PT TOMORROW: AL West—Check the fine print

Oakland Athletics

At the season's outset, the A's had an embarrassment of bullpen riches and plenty of ninth inning possibilities behind newly-acquired closer Jim Johnson (RHP, OAK). Flash forward to early June, and Johnson has been a massive disappointment, Ryan Cook has been on-and-off the DL, and while Luke Gregerson's numbers say he's pitched well, he's also has coughed up inherited leads five times in the early season. All of which has left  Sean Doolittle (LHP, OAK) as the last man standing and firmly in command of the closer role.

While LHPs seem to encounter discrimination with respect to full-time closing, and OAK isn't an organization that would seem reluctant to return to a bullpen by committee, don't expect Doolittle to lose...

Almost!

You’re just a few clicks away from accessing this feature and hundreds more throughout the year that have a singular goal in mind: Winning your league. Subscribe to BaseballHQ.com here!

Already a subscriber? Sign in here

More From PT Tomorrow

Will an early-season managerial bloodletting lead to palace intrigue and PT repercussions in PHI? Plus: RP in WAS; OF& SS in ATL; C in MIA; SP at NYM; more.
May 6 2026 9:05am
The A's are in need of a boost at 3B and they have an option at AAA.
May 6 2026 3:05am
Carlos Rodón's return to the Yankees rotation is nearing and Gerrit Cole's could be close behind. How does this affect the Yankees' rotation? Plus, more from around the AL East.
May 5 2026 3:05am
This week, we make the bold case for a Rockies starter—even in Denver—and we take a peek at two overlooked NL West first basemen who deserve more attention.
May 2 2026 3:05am
Pedro Ramírez is demonstrating real power at AAA Iowa, could there be a path to MLB playing time for one of the minor's hottest hitting infielders?
May 1 2026 3:05am

Tools