Athletics' Mitch Spence: Gets first win despite struggles
Rotowire
Spence (1-1) got the win over the Nationals on Sunday despite allowing two earned runs on four hits over 1.2 innings. He struck out one.
Spence took over for embattled starter Alex Wood with one out in the fifth inning and induced an inning-ending double play. However, the right-hander worked himself into trouble in the sixth, eventually surrendered RBI singles to Joey Meneses and Lane Thomas as the Nationals built a seemingly commanding 6-1 lead. Nevertheless, Spence was bailed out when the typically light-hitting Athletics put together an improbable six-run rally in the home half of the frame and held on for the one-run victory. Spence has been scored on in each of his first four big-league appearances, but the fact two of those outings have been three innings in length and one of the runs was unearned has helped lead to a serviceable 4.15 ERA across 8.2 frames.
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Athletics' Mitch Spence: Takes loss Tuesday
Rotowire
Spence (0-1) was charged with the loss in extra innings against the Red Sox on Tuesday, allowing one unearned run on one hit over one inning.
Spence got the call in the 11th inning after closer Mason Miller had already thrown 29 pitches over the prior pair of frames. Spence's loss was primarily of the tough-luck variety, as the one run he surrendered came on a Tyler O'Neill double play groundout that scored inning-opening runner Reese McGuire. Spence was effective in his first appearance of the season on Friday against the Guardians, and Tuesday's nearly clean outing shouldn't blemish the perception he could be a reliable multi-inning relief option for manager Mark Kotsay.
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Athletics' Mitch Spence: Likely opening in bullpen
Rotowire
Spence is projected to open the season as part of the Athletics' bullpen, Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports.
The Rule 5 pick put together a solid body of work this spring, going 1-0 with a 3.06 ERA over six appearances (three starts) while producing a 21:6 K:BB. Spence finished off Cactus League play with 4.2 scoreless frames over his last pair of appearances, and he could often fill a long-relief role after logging 74 starts in the Yankees' minor-league system over the last three seasons.
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Athletics' Mitch Spence: Drawing Cactus League start Monday
Rotowire
Spence, a Rule 5 pick this winter, will start Monday's Cactus League game against the Diamondbacks in place of Ross Stripling (finger), MLB.com reports.
The right-hander, who logged 39 starts over the last two minor-league seasons with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in the Yankees organization, will be evaluated in game action sooner than expected thanks to the cut on Stripling's right index finger. Spence posted an 11-10 mark with a 4.26 ERA and 1.31 WHIP across the 215.1 innings covering the aforementioned sample, but his best chance of sticking on the Athletics' roster is likely as a reliever.
