Athletics To Stretch Out Reliever As Starting Pitcher This Spring

Interesting news coming out of Oakland this weekend.

The Oakland Athletics will reportedly stretch out reliever A.J. Puk as a starting pitcher this spring.

Premiering Now!
- The A's have so many options in the starting rotation
- Is A.J. Puk a viable option in that mix?
- @ByJasonB gives his prediction for the Opening Day rotationhttps://t.co/hqGNgIzg8v pic.twitter.com/igocQBFGer

— Locked On A’s (@LockedOnAs) December 30, 2022

Puk featured as the Athletics' setup man last season, but is now being prepared to take on a starter's workload this spring due to James Kaprielian's status following his offseason shoulder surgery.

In 62 appearances last season, Puk posted a solid 3.12 ERA, 1.15 WHIP, and 76 strikeouts across 66.1 innings of work.

The twenty-seven-year-old could very well have success in a starting role, but he'd have to fix some things first, namely, his control issues, which have been his biggest problem since entering the league.
Photo Credit: Steven Bisig-USA TODAY Sports