The A’s brief five-game road trip through Southern California got off to a rough start with the club putting switch-pitcher Pat Venditte on the disabled list with a right shoulder strain.
Venditte, called up just a week ago to become the first full-time ambidextrous pitcher in the big leagues since the 1880s, made for a feel-good story after he spent seven years in the minor leagues trying to show he wasn’t just a novelty act.
He would up pitching in four games, throwing 5.2 innings and didn’t allow a run.
The strength of Venditte’s game is his ability to match up with the opposing lineup, throwing right-handed against right-handed batters and lefty against left-handed hitters.