"Estes, 24, came to the A's alongside Shea Langeliers, Cristian Pache and Ryan Cusick in the trade sending to Atlanta. Estes has now pitched in parts of three major league seasons but been tagged for a 5.51 ERA (matching last year's Triple-A mark) with just a 16.3% strikeout rate in 148 1/3 big league innings. He has good command (career 5.4% walk rate), but he's an extreme fly-ball pitcher who doesn't throw hard or miss bats."
"Entering camp, there were two spots up for grabs in manager Mark Kotsay's rotation. Kotsay acknowledged back when pitchers and catchers reported that Luis Severino, Jeffrey Springs and free agent signee Aaron Civale had spots locked down, while the other spots would be sorted out in camp."
"Morales' middling spring showing hasn't emphatically earned that spot, but he's coming off a rookie showing in which he tossed 48 2/3 innings with a 3.14 ERA. He averaged 97.3 mph with his four-seamer, struck out a respectable (albeit slightly below average) 21.6% of his opponents and issued walks at a 9% clip."
The Oakland A's optioned right-handed pitcher Joey Estes to Triple-A, reducing the pool of pitchers competing for major league roster spots. Estes, acquired from Atlanta alongside Shea Langeliers, Cristian Pache, and Ryan Cusick, struggled in limited opportunities with a 5.51 ERA across 148 1/3 big league innings and a 16.3% strikeout rate. Though he maintains good command with a 5.4% walk rate, his extreme fly-ball tendencies and lack of velocity make him susceptible to home runs. With two rotation spots available, manager Mark Kotsay has locked in Luis Severino, Jeffrey Springs, and Aaron Civale, while Luis Morales appears positioned to secure another spot despite a middling spring performance, backed by his solid 3.14 ERA rookie season.
#mlb-roster-decisions #oakland-athletics-pitching #spring-training-competition #rotation-depth-chart
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