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Battling for spot, Cotton strong vs. Mariners

PEORIA, Ariz. -- Even after Jharel Cotton held a spot in the A's rotation all of last season, nothing is guaranteed for the right-hander this spring.

Cotton knows as much, even if manager Bob Melvin intimated a preference on Wednesday that Cotton earn one of the three seemingly open rotation spots.

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"We'd like him to be [part of the rotation]," Melvin said. "He's had some success for us. ... We'd love for him to be in it. Now is a good time to start pitching well.