OAKLAND – All signs suggest that right-hander Jarrod Parker is progressing well toward game readiness, and A’s outfielder Josh Reddick won’t argue against it.
Reddick, on the mend from an oblique injury, was one of the hitters to dig in against Parker in an afternoon simulated game at the Coliseum. Parker threw two “innings” – 15 pitches apiece – and again got rave reviews as he continues his comeback from Tommy John surgery.
“He looked great,” Reddick said. “He had a lot of movement on everything. He seemed to locate very well. … He seemed to have a lot of control and command of everything.”
Parker threw all of his pitches – fastball, changeup and curve – and the next step will be a three-inning simulated game Monday at extended spring training in Arizona.
Right now the A’s have June 1 penciled in for a tentative return date. Parker said he thinks that’s a realistic target, but that it depends on the timing of when a minor league rehab assignment would start. Rest assured the A’s will move with caution on Parker, who is coming off his second reconstructive elbow surgery.
Parker smiled when told of Reddick’s assessment.
“I pitched a little bit to Reddick,” he said. “I wasn’t focused on who was in the box a much as what I wanted to execute.”
What he wanted to execute was moving his fastball around the strike zone.
“He looked how he has the last couple times out,” A’s manager Bob Melvin said. “If you didn’t know the difference, you would think he was pitching in a real game.”
Reddick remains on schedule to be activated Saturday. He will drive to San Bernadino on Wednesday and play Thursday for Single-A Stockton against Inland Empire. Then, he’ll drive back to Oakland on Friday and the A’s plan to activate him from the DL for that game against Seattle.
