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According to Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic, there is significant interest in hard-throwing Athletics right-handed reliever Lucas Erceg. At 29 years old, Erceg is under team control for five more seasons.
Erceg, a second round pick by the Brewers in 2016, was a two-way player in college but shifted his focus to pitching in 2021. In his second season with the A’s, Erceg has managed to lower his walk rate to 8.3%, while maintaining a strong 26.3% strikeout rate and an impressive average fastball velocity of 98.8 mph, which ranks 13th in MLB. With a 50.5% groundball rate and solid barrel and hard-hit rates, Erceg is poised to improve upon his current 3.68 ERA.
Earlier this season, Erceg spent time on the injured list with forearm tightness. While his fastball velocity has been unaffected, he did struggle initially upon his return. However, his last three outings have been scoreless, including a save in Los Angeles on Friday.
Erceg’s teammate Mason Miller, who throws even harder than him, recently fractured his left pinkie, moving Erceg up in the bullpen hierarchy for manager Mark Kotsay alongside fellow trade candidate Scott Alexander. The A’s have reportedly discussed potential trades involving Alexander, a veteran left-handed pitcher who differs significantly from Erceg in terms of pitching style.
On Monday, Michael Kopech, who ranks just above Erceg in velocity, was part of a three-team deal that sent him to the Dodgers. ESPN’s Kiley McDaniel linked the Phillies to both Erceg and Kopech earlier today, though it’s uncertain how the Phillies’ recent acquisition of Carlos Estevez impacts their interest. Erceg, who won’t be eligible for arbitration until 2026 at the earliest, could appeal to teams looking to manage their competitive balance tax concerns.
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