A's Sign Former Cincinnati Reds Pitcher to Minor League Deal
According to the Minor League Baseball transactions page, the Oakland A's have signed right-hander Robert Dugger to a minor-league deal and assigned him to the Arizona Complex League.
Dugger, 28, was drafted by Seattle in 2016, then dealt to the Miami Marlins in the Dee Strange-Gordon deal. Seattle got him back as a waiver claim in 2020, then went to the Tampa Bay Rays as a minor league free agent in 2022, with the Cincinnati Reds claiming him off waivers in May of that year. He spent last season in the Texas Rangers system.
Despite the bouncing around, Dugger has pitched in the big leagues in four of the last five seasons, holding a cumulative 7.17 ERA across 86 2/3 innings pitched. In 2022 he utilized a five-pitch mix (four-seam, sinker, slider, curveball, and changeup) and used them all between 18.7% and 22.5%. All of his pitches come in well below league average velocity-wise, with his fastball averaging 90 mph, so using five offerings and making it a little unpredictable which pitch he's going to throw is likely his best route for success.
So far that success has eluded him, but a trip to the ACL is a good start to get him on the right path. That's a place where he can go, get built up, work on some things, and then be unleashed when he's ready.
Dugger had been pitching in the KBO with the SSG Landers this season and the results haven't been great. He started six games with the Landers, and in 22 2/3 innings he gave up 37 hits, ten walks, and 32 earned runs, for a 12.71 ERA and a 2.07 WHIP. His FIP was a much more respectable 4.95.
One thing that stood out from his line could be what the A's are hoping to see a little more of. His ground ball rate has skyrocketed up to 67.7%, so a little over two-thirds of the balls that are hit are on the ground. With better defense behind him, maybe those results are a little better. If he can control the zone and keep the grounders coming, there's a chance that he could be someone to keep an eye on later in the season.
JASON BURKE
Jason is the host of the Locked on A's podcast, and the managing editor of Inside the A's. He's a new father and can't wait to take his son to his first baseball game at the Coliseum.