MESA, Ariz. — Several A’s pitchers will be battling throughout spring training for the final three spots in the starting rotation, but manager Bob Melvin already has a leader in the clubhouse.
Daniel Mengden ended the 2017 season looking like the best pitcher on the entire roster. In his final five starts, Mengden went 3-1 with a 1.54 ERA. The impressive stretch was highlighted by a complete game two-hit shutout on the road against the Philadelphia Phillies.
Before throwing his first bullpen session of the spring on Friday, Mengden received high praise from his manager.
“It was a small sample size, but it was borderline spectacular,” Melvin said.