Trivino looks to be taking charge as A's closer
Drew SIlva analyzes Oakland A's reliever Lou Trivino and details why his recent impressive stretch as the team's closer is worth buying in fantasy.
Video Transcript
DREW SILVA: You're probably in somewhat dire straits if you're looking to the A's bullpen for saves help in fantasy, but even bad teams can carry late leads in this sport. The ninth inning situation in Oakland is worth watching at the moment, with Danny Gimenez recently landing on the IL because of a right shoulder injury and Lou Trivino again receiving looks in the closer role. AJ Puk and Zach Jackson seemed like the front runners for fill-in duties when Jimenez went down, but they have both struggled in recent higher leverage appearances.
Trivinio, meanwhile, earned back-to-back saves against the Royals on Saturday, June 25th and Sunday, June 26th. There is that ugly 7.17 season ERA, but Trivinio was the saves leader for the A's last year with 22, and he began this year as the team's primary closer before losing the job to a COVID IL stint and a brutal first outing back on the active roster in May.
Having registered a 3.34 ERA with 93 strikeouts in 97 innings between 2020 and 2021, we know he's capable of better overall results, as does manager Mark Kotsay, who has apparently developed newfound trust in the 30-year-old right hander. Add him off waivers, and hope with the rest of us that the era does indeed keep shrinking.
