Pruitt (forearm) is scheduled to throw live batting practice against JJ Bleday (knee) on Friday, the team's official site reports.
Pruitt remains without an exact timetable for return after hitting the injured list back on Aug. 20, but Friday's planned activity level is naturally encouraging. The right-hander had generated a career-best 2.98 ERA alongside a 2-6 record and four holds over 38 appearances (six starts) when the injury bug bit.
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Athletics' Austin Pruitt: Sidelined with forearm strain
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The Athletics placed Pruitt on the 15-day injured list Sunday with a right forearm strain.
Oakland called up Dany Jimenez from Triple-A Las Vegas to provide the club with another right-handed arm out of the bullpen while Pruitt is on the shelf. Depending on the severity of the strain, Pruitt could be done for the season and may even need Tommy John surgery to address the injury. More information on the extent of Pruitt's injury should come within the next few days once he undergoes additional testing. The 33-year-old has compiled a 2.98 ERA and 1.16 WHIP while striking out 30 over 48.1 innings this season.
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Athletics' Austin Pruitt: Hurls two scoreless frames
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Pruitt did not factor into the decision Wednesday, allowing one walk over two scoreless innings in a 2-0 victory over the Rangers. He struck out two.
Pruitt did not allow a hit over his two innings of work, though the Rangers made him work for it, forcing 34 pitches and drawing one walk off the right-hander. He also managed to record two strikeouts for the second time in his last four appearances, and he has not allowed a run over his last nine outings (spanning 10.1 innings), posting a 9:3 K:BB over that stretch.
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Athletics' Austin Pruitt: Serving as opener Wednesday
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Pruitt will serve as Oakland's opening pitcher for Wednesday's game against the Rangers, Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports.
Pruitt has already made five starts for Oakland this season, though none of his outings have lasted longer than three frames. The 33-year-old righty has pitched to a respectable 3.35 ERA and 1.16 WHIP through 43 innings this season. He'll likely work an inning or two before giving way to Freddy Tarnok.
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Athletics' Austin Pruitt: Grabs second win Saturday
Rotowire
Pruitt (2-6) got the win against the Astros on Saturday, firing a scoreless two-thirds of an inning.
The right-hander needed a scant four pitches to record a pair of outs and close out the sixth inning. Pruitt has endured a bit of a rollercoaster season, and he's exemplified the inconsistency by allowing six combined runs in two appearances while tossing scoreless efforts in seven other outings since June 29. He's also garnered just two wins and two holds across 28 appearances, but his 3.96 ERA and 1.21 WHIP are certainly respectable from a fantasy perspective.
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Athletics' Austin Pruitt: Opening Saturday's game
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Pruitt will serve as Oakland's opening pitcher in Saturday's game agains the Twins.
Pruitt will most likely cover anywhere from 1-to-3 innings prior to turning the game over to Hogan Harris, who had been in line to start Saturday before the Athletics made the late decision to deploy him behind an opener. Over his previous four assignments as an opener this season, Pruitt has allowed six earned runs on nine hits and no walks while striking out two over 6.2 innings.
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Athletics' Austin Pruitt: Takes sixth loss Saturday
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Pruitt (1-6) took the loss against the Red Sox on Saturday, allowing four earned runs on four hits over 1.2 innings. He didn't walk a batter or record a strikeout.
Pruitt drew a spot start with Paul Blackburn unable to go due to an illness, but the right-hander never found his footing. Pruitt allowed three runs in the opening frame via a Justin Turner single and Alex Verdugo two-run home run before also being charged with an additional run after getting the hook in the second. The 33-year-old still sports a solid 3.90 ERA and acceptable 1.24 WHIP across 24 appearances (four starts) despite Saturday's stumble, but he's managed to record only two holds on the campaign while forging his crooked won-loss record.
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Athletics' Austin Pruitt: Starting Saturday
Rotowire
Pruitt will start Saturday's game against the Red Sox on short notice after Paul Blackburn was scratched due to illness.
Pruitt has been used as an opener three times this season but hasn't thrown more than three innings in any appearance. He reached that mark just three days ago as the opener in Wednesday's game against the Tigers, so he's unlikely to be fresh enough to pitch particularly deep into Saturday's contest.
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Athletics' Austin Pruitt: Shines as opener
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Pruitt struck out a batter while working three perfect innings as Oakland's opening pitcher in Wednesday's 12-3 win over the Tigers.
Though he faced the minimum nine batters while departing with a 4-0 lead that the Athletics never relinquished, Pruitt didn't qualify for the win because he didn't pitch at least five innings. Instead, the win fell to Ken Waldichuk, who worked 4.1 innings in a bulk-relief role. The three innings were a season-high total for Pruitt, but it's unclear if the Athletics are interested in having him build up his pitch count in preparation for a more traditional starting role. The strong outing should at least make Pruitt one of the team's preferred options the next time manager Mark Kotsay chooses to deploy an opener.
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Athletics' Austin Pruitt: Handling opener role Wednesday
Rotowire
Pruitt is scheduled to serve as Oakland's opening pitcher for Wednesday's game against the Tigers, Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports.
Pruitt hasn't tossed more than three innings or 35 pitches in any of his 32 appearances between the majors and minors this season, so the Athletics likely won't ask him to work more than once through the order before he turns the game over to the bullpen. Lefty Ken Waldichuk is expected to work in bulk relief behind Pruitt.
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Athletics' Austin Pruitt: Another stumble Wednesday
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Pruitt (1-5) took the loss and was charged with a blown save Wednesday against the Guardians, allowing two runs (one earned) on three hits over one inning. He didn't issue a walk or record a strikeout.
Pruitt was entrusted with protecting a one-run lead when he entered in the eighth, but after inducing an inning-opening groundout from Gabriel Arias, the right-hander allowed the next three hitters to reach safely, capped off by a Steven Kwan two-run double that was augmented by a Ramon Laureano throwing error. Pruitt has now allowed an earned run in three of his last five appearances, with each of those instances resulting in a loss.
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Athletics' Austin Pruitt: Fourth loss in impressive outing
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Pruitt (1-4) took the loss against the Rays on Thursday, allowing an earned run on three hits over 2.1 innings during which he didn't record any strikeouts.
Pruitt was able to eat up some innings and fired 24 of his 34 pitches in for strikes. However, the 33-year-old made one mistake, hanging an eighth-inning curveball that Luke Raley drove 410 feet to center field for a home run that proved to be the difference in the game. The stumble notwithstanding, Pruitt has largely been a reliable multi-inning option for manager Mark Kotsay of late, pitching to a 2.57 ERA over the 14 frames covering his last 10 appearances despite a 1-3 record in that span.
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Athletics' Austin Pruitt: Takes third loss Sunday
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Pruitt (1-3) took the loss against the Marlins on Sunday, allowing two runs (one earned) on two hits over two-thirds of an inning. He struck out one.
Pruitt successfully got the third out in the seventh upon first entering the game to preserve a 5-5 tie, but he ended up on the hook for the loss when the two runners he put on to start the eighth crossed the plate following his exit. Pruitt had generated scoreless efforts in six of his previous seven outings coming into Sunday, so he remains a solid option for manager Mark Kotsay, albeit one that doesn't deliver much fantasy production due to a lack of hold and save opportunities.
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Athletics' Austin Pruitt: Operating as opener
Rotowire
Pruitt will operate as the Athletics' opening pitcher Saturday versus Houston, Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports.
Pruitt will draw another start after serving as the opener Wednesday against the Mariners, tossing a scoreless first inning while allowing two hits. Hogan Harris was called up from Triple-A Las Vegas on Saturday and is expected to handle the bulk-relief role following Pruitt.
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Athletics' Austin Pruitt: Serving as opener Wednesday
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Pruitt will serve as the Athletics' opening pitcher in Wednesday's game against the Mariners, Ryan Divish of The Seattle Times reports.
Ken Waldichuk (calf) had been the listed starter for Oakland, but he's now instead expected to work in bulk relief. Pruitt carries a 3.38 ERA, 1.50 WHIP and 7:5 K:BB in 10.2 innings this season out of the Oakland bullpen.
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Athletics' Austin Pruitt: Tosses three hitless innings
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Pruitt (1-1) earned the win in Tuesday's 9-8 victory over the Diamondbacks. He allowed one walk while striking out one over three scoreless innings.
Pruitt picked up his first win of the season in a nail-biting extra-innings victory over the Diamondbacks on Tuesday, stretching out to three innings after having not gone deeper than 1.2 innings this season. He was incredibly effective in high-leverage situations, taking over in the 10th inning and allowing no baserunners outside of intentionally walking Corbin Carroll in the 11th. Since being called up from Triple-A in early May, Pruitt owns a 4.00 ERA with six strikeouts over nine innings (seven appearances) but could be in line for more work after Tuesday's impressive outing.
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Athletics' Austin Pruitt: Takes first loss Sunday
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Pruitt (0-1) took the loss against the Rangers on Sunday, allowing two earned runs on two hits over one-third of an inning.
Pruitt allowed two of the three hitters he faced to reach safely, surrendering a leadoff double to Adolis Garcia and an RBI single to Jonah Heim. Pruitt was charged with an additional run when Heim subsequently came across on a Leody Taveras fielder's choice, saddling the right-hander with the loss and his second multi-earned-run outing in the last four trips to the mound.
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Athletics' Austin Pruitt: Added to roster
Rotowire
The Athletics selected Pruitt's contract from Triple-A Las Vegas on Thursday.
Pruitt earned a promotion with a 2.30 ERA and 16:5 K:BB across 15.2 frames with Vegas. The veteran right-hander appeared in 39 games for Oakland last season, posting a 4.23 ERA. He'll likely fill a multi-inning relief role.
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Athletics' Austin Pruitt: Opening season in minors
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Pruitt will report to Triple-A Las Vegas to begin the 2023 season, Ben Ross of MLB.com reports.
Pruitt re-signed with Oakland in January on a minor-league deal that included an invitation to MLB spring training, but he never made a serious push for a spot on the Opening Day roster. He made just four relief appearances in Cactus League play before experiencing back tightness following his most recent outing March 18. The right-hander checked out fine following a bullpen session Saturday, so he at least looks like he'll be ready to go when Las Vegas begins its season March 31.
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Athletics' Austin Pruitt: Rejoins Oakland on MiLB deal
Rotowire
Pruitt signed a minor-league contract with the Athletics on Sunday.
Pruitt hit free agency after being outrighted off Oakland's 40-man roster in November, but he's back with the organization on a minor-league deal. The 33-year-old appeared in 39 big-league games last season and had a 4.23 ERA across 55.1 innings, and he will likely receive an invitation to major-league spring training.
