OAKLAND – Jesús Luzardo is eager to pitch in a Major League Baseball game again, even if means coming out of the A’s bullpen for now.
“Me personally, I love starting and that’s something that I’ll always love to do, but it’s not in my hands really,” Luzardo said Sunday before the A’s closed out a four-game series with the Los Angeles Angels at the Coliseum.
“Whether it’s an inning, whether it’s two or three, or whatever they choose to do with me, I’ll just go out there and do it until (manager Bob Melvin) tells me that’s enough.
“At the end of the day, my heart is on being a starter, but whatever I can do to help the team win. Doesn’t matter to me.”
Luzardo, 23, has not pitched since May 1, as he fractured the pinky finger on his throwing hand playing video games before his start that day against the Baltimore Orioles.
Luzardo tried to use the time off to his advantage, saying he made minor changes to his mindset and to his mechanics. In 28 innings over six games this season, Luzardo is 1-3 with a 5.79 ERA.
“It was just more kind of, take a step back, kind of slow the game down,” he said of the time off. “Taking three weeks off and being able to see the games and not be involved and kind of just watch some video of me and kind of study myself, I think it really helped me out.”
When Luzardo may start again is unclear, as the A’a are not in need of someone to immediately take over a spot in the rotation currently manned by Chris Bassitt, Sean Manaea, Frankie Montas, Cole Irvin, and James Kaprielian. Irvin will start today against the Angels.
The last time Luzardo came out of the bullpen in a regular-season game was July 29 of last year against the Colorado Rockies. Coming on in relief of Montas, Luzardo threw 3 2/3 innings, and was in the A’s starting rotation for his next appearance on Aug. 4 against the Texas Rangers. Luzardo remained in the starting rotation for the rest of the abbreviated 2020 season.
Luzardo was in a bullpen role in 2019 when, as a rookie, he went 0-0 with a 1.50 ERA, striking out 12 and walking three in 16 innings. He was even more dominant in the Wild-Card game loss to the Rays, allowing one hit and striking out four in three shutout innings.
Melvin said Sunday that Luzardo could be used in long relief to help stretch him out. He also wouldn’t hesitate to insert Luzardo in the late innings in a close game.
“I’ll use him however I think is best used to win a game. But when he’s pitching well, you don’t want to take him out,” Melvin said. “I think that’s what it was more than anything his first year here. He pitched so well that we let him roll a little bit. He’s up for anything and we’ll just see how it plays out.”
Luzardo joins a bullpen that may be in need of a boost. Oakland relievers have compiled a 6.05 ERA and have allowed a.282 opponents’ batting average in 38.2 innings over the last 14 games.
Luzardo said he was going to talk to A’s relievers like Yusmeiro Petit, Jake Diekman, and Sergio Romo and “see how their mentality is out of the ‘pen. I feel like it might be a little different this time than my 2019 times out of the ‘pen. So just kind of pick their brains a little bit, see how it is. But I’m excited to be back in the bullpen and see what we can do and how I can help the team.”
Luzardo pitched 1 2/3 scoreless innings in a rehab assignment with the Las Vegas Aviators on Thursday.
“I just wanted to go out there and kind of get my feet wet again,” Luzardo said of the appearance. “It’s been a while since I pitched at the first of the month, so just feeling my pitches, really. I thought I went out there and felt all my pitches, they all had the action that I needed them to have.”
With Luzardo activated, the A’s optioned right-hander Jordan Weems to Las Vegas.
LAUREANO UPDATE: Ramón Laureano will miss his third straight game with a groin injury but Melvin said the A’s are not yet considering putting the centerfielder on the injured list.
If Laureano progresses enough by Monday, Melvin said, he could potentially play Tuesday in the second game of the A’s series with the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park.
“Or, if we have to do something, then we have to do something,” Melvin said of using the IL. “But he’s getting better at a pace where we feel like he’s got a chance to play in Seattle.”
Mark Canha is back in centerfield for today’s game.
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Back healthy, Jesús Luzardo adjusts to his current role with Oakland A’s - Vacaville Reporter
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