Athletics Acquire Reliever Jake Diekman From Royals

Jul 27, 2019, 12:27 PM | Updated: 12:27 pm

(Photo by Ed Zurga/Getty Images)

Editor & Kings Beat Writer

The Oakland Athletics have made a move prior to Wednesday’s trade deadline, acquiring reliever Jake Diekman from the Kansas City Royals per Jeff Passan of ESPN.

Left-handed reliever Jake Diekman has been traded to the Oakland A's, league sources tell ESPN. Diekman had been pursued by a number of teams on trade market before Kansas City agreed to deal him to A's. Oakland bullpen has monster stuff with Treinen, Hendriks, Trivino, Diekman.
— Jeff Passan (@JeffPassan) July 27, 2019

Mark Feinsand of MLB.com reported that the A’s have sent two Minor League prospects in return for the 32 year-old left-hander.

The Royals have started their fire sale with Diekman, a reliever that owns an 0-6 record with a 4.75 ERA and 63 strikeouts on the season. While those numbers look bad on the surface, Diekman has a strikeouts-per-nine innings rate of 13.9 strikeouts. For comparison, the current K/9 leader among current Oakland relievers is Liam Hendriks who owns a rate of 11.4 strikeouts per nine innings pitched.

Diekman joins an Oakland bullpen that looks to match up with the best in the league as the Athletics continue their push for the postseason.