MESA, Ariz. — A’s reliever Santiago Casilla is expected to make his spring debut on Sunday when the A’s host the World Series champion Chicago Cubs.
Casilla, the former Giants closer in his first season back with the A’s, threw a 20-pitch bullpen session on Friday and bench coach Mark Kotsay said he was in line to throw in a game on Sunday. A’s pitching coach Curt Young later confirmed that’s on the schedule.
Casilla didn’t sign with the A’s until Jan. 19 and that led to a delay in getting his visa to travel from the Dominican Republic, where he had been doing some throwing at the A’s facility.