Oakland A's Bullpen Has Two Secret Weapons Thanks to Yankees, Braves

Jason Burke | May 3, 2024

Apr 7, 2024; Detroit, Michigan, USA; Oakland Athletics pitcher Kyle Muller (39) pitches during the / Brian Bradshaw Sevald-USA TODAY Sports

The Oakland A's are off to a 15-17 start in 2024. Last season, the A's didn't secure their 15th win until June 9th. The big reason for the turn in fortune this year has been the team's pitching staff overall, but more specifically the bullpen. Heading into Friday's game, the A's are tied for first in bullpen ERA with the New York Yankees at 2.45.

Since the team's visit to New York last week, there has been a lot of attention paid to closer Mason Miller, who is 8-for-8 in save opportunities, holds a 1.26 ERA with a 0.77 WHIP, and has struck out 29 batters in 14 1/3 innings. The acclaim that he's receiving is well deserved. Yet, there are two pitchers that aren't getting much rub that are huge keys for the bullpen's success this season: Kyle Muller and Mitch Spence, two long relievers.

Both Muller and Spence are former starters turned full-time relievers this season. Muller says that the idea was communicated to him during Spring Training. The 6-foot-7 lefty entered camp out of options, and this was the path for him to be on the Opening Day roster.

As for the role itself, he's enjoying it. "It's great. Just doing the best we can to keep the game to a point, [and] let our hitters take care of business, and then get it to [Lucas] Erceg and Miller in the eighth and ninth."

The role isn't glorious, but having Muller (2.29 ERA in 19 2/3 innings) and Spence (2.84 ERA in 19 innings) available to keep the score where it's at and give the offense a chance to make a comeback is something that the team certainly didn't have last season. They also eat up innings early in the game if a starter doesn't last to the fifth or sixth that would otherwise be covered by guys that are more valuable in pressure situations. They've also been used to close out games and give the other arms in the bullpen a day off.

The excellence shown by these two has kept the entire bullpen fresh so far this season, and we're seeing the results.

After his start on Wednesday, Ross Stripling talked about the importance of the duo. "They've been huge. I feel like MItch has pitched a lot on my day. Obviously I was 0-5 going in this game so it hasn't led to many wins, but I know that he has kept us in the game in a lot of those. And then Muller, I feel like he's found a role that suits him well and just kind of grip it and rip it, and go get guys out and keep us in the ballgame. They've been huge for us."

The role that they hold is one that Stripling himself has was thrust into in the past, and he said that Spence, particularly in camp, would come to him looking for advice about routines. He jokingly said, "Now he's off to a good start, I feel that he doesn't need my help that much."

The last two times Spence has made an appearance he has tossed three scoreless innings each time and has earned the win. The first of those games was last Friday in Baltimore. He came in with the A's down 2-1 and pitched the seventh, eighth, and ninth while the team rallied to scratch one across to send the game to extras. After Oakland scored again in the tenth, Miller came in to close it out, and Spence got the win.

Spence, on the new role with the new team, "when your job is to be the bridge to Erceg and MIller, it's an important job."

Newcomer to the bullpen Michael Kelly said that having both Muller and Spence has been huge. "They're able to go out there, they're able to give us innings, and give some guys some breaks. But then you know, outside of that, also just having those guys in the bullpen and keeping that camaraderie, those are two guys that are a big part of it and keep those conversations going. Those little things play a huge part too."

The name of the game for the entire bullpen is to keep things close or hold the lead to get the ball into the hands of Erceg in the eighth and Miller in the ninth to close out wins.

The 103 mile per hour fireball-throwing closer put it like this. "I can't say enough about them. There's been a lot of close games . I know Kyle had a couple of games where he picked the bullpen up and went four or five. Mitch pitching in close games, keeping a lead, or keeping us in one, it's huge for us. It's huge for the team."