Elephant Rumblings: A’s to ‘evaluate’ options after Shintaro Fujinami’s latest struggles

Given everything that is going on around the Oakland Athletics’ franchise, it is hard to focus on the on field product. The A’s fell to 4-17 Saturday night with an embarrassing blow out loss to the Texas Rangers. For some perspective, the game ended with Jace Peterson on the mound and he allowed the least amount of runs of any of the four total pitchers that the A’s used in the game.

Shintaro Fujinami started Saturday and was ineffective again allowing seven hits and eight runs in just 2 1/3 innings. Fujinami was coming off his best start of the season where he allowed three runs in six innings against the Mets. In his other three starts combined, he has allowed 21 runs in just nine total innings.

Oakland’s starting rotation has an 8.97 ERA as a whole and manager Mark Kotsay vowed to evaluate the team’s options after Saturday’s loss. Fujinami isn’t the only problem, but putting him on a once per week schedule has created a strain on the rest of the pitching staff. Especially when you consider that Fuji has logged just 15 innings total in his four outings.

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Mark Kotsay on Fujinami’s struggles after the game.

Jonny Gomes on Fujinami.

Not many bright spots from Saturday’s game, but Jordan Diaz had a single and drove in another run. He is 3-for-7 with a homer and three RBI since his promotion.