A's Starter Hits 100 MPH in Rehab Start

Jason Burke | May 29, 2024

Sep 21, 2023; Oakland, California, USA; Oakland Athletics starting pitcher Luis Medina (46) throws a pitch against the Detroit Tigers during the third inning at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Robert Edwards-USA TODAY Sports / Robert Edwards-USA TODAY Sports

Oakland A's starter Luis Medina made his second start with Triple-A Las Vegas on Tuesday night before a crowd of 5,361 home fans, and he showed some growth in his most recent outing.

In the top of the third, Medina loaded the bases on a walk and two singles to begin the inning, and then proceeded to strike out Trey Cabbage, got Shay Whitcomb to fly out to center on a ball that traveled just 273 feet, then struck out Pedro León swinging to end the threat.

The Sugar Land Space Cowboys started the fourth off with a double and a home run, tying the game at two. Medina hit the next batter, then recorded a strike out and a fly out before being lifted from the game. He ended up going 3 2/3 innings, tossing 72 pitches (44 strikes), and topped out at 100.2 miles per hour. That pitch notably came on the fastball to León that ended the top of the third.

Medina's final line: 3 2/3 innings, four hits, two runs, two walks, six strikeouts. Mark Kotsay said that they wanted him at 75 pitches before they thought about calling him up, so there is a chance that he could be headed to join the team in the near future. Problem is, the A's need someone to start Thursday's game in Tampa Bay, and he wouldn't be ready for that outing.

With Joe Boyle scheduled to start on Wednesday in his second rehab start, there's a decent chance the pitcher that gets called up will be Hogan Harris, with Osvaldo Bido on the IL. The only two other healthy pitchers on the 40-man are Royber Salinas and Brady Basso, and neither of them has much experience in Triple-A. They could also call up a relief pitcher and go with a bullpen game for Thursday, but with 80% of the Opening Day rotation currently on the IL, it's important to not lean too heavily on the bullpen if you don't have to.

In the game in Tampa, A's first baseman J.D. Davis was hit on the hand by an 89 mile per hour sinker and ended up leaving the game. Manager Mark Kotsay told reporters after the game that he didn't have results on the X-ray just yet, so they were deeming it a contusion for the time being.

If he were to require an IL stint, there isn't a perfect replacement waiting down in the minor leagues. Ideally, you'd want a right-handed bat that could share time with Tyler Soderstrom, a lefty, at first, but the two first basemen down in Vegas, Ryan Noda and Drew Lugbauer, are both lefties. Logan Davidson, a switch-hitter with some time at first, is on the IL. Quincy Nieporte is a right-handed first baseman, but he just made his Triple-A debut at nearly 30 years old, playing in one game with the Aviators.

If Tyler Nevin clears waivers, an injury to Davis could get him a spot back with Oakland.