A's manager Bob Melvin reports that pitcher Chris Smith will transition into the bullpen for now. His role will be dependent on the status of starter Paul Blackburn, who was hit by a line drive in Tuesday's start and is day-to-day. Smith may take his place in the rotation if he is unable to return. If Blackburn makes his next start, Smith will likely take over a long-man role in the bullpen. The 36-year-old has looked pretty bad as of late, pitching to a 6.75 ERA and a 1.50 WHIP over his last three starts, ballooning his season ERA to 5.56. He is not worth a roster spot in most fantasy formats, and will be droppable across the board if he transitions full-time into a reliever.
A's starter Chris Smith threw his third straight quality start in place of Jharel Cotton (blister) on Monday, going six innings and giving up three runs on six hits and three walks. He struck out two. The 36-year-old Smith is still looking for his first MLB win since 2008, but his performance in the rotation has been stellar so far. He now sits with a 3.32 ERA and a 1.11 WHIP across 19 innings. His time in the rotation may be limited, as Cotton is expected to be back soon and could send Smith either to the bullpen or back to Triple-A. If he sticks in the rotation he could be a streaming option in very deep leagues, but his low strikeout numbers and 4.61 FIP are scary.
Jharel Cotton to Start in Minors, Chris Smith Stays in Rotation
A's starter Jharel Cotton (blister) will not start on Tuesday for the A's, but instead will start for Triple-A Nashville on Wednesday. If there are no blister issues after that start, the A's will make a decision on him reentering the rotation after that. In the meantime, 36-year-old starter Chris Smith will get another chance to impress the A's in his place. Cotton has been up-and-down this season, and he sits with a 5.17 ERA and a 1.41 WHIP. It is possible the A's are considering keeping Cotton in the minors considering his struggles, meaning Chris Smith and Paul Blackburn could both keep rotation spots once Kendall Graveman is healthy. Regardless, Cotton should not be owned except in very deep formats.
