BREAKING: Another Brilliant Left-hander acquired by the A’s from Los Angeles Dodgers for cash

The Athletics have revealed that they have traded for left-handed pitcher T.J. McFarland from the Dodgers in exchange for monetary considerations and have added him to the 40-man roster.

McFarland, who will turn 35 in June, is an experienced pitcher known for inducing ground balls and has had stints with various teams in the league, including the A’s in 2020. He has also played for the Orioles, Diamondbacks, Cardinals, and Mets since his debut in 2013, accumulating 354 major league appearances.

In the previous year, McFarland only spent a brief period in the majors with the Mets, pitching in three games. Most of his time was in Triple-A with the Mets and Orioles, where he performed impressively. He maintained a 2.30 ERA across 62 2/3 innings, with a 10.2% walk rate and a 25.2% strikeout rate. His ground ball percentage exceeded 62% for both Triple-A teams he played for.

Generating ground balls has been a consistent aspect of his career, with over 62.2% of balls in play resulting in grounders during his time in the major leagues. This characteristic has influenced his performance, as highlighted during his tenure with the Cardinals. In 2021, he achieved a .261 batting average on balls in play and a high strand rate of 81.5%, leading to a 2.56 ERA. However, the following year, a rise in his batting average on balls in play to .333 and a decrease in strand rate to 60.4% inflated his ERA to 6.61.

Having signed a minor league contract with the Dodgers in the recent offseason, McFarland delivered a stellar performance with a 1.35 ERA in seven spring training appearances. Nevertheless, the Dodgers’ bullpen is well-stocked with limited opportunities for McFarland. Conversely, the Athletics are in a better position to utilize his skills.

Oakland is in the midst of a rebuilding phase and entered the season with a bullpen lacking experienced relievers. This concern was exacerbated when three veteran players sustained injuries. Trevor Gott underwent Tommy John surgery, ruling him out for the season, while Sean Newcomb and Scott Alexander encountered health issues. Newcomb will begin the season on the injured list due to knee irritation from previous surgery, and Alexander is dealing with a stress reaction in his ribs.

To address these setbacks swiftly, the A’s recently acquired Austin Adams from the Mets and have now added McFarland to their roster. He is expected to offer the team a seasoned left-handed option to bring stability to a pitching staff in transition, potentially mentoring the numerous young pitchers on the roster.