Athletics call up Barry Zito to pitch in relief
Barry Zito is back where it all started.
The Oakland Athletics recalled the 37-year-old from Triple-A Nashville on Wednesday as Zito continues to try and extend his career.
"Very classy move by (general manager) Billy (Beane)," agent Scott Boras told reporters. "I'm very happy for Barry to end his career in an appropriate way."
After sitting out the entire 2014 season, Zito vowed to attempt a return to the majors and agreed to a minor-league deal with Oakland in February.
Zito went 8-7 with a 3.46 ERA across 24 appearances in Triple-A, while striking out 91 in 138 innings. The Athletics plan to use him strictly out of the bullpen.
"We have not discussed him starting or pitching anywhere other than out of the pen," assistant general manager David Forst told reporters. "I don't think it’s fair to Barry, or medically sound, to try to have him start. That's not the point of him being here. The point is to save guys in the bullpen who have been overloaded."
The American League Cy Young winner in 2002, Zito rose to fame during his seven seasons with the Athletics, amassing a 102-63 record and 3.55 ERA across 222 starts. The three-time All-Star eventually signed a seven-year, $126-million deal with the San Francisco Giants, but was unable to mirror that success.
| Team | W-L | ERA | IP | SO | WHIP |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Athletics | 102-63 | 3.55 | 1430.1 | 1096 | 1.25 |
| Giants | 63-80 | 4.62 | 1139.1 | 787 | 1.43 |
With the Athletics hosting the Giants for a three-game series beginning Sept. 25, Zito has the opportunity to oppose former Oakland teammate Tim Hudson.
"That would be kind of cool to pitch there," Hudson told reporters of possibly pitching in Oakland. "Hopefully, things keep working out and I keep going out there giving us a chance to win. It would be nice to finish up there."