Peterson looking like an upgrade on both sides of the ball

MESA, Ariz. -- The A’s came away from the 2022 season having plugged in several different players at third base without identifying a mainstay. Through the addition of Jace Peterson, that position might finally have a solution.

The defensive numbers speak for themselves when it comes to what the A’s are getting in Peterson. According to Statcast, Peterson’s seven outs above average (OAA) with the Brewers last season were tied for fifth-most among Major League third basemen, while his five runs prevented were also tied for fifth-most. Per FanGraphs, Peterson’s 11 defensive runs saved were fourth-most among Major League third basemen with at least 600 innings logged at the position.

For an A’s team whose 19 errors at third base last year ranked fourth-most in the Majors, Peterson represents a substantial upgrade.

“Last year, defensively at the corners, we weren’t where we need to be,” manager Mark Kotsay said. “I think Jace solidifies that. The metrics behind his success at third base, it’s real.”

Peterson’s defense has been as advertised this spring, from the routine plays to his lateral movement on the left side of the infield.

“We haven’t had a ton of opportunity over there this spring to assess it, but if you look at what he did last year, the numbers tell the story from a range standpoint,” Kotsay said. “He could get to balls that maybe we weren’t able to last year.”

Offensively, Peterson is living up to the “On-Base Jace” nickname he earned during his time in Milwaukee. Reaching base twice in Wednesday’s 4-2 A’s loss to the Cubs at Hohokam Stadium, the 32-year-old infielder boosted his on-base percentage to .450 through 15 Cactus League games, with his 10 walks tied for third-most among all hitters in Spring Training.

Looking to improve an offense that ranked last in MLB in most statistical categories, the A’s will rely heavily on Peterson as a presence in the middle of the order. On Wednesday, he hit fifth behind fellow newcomer Jesús Aguilar, who went 3-for-3 from the cleanup spot with a booming solo shot to left and finished a triple shy of the cycle.

“Pretty patient hitter,” Kotsay said of Peterson. “That mindset to get on base is great. In terms of helping the offense, maximizing that ability helps his total game. … Taking a professional AB in situational hitting and being a professional hitter, I think that’s really the expectation.”

Fujinami’s WBC inspiration
Shintaro Fujinami was realistic about himself when asked if there was ever any talk about him joining Team Japan for this year’s World Baseball Classic. Though he did represent Japan in the 2017 Classic, the right-hander stated that his ability “is not there yet” to have been a part of this year’s stacked Japanese pitching staff.

While Fujinami did not play in it, he did keep tabs on Team Japan and was happy to see his home country knock off the United States in Tuesday night’s championship game.

The A’s were also happy with what they saw from Team Japan on Tuesday. Not necessarily for Samurai Japan’s victory, but over how its many talented pitchers fared against the game’s best hitters on Team USA. Like many of the Japanese pitchers who found success against the United States and throughout the tournament, Fujinami boasts a similar arsenal of pitches, from the 99 mph fastball to a 92 mph splitter and two different variations of a wipeout slider. In some ways, the Classic provided a blueprint for Fujinami on how he might be able to go about succeeding as he enters his debut season in the Majors.

“We talked a little bit about what he saw last night from the Japanese pitching against the best American lineup you can put together,” Kotsay said. “We kind of talked about the success that they had against those hitters and that Fuji has a lot of the same repertoire that they have.

“The biggest thing that I saw last night in the game was that the Japanese pitching pounded the strike zone with good velocity and a split-finger fastball that they had a lot of success against the American hitters last night with, and Fuji has that. I think the main point for Fuji today was to be confident in his ability to throw strikes and get outs.”