Athletics' Mitch Spence: Takes loss in season finale
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Spence (8-10) allowed six runs on seven hits and struck out five without walking a batter over 4.1 innings to take the loss Sunday versus the Mariners.
Spence hadn't allowed more than three runs in any of his previous six starts, but he struggled late in his outing Sunday. The Mariners put up two runs in the fourth inning and another four runs in the fifth, capped off by a Cal Raleigh home run. There were some promising stretches for Spence, but the 26-year-old rookie also had some struggles, ending the year with a 4.58 ERA, 1.38 WHIP and 126:44 K:BB over 151.1 innings across 35 appearances (24 starts). Spence should have a good chance of making the Athletics' rotation in 2025.
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Athletics' Mitch Spence: Can't make it to five innings
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Spence did not factor into the decision in Tuesday's win over the Rangers, allowing three runs on seven hits and two walks while striking out two over 4.2 innings.
Spence found himself with traffic on the bases in every inning but the second, leading to runs for the Rangers in the first, fourth and fifth innings. He has now gone fewer than five innings in two of his last four starts and has allowed a homer in three straight after Nathaniel Lowe took him deep in the fourth. Spence has also allowed 29 hits in his last 21 innings, but he has only given up eight runs over that span. The 26-year-old now owns a 4.35 ERA, 1.37 WHIP and 121:44 K:BB in 147 innings and tentatively lines up for one final start against the Mariners this weekend.
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Athletics' Mitch Spence: Nabs eighth win
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Spence (8-9) picked up the win in Tuesday's 4-3 victory over the Cubs, giving up two runs on seven hits and a walk over five innings. He struck out six.
It's the right-hander's first win since July 27. Spence didn't pitch poorly during that eight-start winless streak, however, posting a 4.01 ERA, 1.45 WHIP and 35:13 K:BB over 42.2 innings. He lines up to make his final start of 2024 at home next week against the Rangers.
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Athletics' Mitch Spence: Goes seven innings vs. Houston
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Spence allowed two runs on seven hits across seven innings in a no-decision Thursday against the Astros. He struck out two.
Spence was sharp Thursday, with both Houston runs coming on a Jason Heyward homer in the second inning. The 26-year-old Spence has pitched to a 3.66 ERA over his last 10 starts (54 innings), lowering his ERA on the season to 4.33 with a 1.35 WHIP and 113:41 K:BB across 137.1 innings. Spence currently lines up for a road matchup with the Cubs in his next outing.
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Athletics' Mitch Spence: Takes no-decision versus Tigers
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Spence allowed a run on eight hits and struck out six without walking a batter over 4.1 innings in a no-decision Friday versus the Tigers.
Spence was a little generous with the contact, but he was able to effectively limit the damage. He threw 70 pitches (48 strikes) in his shortest start since a 2.2-inning mess versus the Mets on Aug. 15. The right-hander is at a 4.42 ERA, 1.37 WHIP and 111:41 K:BB through 130.1 innings over 31 appearances (20 starts) this season. His next outing is projected to come in Houston.
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Athletics' Mitch Spence: Season-high 10 strikeouts in loss
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Spence (7-9) was charged with the loss against the Rays on Wednesday, allowing four runs on seven hits and one walk over seven innings. He struck out 10.
Spence looked sharp early, shutting out the Rays over the first four innings while allowing just two singles in that span. The right-hander would begin to struggle in the fifth, however, allowing back-to-back hits to open the frame, along with an RBI double with two outs from Yandy Diaz as Tampa Bay took a 2-1 lead. Spence would also cough up a two-run shot to Jose Siri in the seventh, marking the third consecutive start in which he's given up at least one home run. On a positive note, Spence generated 16 whiffs in the contest en route to tallying a season-high 10 strikeouts. It also marked only the second time this season that he was able to make it through seven innings, with the previous one coming back on June 9 against Toronto.
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Athletics' Mitch Spence: Allows two runs in loss
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Spence (7-8) took the loss against the Blue Jays on Friday, allowing two runs on eight hits and no walks with two strikeouts over 5.2 innings.
Spence surrendered a leadoff homer to George Springer and was pulled an out shy of a quality start after allowing three hits and a run in the sixth. The rookie has pitched well since the All-Star break, yielding two earned runs or fewer and working into the sixth frame in each of his four outings. On the season, he owns a 4.33 ERA, 1.31 WHIP and 86:31 K:BB across 106 innings and lines up to face the Mets on the road next week.
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Athletics' Mitch Spence: Hit hard early in loss
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Spence (5-6) took the loss against the Phillies on Saturday, allowing six runs on five hits and five walks with six strikeouts over 3.2 innings.
Spence struggled to throw strikes and served up a season-high three home runs before being pulled with two outs in the fourth inning. The righty's five walks were also the most he's yielded in a game this season, and the Phillies made him pay. He will take a 4.75 ERA, 1.32 WHIP and 72:23 K:BB across 83.1 innings into the All-Star break.
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Athletics' Mitch Spence: Hit hard early
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Spence (5-5) took the loss Sunday against Baltimore, allowing five runs (four earned) on seven hits and a walk across six innings. He struck out five.
All four runs charged to Spence came in the first inning, when he allowed a solo home run to Anthony Santander and a three-run home run to Heston Kjerstad. Spence was able to settle in afterward, and would have kept the Orioles off the scoreboard if it weren't for a dropped flyball with two outs in the third inning that allowed a run to score. Since the start of June, Spence owns a 5.01 ERA and a 32:6 K:BB across 41.1 innings. He's tentatively scheduled to face the Phillies in Philadelphia next weekend.
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Athletics' Mitch Spence: Rocked by Halos
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Spence (4-4) took the loss Tuesday, allowing six runs on eight hits and a walk across 5.1 innings against the Angels. He struck out six.
Spence surrendered his most runs in an outing this season Tuesday, with five of those runs coming in the fourth inning. The rookie right-hander allowed the first four batters he faced in the fourth to reach safely before Mickey Moniak cleared the bases with a grand slam. While Spence has been a bit inconsistent as a starter, he owns a 4.40 ERA in starts along with a 34:9 K:BB over 43.0 innings. He's projected for a rematch against the Angels early next week.
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Athletics' Mitch Spence: Tagged with four runs
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Spence yielded four runs on nine hits and a walk over 5.2 innings in a no-decision Friday. He struck out three during the loss to the Twins.
Spence worked around some light threats for most of his start and gave up just one run through five frames. He was two outs away from a second straight quality start before Max Kepler ripped a three-run shot, and Spence was removed from the game shortly thereafter. Since moving into the rotation, Spence has posted a 3.69 ERA through six career MLB starts. His next outing is projected to be at home against Kansas City.
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Athletics' Mitch Spence: Turns in quality start
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Spence yielded two runs on five hits over seven innings in a no-decision Sunday. He struck out three during the loss to the Blue Jays.
Spence allowed a two-run single to Isiah Kiner-Falefa in the second inning but otherwise kept Toronto's offense quiet. After tossing a season-high six innings in his last outing, Spence set a new personal best Sunday while delivering his first MLB quality start. He posted a 4.26 ERA through 25.1 innings out of the bullpen before joining Oakland's rotation; through five starts, Spence has registered a 3.12 ERA with an 18:6 K:BB through 26 innings. His next start is lined up to be in Minnesota.
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Athletics' Mitch Spence: Navigates through six innings
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Spence (4-3) took the loss Tuesday against the Mariners, allowing four runs on nine hits and a walk while striking out three over six innings.
Spence was able to toss two shutout frames before the Mariners doubled four times in the third, leading to three runs. Spence would allow an additional run in the fourth but was able to go six up and six down over the next two innings to end his outing. Spence was able to reach six innings for the first time this year, though he battled around plenty of hard contact and only punched out three batters against a Mariners team that has the highest strikeout rate in baseball against righties. The 26-year-old owns a 3.86 ERA, 1.22 WHIP and 37:13 K:BB in 44.1 innings and lines up for another start over the weekend against the Blue Jays.
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Athletics' Mitch Spence: Lasts three frames in no-decision
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Spence did not factor into the decision in a loss to the Rockies on Wednesday, allowing two runs on five hits and three walks over three innings while striking out four.
Spence got knocked around early, surrendering a leadoff single to Charlie Blackmon to open the contest, followed by a two-run shot off the bat of Elias Diaz three batters later. Those would be the only two runs allowed by the right-hander on the night, though he continued to struggle with his command, needing 27 pitches to get through the third inning alone. Spence has been unable to get through five innings in either of his first two starts and also matched his season high with three walks Wednesday.
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Athletics' Mitch Spence: Takes loss Tuesday
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Spence (0-1) was charged with the loss in extra innings against the Red Sox on Tuesday, allowing one unearned run on one hit over one inning.
Spence got the call in the 11th inning after closer Mason Miller had already thrown 29 pitches over the prior pair of frames. Spence's loss was primarily of the tough-luck variety, as the one run he surrendered came on a Tyler O'Neill double play groundout that scored inning-opening runner Reese McGuire. Spence was effective in his first appearance of the season on Friday against the Guardians, and Tuesday's nearly clean outing shouldn't blemish the perception he could be a reliable multi-inning relief option for manager Mark Kotsay.
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Athletics' Mitch Spence: Drawing Cactus League start Monday
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Spence, a Rule 5 pick this winter, will start Monday's Cactus League game against the Diamondbacks in place of Ross Stripling (finger), MLB.com reports.
The right-hander, who logged 39 starts over the last two minor-league seasons with Triple-A Scranton/Wilkes-Barre in the Yankees organization, will be evaluated in game action sooner than expected thanks to the cut on Stripling's right index finger. Spence posted an 11-10 mark with a 4.26 ERA and 1.31 WHIP across the 215.1 innings covering the aforementioned sample, but his best chance of sticking on the Athletics' roster is likely as a reliever.
