Despite rough outing, Sears on track to make all '23 starts

CHICAGO -- The A’s have used a lot of different starting pitchers this season. In fact, their 21 different starters tie the 2019 Blue Jays for the most used by a Major League team over the last 108 years.

But there’s been one pitcher who has made every start for Oakland: JP Sears. In the A’s 6-2 loss against the White Sox at Guaranteed Rate Field on Saturday night, Sears made his team-leading 26th start of the year and it is likely one he’ll want to forget.

“I just didn’t do my job to get my team in a good chance to win tonight,” Sears said. “I thought I looked pretty good early as far as I felt good about my pitches. But [I] just didn’t execute when I needed to with guys on base. Just a little frustrating.”

Following Sears’ rough outing against the Orioles last week -- allowing seven earned runs across four innings -- the A’s gave the left-hander an extra day of rest to recover. The southpaw, though, failed to bounce back.

He gave up six runs on nine hits and two walks with eight punchouts across six innings.

“Overall he’s having a little trouble landing the slider where he wants it,” manager Mark Kotsay said. “But this kid’s been great for us all year. He’s really grinding. His record doesn’t show how well he’s actually pitched for us. To have a game like this tonight, those games happen. I’m sure he’ll get back to work tomorrow and be prepared for his next start.”

It was an unusual line for Sears, who struck out eight batters and induced 18 swings and misses. Those 18 swings and misses are the most for him in a start since July 16 against the Twins (19) and the third most in his career.

But ultimately, the long ball hurt his outing on Saturday. He gave up three home runs, including a three-run homer in the third inning.

In the third, White Sox shortstop Tim Anderson checked his swing and hit a double down the line. Then, with two outs, the A’s intentionally walked Eloy Jiménez to get to Yoán Moncada. On the ensuing pitch, Moncada took Sears’ sweeper 409 feet for a homer.

It’s a decision, though, that Kotsay doesn’t regret.

“Moncada had zero home runs against left-handed pitching this year,” Kotsay said. “The only real damage that could hurt us was a home run there in that situation, and unfortunately, that was the result.”

The long balls have been Sears’ kryptonite this season. With three more hit off him on Saturday, the southpaw has now allowed 12 homers in his past eight starts and 31 on the year (third most in the Majors).

“Tonight, it didn’t necessarily go my way,” Sears said.

Sears' last few outings haven’t been up to his standards, giving up 20 runs across 19 innings over his past four starts. With the left-hander already surpassing his career-high in innings pitched (140 2/3), the A’s could decide to limit him down the stretch.

But Sears still feels great with a little over one month left in the regular season and wants to reach his goal of 30-plus starts in 2023.

“That was one of my goals at the beginning of the year to make 30 starts,” Sears said. “My body’s felt great all year. Obviously, there are parts of the year where you feel like you’re tired at times. But my arm health, and my body has felt great. It’s just about executing whenever we get guys on base and just being a little bit better than I was tonight.

The A’s rotation has been all out of sorts in 2023. However, having Sears make every start in his first full season with the team is a big achievement. He was one of the big pieces in the Frankie Montas trade last summer and remains a key part of Oakland’s future.

“JP [is] on track to make every start, and that’s an accomplishment in itself,” Kotsay said. “For a young starter that, last year, we acquired through trade, and we saw flashes of his ability to be a starter and to have that consistency. For him to, at this point in the season, still be feeling strong, still being able to post [good numbers], that’s a good sign.”