The Plan For Jack Perkins This Spring, and When the A's Will Decide His Role
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The A's opened up their spring slate of games with a lopsided loss to the Chicago White Sox, 11-2, in Glendale, Arizona. This is the first of many games this spring, and a large swath of the team's regulars didn't even see the field in this one, so there is no reason to panic about the result in the grand scheme of the season.
Jack Perkins got the start in this one, and we mentioned why this is an interesting decision for the first game yesterday, saying that getting him the ball first allows the club time to see if he's destined for a spot in the rotation, or if he'll end up as a potential bullpen piece.
The 26-year-old made his spring debut on Saturday against a feisty White Sox lineup, and lasted just 2/3 of an inning, giving up two hits and two earned runs, walking a pair and striking out one. It wasn't the outing that Perkins was hoping to have, but it was the first game of camp. Sometimes that happens. What will be more important will be how he bounces back the next time out.
Prior to the game, A's manager Mark Kotsay spoke with the media in Arizona and provided a loose timeline for when the team's decision on how to deploy Perkins could be made.
When will we know Perkins' role with the A's?
The A's manager was asked directly about Perkins, who made his MLB debut last season as a member of the bullpen, before moving into the rotation for a handful of starts before suffering a season-ending injury.
Kotsay confirmed that the plan is to build him up early as a starting pitcher, then added, "I think the plan is to continue to get him out there as much as possible. Make sure that whatever role he lands in, that he's prepared for it. The build-up would be kind of these first three outings to get that pitch count up to a comfortable level, and then we can determine what direction we want to go with him."
In his first outing, Perkins racked up 26 pitches, throwing 15 of those for strikes (57.6%), which is relatively in line with his strike rate from when he was a starting pitcher last season (59.5%). His strike rate as a relief pitcher was a touch higher, sitting at 61% in his eight appearances, which is part of the reason he was more effective.
The way the A's typically move up pitch counts when they're building up pitchers is in 15-20 pitch increments. If they follow that path, Perkins is looking at 40-45 pitches in his next outing, and then 55-65 in the third one. By that point the A's may have enough data to make a decision on which way Perkins will go.
The one troubling factor here is that while Mason Miller made the transition look easy and turned into and All Star his first year in the bullpen, looking like one of the best relievers in the game—that's not necessarily the most likely outcome statistically. What if Perkins struggles? How long do they have him slotted in the bullpen? Do they try to get him ready for the rotation again?
It could be a slippery slope decision. Miller knew that if he had success as a relief pitcher, that would be his role moving forward. We don't know what the plan would have been had he struggled.
That said, Perkins has shown flashes of being a really solid pitcher at the big league level, and should have tremendous success wherever the A's slot him. Among the arms that could make the A's pitching staff out of camp, he is the one that has A's fans the most excited because of his potential in either role.
Perkins has slimmed down, bulked up
In that same interview with Kotsay before Saturday's game, he said that Perkins has slimmed down, but at the same time bulked up. "He took to heart the offseason message of getting in better shape and adding some muscle. He looks great. We’re excited about getting him out there and watching him throw."
Martín Gallegos of MLB.com talked to him about the changes he made to his diet, and Perkins noted that he cut sugar out of his routine, dropped eight pounds, and has seen a big difference in how quickly he can recover.
Most importantly for the A's, Perkins is willing to tackle and thrive in whichever role the A's choose for him in 2026.
More Notes!
Prior to the game, Kotsay said that in these early spring training games, his focus will be on the pitching side of things. "We want to identify guys that whether it's throughout the course of the year that can impact us, come help us. The bullpen is a part of that process, and having as much depth as you can."
He also noted that he's on the lookout for how the young guys play the game, and what their instincts look like to him and his coaching staff. On Saturday we saw young, highly touted prospects get into the game. Leo De Vries (1-for-3, K), Henry Bolte (0-for-2), Tommy White (1-for-1, BB) and Joshua Kuroda-Grauer (1-for-2) were the notable appearances on the position player side.
Jason has been covering the A’s at various sites for over a decade, and was the original host of the Locked on A’s podcast. He also covers the Stanford Cardinal as they attempt to rebuild numerous programs to prominence.
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