Key A's Starter Nearing Return to the Rotation

Kotsay also joked that the 97 mile per hour offering that Severino threw was the one that he put in play.

If Severino recovers well following this sim game, he is not expected to need a rehab assignment. "I think if things go well, maybe look at sometime after [September 1] when rosters expand. The pitch count would be limited. Today he went to 50. As long as things feel good and he's confident, I don't see a rehab start in his future."

Severino landed on the IL on August 9 with a Grade 1 left oblique strain.

It should also be noted that September 1 is coming up quickly, on Monday. The Athletics will be facing the St. Louis Cardinals on the road that day. With Severino built up 50 pitches already, that would likely leave his pitch limit in the 65-70 range. The A's typically like to increase workloads by about 15-20 pitches, roughly one inning, during the build-up time.

With Severino not being ready to go until next week, there is still a question of who will be starting for the A's on Saturday. In recent days the club has lost Jacob Lopez and Jack Perkins to the IL, and called up Joey Estes to work out of the bullpen while the pitching staff fluctuated. Estes has largely been a starter, and was the presumed pick for the Saturday start, but he landed on the IL on Wednesday.

Brady Basso made his season debut on Wednesday night in relief, and he is going to be a bullpen piece for the club to finish out the year. With the off-day on Thursday serving as a rest day for the bullpen, that could mean that A's No. 10 prospect Mason Barnett will make his MLB debut against the Texas Rangers on Saturday.

The team could also choose to add Mitch Spence to the roster for that start, given that he's pitched both in the rotation and out of the bullpen for the A's the past two seasons. He was optioned to Triple-A Las Vegas on July 10. In his most recent start with the Aviators, Spence went 5 2/3 scoreless innings on August 24, giving up one hit and walking three while striking out five.

The A's will likely make a formal announcement for their Saturday ahead of Friday's game.