Athletics Hopeful Puk Will Be Healthy Enough to Pitch in the Second Half
The Oakland A’s are getting good news on lefty starter A.J. Puk as he recovers from a mild shoulder strain.
Melvin said Puk threw a 20-pitch bullpen Friday and will throw a 30-pitch session on Monday suggesting he’s getting ready for games.
However, it’s likely when he does come back it will be as a reliever given that Puk may not get enough time to get stretched out enough to pitch deep into games.
“I think they have it all mapped out,” Melvin said of the trainers and medical personnel who are working with Puk. “I do believe we’ll get him back. We’re still not even at the halfway point, so yes.”
Even with starter Frankie Montas held out of starts this week – he’s expected to return next week against the Diamondbacks – the A’s aren’t feeling forced to rush Puk back. They see him as a staple of the rotation for years, and they aren’t going to have him tempt injury by pitching too much too soon.
And if that means spending a month in the bullpen in September, then the A’s seem comfortable with that idea.
Follow Athletics insider John Hickey on Twitter: @JHickey3
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