The Athletics are parting ways with a pitcher they had very high hopes for this season.
Oakland announced Wednesday it traded Japanese right-handed pitcher Shintaro Fujinami to the Baltimore Orioles in exchange for left-handed pitcher Easton Lucas after the San Francisco Chronicle's John Shea and the New York Post's Jon Heyman first reported details of the trade.
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Fujinami signed a one-year, $3.25 million contract with the A's in January. He began the year in the starting rotation but allowed 24 earned runs in his first four appearances (15 innings) and was moved to the bullpen. His ERA ballooned to 12.00 after two months in the big leagues.
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However, Fujinami has pitched well as of late, posting a 2.70 ERA over his last 16 2/3 innings.
As for the pitcher the A's received, Lucas is a 26-year-old relief pitcher with an impressive 2.73 ERA with 37 strikeouts to 11 walks in 29 2/3 combined innings between the Double-A and Triple-A levels this season.
Oakland Athletics
Lucas originally was a 14th-round pick by the Miami Marlins in the 2019 MLB Draft.