Bido leads A's in series-finale win over Rays

OAKLAND -- When evaluating his options as a free agent this offseason, Osvaldo Bido decided to sign with the A’s in large part due to the opportunities that would likely be available on a rebuilding club.

Bido bided his time after not making the team out of Spring Training, keeping himself on the big league radar by performing well at Triple-A Las Vegas in the interim. Now with just over a month left in the regular season, the 28-year-old right-hander has established himself as a member of Oakland’s rotation with continued success.

Though his career-best scoreless streak ended at 18 2/3 innings, Bido turned in another strong performance by limiting the Rays to one run on two hits and three walks with six strikeouts across five-plus innings in Thursday’s 3-1 A’s victory at the Coliseum.

Through four starts in August, Bido has allowed two earned runs or fewer in every outing. His 1.17 ERA for the month is tied with Yankees ace Gerrit Cole for lowest in the Majors.

“He has been on a good run and he seems to be getting more confident,” A’s manager Mark Kotsay said of Bido. “The presence out there on the mound, you can see that. It wasn’t great command today, but the changeup was exceptional. He relied on the changeup and fastball and did a great job handling that lineup.”

Bido pitched around a pair of walks in the first inning with a pair of strikeouts to keep Tampa Bay off the board. His improved ability to miss bats was on display throughout the afternoon, as Bido induced 14 whiffs, including six on his changeup.

“Our pitching coach Scott Emerson and his assistant coach, Dan Hubbs, have got [Bido] mechanically going in the right direction,” Kotsay said. “I think the head movement was a big part of the lack of command. You’ve seen the command get better and better. The execution of the pitches has gotten better and better. I tip my cap to Bido for making those adjustments and being able to repeat them. I think that’s why we’re seeing the success.”

Bido did not allow his first hit of the game until Christopher Morel singled with one out in the fourth. Two batters later, his scoreless streak was snapped on a two-out double by José Caballero.

That double would end up Bido’s last hit allowed. He retired his next four batters faced before getting pulled following a leadoff walk issued to Brandon Lowe in the sixth.

The A’s provided enough run support for Bido in the early innings. Rookie shortstop Darell Hernaiz collected his first two career doubles, including an RBI double in the second off Rays starter Jeffrey Springs that extended Oakland’s lead to 2-0 at the time. One inning later, Lawrence Butler added a third run on an RBI single.

The victory, which ended with rookie All-Star closer Mason Miller notching his 20th save of the year and becoming just the third rookie in A’s history to record 20 saves in a season, secured a four-game split with Tampa Bay.

The A’s are now 8-1-2 over their last 11 series, with their only series loss coming to the Dodgers. Over that stretch, they’ve gotten the better of playoff-contending clubs such as the Phillies, Astros and Mets.

“This group knows how they’ve been playing and what they’ve been able to do in the second half,” Kotsay said. “They’re taking pride in it. Today was a big bounce-back game for us.”

That 11-series run coincides with Bido’s run of success. The A’s are 6-2 in his eight starts over that span, and more times than not, he has positioned them well for those victories with quality outings. That encouraging stretch has earned Bido a chance to likely finish this season in the rotation and perhaps solidify a role beyond 2024.

“I’m very happy with the A’s,” Bido said in Spanish. “They’ve given me this opportunity. I don’t want to let them down. Having this opportunity, I want to take full advantage of it. I’m beyond grateful for this team to give me this opportunity.”