After declaring for free agency earlier this off-season, Austin Pruitt is back with the A's on a minor-league deal, which is familiar territory for the 33-year-old, after he signed with the A's as a minor league free agent last off-season as well.
Pruitt holds a career 4.70 ERA across 262.1 innings, most of those coming with the Tampa Bay Rays. Last season with Oakland, Pruitt amassed a 4.23 ERA in 39 appearances spanning 55.1 innings, and he also posted a solid 1.03 WHIP.
Pruitt had his best outing of the season in September, getting a spot start in place of James Kaprielian. He held a hot White Sox lineup hitless for five frames and needed just 55 pitches. The game didn't have a great ending, but Pruitt opened some eyes that night.
Pruitt isn't a huge strikeout machine with his 17% K rate, but his walk rate of 4% was in the top 3% of all pitchers last season, and he did a good job of limiting hard contact, finishing in the 78th percentile in hard hit rate.
The A's still have just eight full-time relief pitchers on their 40-man roster, and that includes A.J. Puk, who could still be in the mix to start some games. The team could always just have a starter or two convert into relief with so many starting options currently in the mix, but it's a good problem to have guys like Austin Pruitt and Deolis Guerra--proven veterans--back in the bullpen mix on minor league agreements.
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