Boyle (2-0) allowed three runs on two hits and two walks while striking out six over seven innings to earn the win over the Angels on Saturday.
Boyle was sharp until the seventh inning, when he allowed all three runs and three of his four baserunners. He faced the minimum through six frames thanks to a double play. Boyle made three starts in a late-season audition, and he more than held his own to the tune of a 1.69 ERA, 0.81 WHIP and 15:5 K:BB over 16 innings. The 24-year-old right-hander maintained a 3.84 ERA, 1.50 WHIP and 168:93 K:BB over 117.1 innings between Double-A and Triple-A this season. There are still flaws in his game, namely allowing too many baserunners, but he could be good enough for Oakland's rotation if he shows well in spring training for 2024.
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Athletics' Joe Boyle: Tosses three scoreless frames
Rotowire
Boyle opened Sunday's 10-1 loss to the Padres with three scoreless innings, allowing one hit and two walks while striking out four.
Boyle impressed in his MLB debut, allowing just a first-inning single to Juan Soto and two free passes while spotting 35 of his 58 pitches for strikes. The right-hander sported a four-pitch arsenal Sunday and notably maxed out at 99.7 miles per hour with his fastball. The Athletics haven't outlined their plans for Boyle moving forward, but he'll most likely work as an opener or a traditional starter the next time his turn in the rotation comes up this weekend versus the Tigers.
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Athletics' Joe Boyle: Slated for debut Sunday
Rotowire
Boyle is expected to be called up from Triple-A Las Vegas on Sunday to serve as the Athletics' opening pitcher in the series finale against the Padres, MLB.com reports.
Boyle was a fifth-round pick of the Reds in the 2020 First-Year Player Draft and ultimately made his way to Oakland at the trade deadline via a three-team deal that sent Jace Peterson to the Diamondbacks and Sam Moll to Cincinnati. The towering right-hander has impressed since arriving in the Athletics organization, making three starts apiece for Double-A Midland and Triple-A Las Vegas and posting a 2.16 ERA and 1.14 WHIP with 46 strikeouts across 33.1 innings. However, control has been an issue at times, as Boyle has also issued 18 walks over that span. The 24-year-old most recently covered six innings for Las Vegas on Sept. 10 and could be able to offer more length than the typical opener, though he's still not expected to stay in the game long enough to qualify for the win. Ken Waldichuk, who had originally been slated to serve as a conventional starter Sunday, will now operate as a primary pitcher behind Boyle.
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Athletics' Joe Boyle: Shipped to Oakland
Rotowire
The Reds traded Boyle to the Athletics on Monday in exchange for Sam Moll, Jeff Passan of ESPN.com reports.
Boyle has struggled since reaching Double-A in 2022, logging a 4.58 ERA and 1.67 WHIP across 110 innings. He strikes out batters at an above-average rate, but his inability to limit walks and runs suggest he still has a long way to go before reaching the big-leagues.
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Reds' Joe Boyle: Two true outcomes
Rotowire
Boyle has a 0.65 ERA and 0.99 WHIP in six starts at High-A Dayton, striking 43 and walking 21 over 27.2 innings. He has allowed only six hits.
When Boyle was drafted in the fifth round out of Notre Dame in 2020, the book on him was that his massive fastball would generate many strikeouts and many walks, and that's been the case here. The upset is that he's stayed in the rotation so far, instead of being converted into a closer.
