Oakland Athletics ace, Glendale native Brandon McCarthy on short leash
The following are updates on area Major League Baseball players.
Brandon McCarthy (Glendale native) starting pitcher, Oakland Athletics: Even though McCarthy’s had his best stuff working as of late, the A’s have been reluctant to push the big right-hander .
After receiving 11 days’ rest following his seven-inning win over the Texas Rangers on June 7, McCarthy threw just 81 pitches against the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers on Tuesday, even though he had cruised through seven scoreless innings while allowing just two hits. Oakland’s bullpen would complete the 3-0 shutout.
According to mlb.com, McCarthy was to be held to a pitch count of 85 for Tuesday’s game by Manager Bob Melvin in an effort to avoid a flare up of the shoulder soreness McCarthy has dealt with this season. He was forced to go on the disabled list for two weeks in May because of it and McCarthy and the A’s are erring on the side of caution this time.
“I’m always kind of worried about that,” McCarthy told mlb.com of another potential bout of soreness. “Especially now, without this kind of extended rest, it’s a fight to get through it, and we’re doing everything we can. I’m confident that [Wednesday] it should be fine, I should be able to go get back on a normal routine, but I’ve been proven wrong a bunch of times before with it.”
McCarthy struck out five and walked one on Tuesday and only allowed one runner past first base while improving to 6-3 and lowering his earned-run average to 2.54.
He picked up his sixth straight win and has a 1.96 ERA over his last seven starts.
Oakland is 34-36 for third place in the American League West Division.
Doug Slaten (Glendale Community College, 1999) relief pitcher, Pittsburgh Pirates: After tossing eight scoreless innings over his six appearances since being called up by the Pirates on May 29, Slaten was finally touched up on June 14 by the Baltimore Orioles.
In 2/3 of an inning upon relieving starter Erik Bedard with one out and runners at the corners in the fourth, Slaten gave up three earned runs on three hits, including a three-run home run by Steve Pearce that put the Pirates in a 10-0 hole en route to losing the game, 12-6.
Slaten has rebounded in his last two outings though, tossing single spotless innings in a 9-2 win over the Cleveland Indians on Saturday and a 2-1 loss to the Minnesota Twins on Wednesday. Still yet to factor in a decision, Slaten’s ERA is at 2.45 with three strikeouts to five walks as Pittsburgh is 36-32 for second place in the National League Central.
Marco Estrada (Glendale Community College, 2003) starting pitcher, Milwaukee Brewers: As expected, Estrada did not come off the 15-day disabled list when he was eligible on June 8 and still continues to be sidelined with a right quadriceps injury sustained May 24.
His return may be drawing near, though, as the Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reported Estrada was slated to throw 75 pitches in a start Thursday for Triple-A Nashville with a return to the Brewers as early as Tuesday a possibility if all goes well.
Currently 0-3 with a 4.50 ERA, Estrada will add some much-needed pitching depth for Milwaukee (32-37 for fourth place in the National League Central), which reportedly may have to send starter Shaun Marcum (elbow) to the DL.