A's Pitcher Matching Yankees Ace in August

Jason Burke | Aug 23, 2024

Aug 22, 2024; Oakland, California, USA; Oakland Athletics starting pitcher Osvaldo Bido (45) delivers a pitch against the Tampa Bay Rays during the first inning at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: D. Ross Cameron-USA TODAY Sports / D. Ross Cameron-USA TODAY Sports

New York Yankees ace and reigning AL Cy Young Gerrit Cole is the measuring stick for pitchers across baseball. While he was on the IL until the middle of June and wasn't turning in Colesian performances immediately upon his return, in August he has turned things around, holding a cumulative 1.17 ERA across 23 innings in four starts. This run was punctated on Thursday when Cole blanked the Cleveland Guardians for six innings, giving up just one hit and striking out two.

Across the country in a very different team scenario, Oakland A's starter Osvaldo Bido has matched Cole's performance through four starts this month.

Both right-handers hold a 1.17 ERA in 23 innings, and each have walked nine and struck out 23. Two factors where Bido has actually been better is on his opponent's batting average (.143) and WHIP (0.87) compared to Cole's .207 and 1.13.

Bido has arguably faced tougher opponents as well, taking on the Los Angeles Dodgers, Toronto Blue Jays, San Francisco Giants, and Tampa Bay Rays. Cole has been up against the Jays, Rangers, Tigers, and Guardians.

What has been most impressive from Bido is the lack of hits he's given up in this stretch. On Saturday against the Giants, he gave up a lone single that travelled two feet. Yesterday against the Rays he didn't allow a hit until there was one out in the fourth, which gave him just one hit allowed across his last 14 innings pitched, going back to his start against Toronto when he gave up a hit to Ernie Clement to lead off the bottom of the second.

Over his last three starts, Bido has given up a total of five hits and one run in 17 innings. With a 3.24 ERA on the year, he is two outs away from setting a career-high in innings pitched, which he set last season at 50 2/3 with the Pittsburgh Pirates. Just a couple of former Pirates out in the world dominating the American League.

Of Bido's five pitches, his changeup gets the most swing-and-miss action, and it was working extremely well against Tampa Bay yesterday, generating six whiffs on 14 swings (43%). All five of his offerings have expected batting averages of between .171 and .183 this season, which is impressive. There is typically at least one pitch in a mix that just isn't working, especially in a small sample size, but Bido has all of them feeding off one another while he establishes himself in the A's rotation.

The A's right-hander is also years away from arbitration, and won't be eligible for free agency until 2030.