A's Call Up Former Boston Red Sox Pitcher

Sep 9, 2022; Milwaukee, Wisconsin, USA; Milwaukee Brewers starting pitcher Jason Alexander (41) delivers a pitch against the Cincinnati Reds in the first inning at American Family Field. Mandatory Credit: Michael McLoone-Imagn Images | Michael McLoone-Imagn Images

After struggling mightily in his first two outings, the Athletics announced today that they have optioned right-hander Joey Estes back to Triple-A Las Vegas. In a corresponding move, the team has decided to call up righty Jason Alexander, whom they signed to a minor-league deal this offseason.

Alexander was most recently a member of the Boston Red Sox organization, pitching for Triple-A Worcester and holding a 4.42 ERA across 138.1 innings. The 32-year-old made his big-league debut back in 2022 with the Milwaukee Brewers, tossing 71.2 innings and holding a 5.40 ERA in 18 appearances (11 starts).

Estes earned a spot on the A's Opening Day roster, his first, but put up a 15.43 ERA in starts against the Chicago Cubs in the Sutter Health opener, and the Colorado Rockies in Coors. While those are not easy assignments, it was the underlying velocity dip and lack of command that were more worrisome.

Now, Estes will have an opportunity to get right in the minors.

We said numerous times this offseason that Estes may have a hard time adjusting to the new park in Sacramento, given that he's an extreme fly ball pitcher, and benefitted greatly from pitching at the Oakland Coliseum. After giving him a shot to begin the year, it looks like the A's are going to work with him to get him back to normal, and then potentially also make him more effective for their new home.

Alexander had a 50% ground ball rate last year in the minors, and also has a knack for limiting free passes. Those are two tools that could serve him well at Sutter Health Park.

He went 3.1 innings in his lone start with Las Vegas, allowing three hits and two runs (one earned) while striking out three.

How he ends up fitting on the roster will be one of two ways. The first is that Alexander slots into the A's rotation, filling the spot left by Estes. Yet, with the move coming the day after Estes' last start, that doesn't seem to be the case.

Alexander is likely there to serve as the long relief option for the A's beginning tonight against the San Diego Padres, after Mitch Spence racked up over four frames on Sunday.

If that ends up being the case, then the A's will have two options from there. The first would be to give Spence the rotation spot, given that it was he and Estes battling for it in camp. The other option would be to send Alexander back down later in the week after he's pitched, and to bring up J.T. Ginn, who is off to a tremendous start in 2025 through two outings. Ginn would be the fifth starter.

This option would keep Spence in his current role in the bullpen, as manager Mark Kotsay's "joker."