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Happy Monday, Athletics Nation!
What a brutal week of baseball we just had! After a 1-9 homestand and two straight series sweeps at the hands of the Astros and Red Sox—the latter trouncing the A’s all weekend to put a damper on all the fanfare surrounding the 50th anniversary of Oakland’s first World Series championship—it’s nice to have Monday off to lick our wounds. If there is solace to be found in this moment, surely we must look to the future to see it.
We may be getting another glimpse of the A’s future this week, as Mark Kotsay announced in a pregame news conference on Sunday that Las Vegas Aviators starter Jared Koenig will be called up for his MLB debut on Wednesday against Matt Olson and the Atlanta Braves.
Per Steve Kroner at The San Francisco Chronicle, 28-year-old Koenig will be filling the number five spot in the A’s rotation, vacant since Zach Logue was optioned to AAA on May 29.
After a few seasons in independent ball, Koenig signed with the A’s and made his minor-league debut in 2021 with AA affiliates the Midland Rockhounds, where he posted solid numbers in 24 appearances:
- Koenig, 2021 AA: 3.26 ERA, 121⅓ ip, 100 Ks, 43 BB, 14 HR, 4.57 FIP
The Cal State Monterey alumnus was promoted to AAA Las Vegas ahead of 2022 and has shown continued improvement:
- Koenig, 2022 AAA: 2.21 ERA, 53 ip, 61 Ks, 15 BB, 4 HR, 3.43 FIP
Per Melissa Lockard, who wrote a great story for The Athletic last month on Koenig’s long journey to the bigs, the 6’ 5”, 235 pound southpaw doesn’t dazzle with velocity. He leans heavily on a fastball that reaches a respectable 93 mph, but he’s also adept at changing the speed of his pitches. Koenig complements his fastball with cutters, curves, and changeups.
Koenig’s pitching coach Steve Connelly told Lockard that his pupil “has an incredible feel for the game and he reads hitters and situations and he just knows what he wants to do.”
Athletics Nation welcomes Jared Koenig to Oakland! Please give us something to smile about this week!
A’s Coverage:
- Hall: Game #56: A’s wrap up nightmare homestand with another loss
- Hall: Game #55: A’s get shut out, again
- Nico: Majors, Minors, And Everything In Between
- Kroner: Lefty Jared Koenig to make MLB debut for A’s in Atlanta on Wednesday ($)
- Kawahara: At A’s 1972 reunion, Mike Epstein reflects on how hitting has evolved ($)
- Wirth: Blackburn’s first real test comes after rough outing in A’s loss
MLB News & Interest:
- McDonald: Cubs, Phillies Expected To Pursue Marquee Shortstops This Offseason
- Miller: A ‘Steel Cable’ That Connects the Mets and Dodgers ($)
- Polishuk: Injury Notes: deGrom, Muncy, Heaney, Flaherty, Dickerson
- Adams and McDonald: Mets Notes: Smith, Loup, Lindor
- Britton and Ardaya: Dodgers attempt to use position player Zach McKinstry to pitch 9th inning against Mets, umpires overrule ($)
- Franco: Orioles’ Prospect Grayson Rodriguez Diagnosed With Lat Strain
- Today in Baseball History
Best of Twitter:
Gloom,
A's lose 5-2, swept by the Red Sox. Their 7-23 home record is worst in the Majors and their worst start through the first 30 home games of a season. They'll go on the road for the next nine games, starting Tuesday in Atlanta.
— Martín Gallegos (@MartinJGallegos) June 5, 2022
Doom,
A's lose 5-2. They were swept by the Red Sox and went 1-9 on this homestand, outscored 61-26 in the 10 games.
— Matt Kawahara (@matthewkawahara) June 5, 2022
... and solace in others’ misery—the last refuge of scoundrels.
Meanwhile the Angels have lost 10 in a row
— Ben Ross (@BenRossTweets) June 5, 2022
Rollie remembers Ray.
Rollie shares a fond memory of his teammate Ray Fosse pic.twitter.com/uL5yPnzJzt
— A's on NBCS (@NBCSAthletics) June 4, 2022
June 30 is coming fast!
Looking at all of Howard Terminal’s entitlements:
— Vitamin Dee (@2Legit2QuitDee) June 5, 2022
While there are other key approvals still needed, the June 30th BCDC vote is *the BIG one* right now.
If that vote goes against the project, the proposal is dead…& no other subsequent approvals will matter.
Focus on June 30th. pic.twitter.com/eOTxeI3t1I
Roster moves.
A'S RECENT MOVES: RHP Wander Guante to MID, IF Alexander Campos to LAN, OF Mickey McDonald off LV IL, C Jared McDonald off LAN IL, RHP Justin Grimm released, OF Brayan Bulevas on LAN IL, RHP Grant Judkins off STK IL… https://t.co/joKXkzbDRy
— Athletics Farm (@AthleticsFarm) June 5, 2022
Big bombers.
A's Minor League HR Leaders
— Athletics Farm (@AthleticsFarm) June 5, 2022
C Shea Langeliers (LV): 11
C-1B Tyler Soderstrom (LAN): 10
SS Max Muncy (STK): 10
IF Jeremy Eierman (MID): 9
1B Jordan Diaz (MID): 9
Big bomb!
.@austinbeck222 unloads, up onto Home Run Hill! pic.twitter.com/r5582XWPbW
— Lansing Lugnuts (@LansingLugnuts) June 5, 2022
Koenig leads the pack among A’s minor-league pitchers.
A's Minor League ERA Leaders (min. 30 IP)
— Athletics Farm (@AthleticsFarm) June 5, 2022
LHP Jared Koneig (LV): 2.21
LHP David Leal (MID): 2.89
RHP Jack Cushing (MID): 3.27
RHP Luke Anderson (STK): 3.29
RHP Jeff Criswell (LAN): 3.38
Great, but what I really need is another beer!
Sometimes baseball isn't fun to watch, it can be stressful and frustrating. So we bring you the LDB support pack! It includes a decal of your home, a friendship bracelet so you know you’re loved & a stress ball for all your baseball frustrations.
— Last Dive Bar (@lastdivebar) June 6, 2022
: https://t.co/aqHL4CFzXd pic.twitter.com/5H4jk0isUP
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