PITTSBURG, PA– Dan Straily has become a luxury for the Oakland A’s. The former Thundering Herd right-hander has been the A’s go to man to plug holes in the pitching rotation. Straily has bounced between Triple-A and the majors this season and each time he has been called to the big leagues he has been able to deliver.
Tuesday night in Pittsbugh was not different as Staily allowed one run on two hits over 6 1/3 innings. Straily struckout seven and walked three on his way to winning his fifth straight decision.
“(Pitching coach) Curt (Young) said in passing in my last bullpen that he thought my curve was good and that I should use it more in games,” Straily told reporters after the 2-1 wi over the Pirates. “It’s something I’ve worked on a lot and you’re always trying to get better, but last year I put the curve on the shelf because I was working on the changeup so much.”
Straily’s next start won’t come at the majors, after the game the rookie hopped a plane to head back to Triple-A Sacramento as the A’s won’t need a fifth starter with the All-Star break approaching.
“I could have thrown a perfect game and I was going to get optioned out,” Straily said. “It’s nothing personal. It’s the situation we’re in. It is what it is.”
Straily is expected to be back in the big leagues sometime following the All-Star break.