OAKLAND -– With Sean Doolittle continuing to mow through Triple-A hitters, the A’s closer appears likely to come off the disabled list very soon.
The lefty struck out all three batters he faced for the second consecutive outing Thursday in Nashville, throwing 10 of his 14 pitches for strikes.
“I talked to him today for a little while about the four pitches he didn’t throw for strikes,” A’s manager Bob Melvin joked. “I was getting on him about that a little bit.”
Before this homestand, Melvin said Doolittle would likely get a couple more outings with the Sounds before the A’s considered activating him.
Asked Friday if Doolittle, coming back from a strained shoulder, would make another rehab appearance, Melvin simply replied: “We’ll see.”
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With infielder Tyler Ladendorf being activated from the 60-day disabled list and optioned to Nashville on Friday, the A’s will need to clear a spot on the 40-man roster for Doolittle. That can be accomplished by simply transferring first baseman Ike Davis to the 60-day DL. It was announced Friday that Davis will require season-ending left hip surgery.
Speaking of Ladendorf, don’t be surprised to see him rejoin the A’s sometime after rosters expand on Sept. 1. The versatile Ladendorf has been sidelined since May following surgery on his left ankle. He is already on the 40-man roster after making the big-league team out of spring training, so if the A’s think he can serve a role in September, it would seem he could get a promotion.
