There's no question that the A's pitching staff has been one of the worst in baseball, causing the team to plummet from the top spot in the AL West division to nearly the bottom of the American League as a whole.
Even heading into the season, one of the biggest issues was the lack of experience in the bullpen. It seemed like a few guys, such as Elvis Alvarado , Hogan Harris , Mark Leiter Jr. , and Justin Sterner , could possibly step up. However, any experience the bullpen had would get injured or would no longer be with the club.
Aug 14, 2026; West Sacramento, California, USA; Athletics pitcher Elvis Alvarado (37) throws a pitch against the Texas Rangers during the eighth inning at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Elvis Alvarado was a candidate to be the closer this summer, as his high-velocity fastball and slider combo made him a good option. However, leaving the ball over the plate has led to a home run issue for the right-hander.
The A's have been very active on the waivers recently, as Scott Blewett and Drew Rom were added over the last week or so, and have already made an impact on the bullpen.
Jun 3, 2026; Cumberland, Georgia, USA; Atlanta Braves pitcher Tyler Kinley (45) pitches against the Toronto Blue Jays during the ninth inning at Truist Park. Mandatory Credit: Dale Zanine-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
On Tuesday, the Atlanta Braves made a very difficult decision in designating veteran right-hander Tyler Kinley for assignment.
Kinley, a nine-year MLB veteran, was pitching his second season in Atlanta after he joined the team midway through the 2025 season. After posting a rough 5.66 ERA in 47.2 innings in a hitter-friendly Colorado stadium, the Braves would take a flier on the righty.
The Braves would get tremendous production out of Kinley in 2025, as he would post a 5-0 record and a 0.72 ERA in 25 innings.
This season, Kinley has had even more opportunities with Atlanta, posting a 4.01 ERA in 42.2 innings before being DFA'd. Kinley has a sub-2 ERA in his last seven appearances for Atlanta, so he could interest the A's staff, which lacks any sort of MLB experience.
Jul 12, 2026; St. Louis, Missouri, USA; Atlanta Braves pitcher Tyler Kinley (45) throws against the St. Louis Cardinals during the eighth inning at Busch Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jeff Curry-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Usually, the A's look to target ground-ball pitchers, as they tend to have more success in the hitter-friendly Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento. Although Kinley is bad at keeping balls on the ground, his other numbers suggest he could still be a good fit.
Kinley's hard-hit percentage sits in the 97th percentile, meaning he is good at allowing weak contact. He also notably sits in the 90th percentile in expected batting average and has an expected ERA of 3.42, which is lower than his actual 4.01 ERA, suggesting he's been unlucky.
The 35-year-old has a $5.5 million team option for the 2027 season, so if he's able to have a good stint with the A's this season, they could bring him back on a deal that's not too expensive at all.
Because Kinley does a good job of allowing weak contact and could also bring experience to a staff that lacks it, the A's might be a perfect fit to land the veteran reliever.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/mlb/athletics/onsi as Athletics Could Add This Veteran Reliever to Bullpen .
