saturday morning.

There has not been a corresponding move announced.

O'Loughlin, 24, is originally from Adelaide, Australia. He is set to become the 38th Australian player ever to appear in MLB game.

In 10 appearances with Triple-A Las Vegas so far this season, O'Loughlin was 1-2 with a 5.12 ERA, 1.603 WHIP and 10.2 strikeouts per nine innings. Over his last three starts, O'Loughlin owns a 2.25 ERA.

The A's signed O'Loughlin to a minor league contract in November. He was widely viewed as one of the top minor league free agents on the market, reportedly garnering offers from 15 teams.

O'Loughlin spent the previous six years coming up through the Detroit Tigers' farm system, starting his career in America as a teenager back in 2018. He finally made it to Triple-A in 2023, although he completely skipped over Double-A.

Across 98 career minor league appearances – 66 of which have been starts – O'Loughlin is 16-20 with a 3.76 ERA, 1.393 WHIP and 8.5 strikeouts per nine innings. After going 6-10 with a 3.99 ERA in 2023, he elected free agency, opening the door for him to join the A's this year.

O'Loughlin isn't scheduled to start any of the Athletics' gams against the Houston Astros this weekend, suggesting that he will instead be available out of the bullpen.

Saturday's game between the A's and Astros is scheduled to get underway at 4:07 p.m. ET. If he doesn't make his big league debut in that contest, the two sides are set to close out their series at the same time on Sunday.

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Sam Connon
SAM CONNON

Sam Connon is a Staff Writer for Fastball on the Sports Illustrated/FanNation networks. He previously covered UCLA Athletics for Sports Illustrated/FanNation's All Bruins, 247Sports' Bruin Report Online, Rivals' Bruin Blitz, the Bleav Podcast Network and the Daily Bruin, with his work as a sports columnist receiving awards from the College Media Association and Society of Professional Journalists. Connon also wrote for Sports Illustrated/FanNation's New England Patriots site, Patriots Country, and he was on the Patriots and Boston Red Sox beats at Prime Time Sports Talk.

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