ANAHEIM – The A’s are calling up right-hander Arnold Leon from Triple-A Nashville, a source confirmed for CSN California.
Oakland is in need of bullpen reinforcements for Wednesday night’s game against the Angels. Their starters haven’t pitched deep into either of the past two games. Dan Otero pitched four innings of relief on Monday night (though manager Bob Melvin mentioned Tuesday that he expects Otero to be available Wednesday). Jesse Chavez, another durable relief arm, is scheduled to make a spot start Thursday in Jesse Hahn’s place, so Chavez is not available tonight.
Leon, 26, has yet to make his major league debut, though he was called up last season for a doubleheader and did not appear in either game. He’s posted a 7.56 ERA in two starts for Nashville, but the A’s are familiar with Leon and like his upside.
He’s been in the A’s organization since 2008, after the A’s purchased his contract from Saltillo of the Mexican League. He underwent Tommy John surgery that sidelined him for almost all of the 2010 and 2011 seasons. Leon threw 145 innings last season at Triple-A, then chose to pitch in winter ball and took on more of a workload.
Leon would have been a contender for the A’s rotation in spring training, but the team wanted to give his arm a rest.
“Arnold is a guy that is on the cusp with us,” Melvin said on the day Leon was sent to the minors this spring. “With all the new pitching (additions), I don’t want to say it feels like he’s gone under the radar. He hasn’t with us. We really haven’t stretched him out because of the workload he had this year.”
