Athletics' James Kaprielian: First start likely vs. Cleveland
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Kaprielian has clinched a spot in the Athletics' Opening Day rotation and is likely to make his first start during the team's second series of the season next week versus the Guardians in Oakland, Ben Ross of MLB.com reports.
Manager Mark Kotsay has already confirmed that Kyle Muller will get the Opening Day start Thursday versus the Angels, while Shintaro Fujinami and Ken Waldichuk have been confirmed to start the final two games of the series Saturday and Sunday, respectively. That leaves Kaprielian in line to face the Guardians either Monday or Tuesday, with the yet-to-named winner of the competition for the fifth's starter role -- either JP Sears or Adam Oller -- getting the nod for the other day. Kaprielian was brought along somewhat slowly in camp after he underwent a non-invasive procedure on the AC joint of his right shoulder back in October, but he ended up making four Cactus League starts and built up to 5.1 innings and 88 pitches in his final outing Monday. He shouldn't face any restrictions once the season gets underway.
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Athletics' James Kaprielian: Starting Sunday, as expected
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Kaprielian (shoulder) is starting Sunday's Cactus League game against the Padres.
Kaprielian pitched well during a simulated game last week and will make his spring debut Sunday as he reaches the end of his recovery from October shoulder surgery. Assuming there's no setbacks Sunday, the 29-year-old will be on track to be ready for the start of the season after he posted a 4.23 ERA, 1.34 WHIP and 98:59 K:BB over 134 innings during 2022.
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Athletics' James Kaprielian: Spring debut coming Sunday
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Kaprielian (shoulder) will make his Cactus League debut Sunday against San Diego, Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports.
After impressing during a sim game Tuesday without feeling any pain in his shoulder, Kaprielian's return to Cactus League action is another good sign that he will be ready for the start of the season. The 29-year-old righty finished last year with a 4.23 ERA and 1.34 WHIP through 134 innings across 26 starts.
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Athletics' James Kaprielian: Impresses in Tuesday sim game
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Kaprielian (shoulder) threw a three-inning simulated game Tuesday and didn't experience any issues during his 45-pitch outing, the Athletics' official site reports.
That's two successful sim games for Kaprielian since Thursday, with manager Mark Kotsay noting the right-hander "threw well" and "looked great" during Tuesday's session. The Athletics skipper alluded to a Cactus League appearance potentially being the next step for Kaprielian but added that how the hurler felt Wednesday would go a long way toward determining that.
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Athletics' James Kaprielian: No issues during sim game
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Kaprielian (shoulder) said he "likes the way things are coming along" after throwing a two-inning simulated game Thursday, Matt Kawahara of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
The 29-year-old righty threw roughly 30 pitches and reportedly felt good afterwards. Coming off having surgery done on his throwing shoulder in November, Kaprielian says he's doing everything in his power to be ready to go for Oakland's Opening Day rotation.
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Athletics' James Kaprielian: Set for sim game
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Kaprielian (shoulder) is set to throw a two-inning simulated game Thursday.
The recovering right-hander threw a successful live batting practice Sunday as he continues to work his way back from November shoulder surgery. The simulated game is another important step in a quest to make the season-opening starting rotation, one manager Mark Kotsay still feels Kaprielian can pull off if he doesn't experience any setbacks.
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Athletics' James Kaprielian: Throws live BP
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Kaprielian (shoulder) threw live batting practice Sunday, and manager Mark Kotsay said he believes there's enough time for the right-hander to be built up enough to make the Opening Day rotation, Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports.
The 28-year-old is coming off shoulder surgery in October but has a strong chance to be ready for Opening Day given he's already facing live batters. Kaprielian should continue ramping up his throwing program before progressing to game action.
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Athletics' James Kaprielian: Live batting practice scheduled
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Kaprielian (shoulder) will throw a live batting practice Sunday, Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports.
Kaprielian has a long injury history, most recently undergoing shoulder surgery in October. He appears to be trending in the right direction and has time to be ready by Opening Day if all goes well. He's expected to throw at least two live batting practice sessions before pitching in the Cactus League.
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Athletics' James Kaprielian: Hopes to be ready for season
Rotowire
Kaprielian (shoulder) threw off the mound three times before camp opened up and said last week that he hopes to be ready for the start of the season, Matt Kawahara of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
Kaprielian said his October procedure was "pretty non-invasive" and the shoulder is "coming along." Assuming he is on track for the start of the season, he should have a spot in Oakland's rotation. Kaprielian has a 4.16 ERA, 1.29 WHIP and 221 strikeouts in 253.1 innings over the past two seasons.
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Athletics' James Kaprielian: On track for spring
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Kaprielian (shoulder) is expected to be ready for the start of spring training, Athletics general manager David Forst told Matt Kawahara of the San Francisco Chronicle on Friday.
The question on Kaprielian's status came in relation to the A's recent trade of Cole Irvin to the Orioles. That move was quite clearly a salary dump, but Oakland does have the depth to deliver a respectable Opening Day rotation if there are no setbacks on the health front. Kaprielian is said to be moving in the right direction in his recovery from offseason surgery to repair the AC joint in his throwing shoulder.
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Athletics' James Kaprielian: Recovering from shoulder surgery
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Kaprielian underwent offseason surgery to repair the AC joint in his right shoulder, Evan Webeck of The Mercury News reports.
Kaprielian's rehab is reportedly proceeding as expected, and he's on track to be ready for the start of spring training. "It's something that he dealt with in the past," said manager Mark Kotsay. "I don't think it's a concern. I think it's something the organization and him felt strongly about moving forward with." Kotsay noted that although Kaprielian's rehab is going well, he doesn't yet have an exact timeline for when the right-hander will be back at 100 percent. His status will be worth monitoring as spring camp approaches.
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Athletics' James Kaprielian: Ends year on high note
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Kaprielian (5-9) earned the win Sunday over the Mariners, allowing just one hit and two walks while striking out seven over six scoreless innings.
Kaprielian had his ups and downs in 2022, but he finished the year with four consecutive quality starts, allowing just five runs over his last 25 innings. The right-hander's poor record is mostly a product of the team around him, as he finished the year with a serviceable 4.23 ERA, 1.34 WHIP and 98:59 K:BB over 134 innings across 26 starts. It was a step back from 2021, but Kaprielian should be penciled into the Athletics' 2023 rotation, as the team is unlikely to make a big splash in free agency early in its rebuild.
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Athletics' James Kaprielian: Surrenders 10 hits in quality start
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Kaprielian did not factor into the decision Tuesday, allowing three runs on 10 hits and no walks with five strikeouts over six innings in a 4-3 loss against the Angels.
Despite allowing 10 hits on the night, Kaprielian was able to limit the damage to just three runs allowed in the second inning. The 10 hits he surrendered are the most he has conceded all season, but he did not walk a batter for just the third time on the campaign, signaling he may have found too much of the plate Tuesday. The quality start was his third in a row and sixth on the season. He likely next lines up to face Seattle this weekend.
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Athletics' James Kaprielian: Dazzles in win
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Kaprielian (4-9) earned the win Wednesday, allowing two hits and one walk over seven scoreless innings against the Mariners. He struck out six.
After giving up a single to Mitch Haniger in the first, Kaprielian allowed only two more batters to reach base through seven strong innings. It was the first time since July 23 that Kaprielian didn't allow a run, and he now holds a 1.38 ERA and 0.92 WHIP in two September starts. He'll look to carry that momentum into his next outing, which should come against the Angels in the middle of next week.
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Athletics' James Kaprielian: Sticks in rotation
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Kaprielian is scheduled to start Wednesday's game against the Mariners at Oakland Coliseum.
Kaprielian was briefly banished to the bullpen earlier this month after a pair of rough starts, but he never appeared in relief before he was needed to rejoin the rotation as a replacement for the injured Adam Oller (rib). The right-hander proceeded to return from a two-week break to start last Thursday in Houston and fared admirably against a tough opponent, striking out four over six innings while allowing two earned runs. With Oller still on the mend, Kaprielian will return to the hill Wednesday for his 24th start of the season.
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Athletics' James Kaprielian: Quality start in no-decision
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Kaprielian allowed two runs on five hits and four walks while striking out four over six innings during a 5-2 loss Thursday in Houston. He did not factor into the decision.
Kaprielian allowed multiple baserunners in four of the six innings he pitched but managed to hold the Astros to only two runs. He had not made a start since Aug. 31 after a poor performance and a finger laceration sidelined him for the first two weeks of September. It was his first time pitching six innings in a start in his last seven outings. He's walked 15 batters in his last 19.1 innings -- spanning four starts -- while striking out 16.
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Athletics' James Kaprielian: In line for Thursday's start
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Kaprielian is slated to start Thursday against the Astros at Minute Maid Park after being scratched from his last start Friday due to a cut on his middle finger, the Associated Press reports.
The right-hander apparently suffered the injury when hitting his finger against a wall while putting on his shirt, but a few days off for healing will apparently do the trick. When he presumably takes the hill against Houston, Kaprielian will be looking to bounce back from consecutive rocky starts where he allowed a combined 13 runs (10 earned) on 14 hits and seven walks across 8.1 innings vs. the Yankees and Nationals.
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Athletics' James Kaprielian: No longer starting Friday
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Kaprielian is no longer starting Friday's game against the White Sox, Matt Kawahara of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
Kaprielian was initially listed as the probable starter for Friday's matchup, but Austin Pruitt will instead begin the game on the mound for the Athletics. It's not yet clear whether Kaprielian is dealing with an injury or whether he'll be available out of the bullpen as a bulk reliever.
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Athletics' James Kaprielian: Managing finger injury
Rotowire
Kaprielian was scratched from Friday's start against the White Sox due to a right middle finger laceration, Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports.
The Athletics didn't initially provide a reason for scratching Kaprielian from Friday's start, but he's apparently dealing with a finger issue. Austin Pruitt will take over as Friday's starter, while it's not yet clear when Kaprielian will be able to return to the mound.
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Athletics' James Kaprielian: Returns to rotation
Rotowire
Manager Mark Kotsay said Tuesday that Kaprielian will return to the starting rotation during this weekend's series with the White Sox, Matt Kawahara of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
After being moved to the bullpen over the weekend, Kaprielian will rejoin the rotation without having made a relief appearance due to starter Adam Oller (rib) being placed on the 15-day injured list. The 28-year old Kaprielian had turned in a 6.46 ERA and 1.90 WHIP across his last five starts and doesn't profile as a trustworthy fantasy option.
