JAKE DIEKMAN NEWS

Manaea scheduled to start as Oakland hosts Tampa Bay

The Rays will start Rich Hill on Friday while the Athletics are expected to counter with Sean Manaea

MAY 7, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Teoscar Hernández gets key hit as Blue Jays beat A's 9-4

Teoscar Hernández hit a tiebreaking RBI single during Toronto’s five-run eighth inning, and the Blue Jays beat the Athletics 9-4

MAY 6, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Snags third save Diekman struck out two batters in a perfect ninth earning to earn a save over the Blue Jays on Monday.

Impact Diekman needed just 11 pitches to quickly finish off the 5-4 win for Oakland after striking out Danny Jansen and Cavan Biggio. He owns a 2.03 ERA and 18:5 K:BB while converting all three of his save chances this season.

MAY 4, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

Laureano stays hot, homers again as A's top Blue Jays 5-4

Ramon Laureano homered for the third consecutive day and the Oakland Athletics beat the Toronto Blue Jays 5-4, spoiling Marcus Semien’s return to the Coliseum

MAY 4, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Gets first win of '21 Diekman (1-0) was credited with the win in a victory over the Rays on Thursday, firing a perfect eighth inning during which he recorded a strikeout.

Impact The left-hander got 11 of 17 pitches into the strike zone during an efficient eighth frame and was rewarded with the victory when the one-run lead afforded by Matt Chapman's go-ahead RBI double in the top of the ninth inning held up. After uncharacteristically allowing four runs (three earned) over his first three trips to the mound this season, Diekman has bounced back to rattle off eight straight scoreless efforts while also recording two saves, three holds and Thursday's win.

APRIL 30, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

Chapman leads A's over Rays 3-2 in McClanahan's debut

Matt Chapman homered and hit a go-ahead double with two outs in the ninth inning, leading the Oakland Athletics over the Tampa Bay Rays 3-2

APRIL 29, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Notches third hold Diekman secured his third hold in a win over the Rays on Monday, allowing a hit and a walk as well as uncorking a wild pitch over one inning. He struck out one.

Impact It was certainly a more eventful frame than the normally efficient Diekman is accustomed to, but the veteran left-hander ultimately worked himself out of trouble to set up Lou Trivino for a save opportunity in the ninth inning. Diekman has now recorded seven straight scoreless efforts, and the single he allowed to Randy Arozarena was the first hit against him since April 10, a span of six appearances.

APRIL 27, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

Murphy, Manaea and A's regain winning touch, beat Rays 2-1

Sean Murphy homered, Sean Manaea got some key defensive help and the Oakland Athletics rebounded a day after their 13-game winning streak ended, edging the Tampa Bay Rays 2-1

APRIL 27, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Picks up second save Diekman struck out one in a perfect ninth inning to earn a save against the Orioles on Friday.

Impact Lou Trivino had pitched on two of the last three days and gave up two runs (one earned) in Wednesday's win over Minnesota. As a result, Diekman was brought in to preserve a 3-1 lead in the ninth inning of Friday's contest, and he pitched a perfect frame to pick up his second straight save. Trivino could still be the slight favorite for save chances in Oakland, but Diekman has allowed just two hits and one walk while striking out seven in 6.2 innings across his last six appearances.

APRIL 24, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

'It's tubular right now': A's win 12th in a row, top O's 3-1

The Oakland Athletics earned their 12th consecutive victory -- their longest winning streak in almost two decades — defeating the Baltimore Orioles 3-1

APRIL 24, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Notches first save Diekman struck out two in a perfect seventh inning to record his first save of the season in the second game of Tuesday's doubleheader against the Twins.

Impact Lou Trivino was called in with one out and one on in the sixth inning of a 1-0 game and struck out both batters he faced, leaving closing duties to Diekman in the seventh. The lefty did have a bit of a nervous outing thanks to an Elvis Andrus error and a Willians Astudillo rocket that died at the wall in left field for the final out of the ballgame, but Diekman still came away with his first save since he was a Ranger in 2018. He's got a 3.24 ERA and 11:3 K:BB through 8.1 innings, but Trivino still seems to be Oakland's top option in the bullpen and should receive most of the closing opportunities.

APRIL 21, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

Luzardo follows Manaea's stellar start, A's beat Twins twice

Matt Olson hit a grand slam, Mitch Moreland homered twice to back Sean Manaea’s shutout, then Jesús Luzardo followed with his own Game 2 gem as the Oakland Athletics swept a double...

APRIL 21, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Nabs second hold Diekman was credited with his second hold in a win over the Tigers on Friday, firing a perfect eighth inning in which he struck out the side.

Impact Diekman was in vintage 2020 form for arguably the first time this season Friday, mowing through a trio of Tigers on 17 pitches. The veteran left-hander has now put together three straight scoreless efforts, lowering his ERA from 10.13 to 4.26 in the process while recording his first two holds of the campaign.

APRIL 17, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

Gets first hold Diekman was credited with his first hold of the season in a win over the Diamondbacks on Monday, firing 1.1 perfect innings during which he recorded a strikeout.

Impact The veteran left-hander worked the eighth inning and lowered his still-bloated ERA to 5.06 with his second straight scoreless effort. Diekman has been more hittable overall than he was during his career-best 2020 -- he's already allowed four runs (three earned) over two appearances -- but three of those crossed the plate during a rough first outing of the season back on April 2.

APRIL 13, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

Laureano's 2-run shot sends A's to 7-3 win over Astros

Ramón Laureano hit a two-run homer and rookie Seth Brown’s first career home run helped the Oakland Athletics to a 7-3 win over the Houston Astros and a series victory

APRIL 10, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Projected to remain in setup role Diekman is likely to remain in his customary setup role during the prolonged absence of closer Trevor Rosenthal following surgery for thoracic outlet syndrome, Martin Gallegos of M...

Impact Diekman proved nearly unhittable last season while primarily logging eighth-inning work, securing 13 holds while posting an 0.42 ERA and 0.94 WHIP across 21.1 innings (21 appearances). The veteran left-hander's extensive body of work in high-leverage/non-closing scenarios is one reason Melvin seems intent on using him earlier than the ninth inning. When addressing how he'll handle the closer role for the time being, the Athletics skipper expressed a preference for Lou Trivino to get the first chance at ninth-inning duties.

APRIL 9, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

Gets tagged in non-save situation Diekman gave up three runs (two earned) on three hits and one walk while striking out two for his only outs in Friday's game against the Astros.

Impact He came in for the ninth inning with the A's trailing 6-5, so this was not a save situation, but it was a high-leverage spot nonetheless. Sergio Romo, who is Diekman's perceived top competition for saves while Trevor Rosenthal (shoulder) is out, logged a scoreless eighth inning.

APRIL 3, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

Closer roundup: Targeting Jake Diekman, a darkhorse in Derek Holland, some Emmanuel Clase love and more Looking for saves? Aren't we all? Greg Jewett surveys the closer landscape (and answers questions) as we enter the first week of the season.

APRIL 2, 2021 • THEATHLETIC.COM

Should see save opportunities Diekman is a primary candidate to see save opportunities in the wake of Trevor Rosenthal's (shoulder) placement on the 10-day injured list Thursday, Martin Gallegos of MLB.com repo...

Impact The veteran southpaw enjoyed a dominant spring that was essentially a microcosm of his stellar 2020 campaign, with Diekman sporting an unblemished ERA and issuing just one walk across six otherwise clean innings (six appearances) in Cactus League play. Diekman failed to convert the only save opportunity he logged last season, but he posted 13 holds, an 0.42 ERA, 0.94 WHIP and 31 strikeouts across 21.1 innings.

APRIL 1, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

Amazin' at-bat: Mets' Guillorme draws 22-pitch walk vs Hicks

New York Mets backup Luis Guillorme had quite an at-bat in spring training Sunday

MARCH 14, 2021 • ASSOCIATED PRESS

Sharp early in spring Diekman has been credited with two holds in as many Cactus League appearances, a pair of one-inning scoreless efforts during which he's allowed no hits, one walk and recorded four...

Impact The veteran southpaw's second outing came Wednesday against the Brewers, when he followed starter Chris Bassitt in the fourth inning. Diekman was outstanding as a setup option last season while racking up a 36.8 percent strikeout rate and recording a minuscule 0.42 ERA over 21 innings, and he seems to be on his way to serving as one of manager Bob Melvin's most reliable bullpen options once again in 2021.

MARCH 11, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

Oakland A’s: Can Jake Diekman Recapture His 2020 Magic? One of the savvy moves the Oakland A’s made this February was signing backend bullpen piece Trevor Rosenthal to an oddly structured one-year...

MARCH 10, 2021 • WHITECLEATBEAT.COM

Breaking down AL West bullpens for '21 In a year that saw a few of their top hitters go through down years on offense, the A’s run to a 2020 American League West title and ALDS ap...

MARCH 10, 2021 • MLB.COM

Closing prospects dim considerably Diekman, who was previously projected to serve as the Athletics' primary closer to open the season, is now likely to remain in the set-up role he frequently filled in 2020 with Tre...

Impact Rosenthal is unsurprisingly now expected to get the majority of save opportunities after agreeing to a one-year, $11 million pact with Oakland, following a dominant 2020 with the Royals and Padres during which he recorded 11 saves in 12 chances and generated a 1.90 ERA and 0.85 WHIP. Rosenthal also has a pair of 40-plus save seasons on his resume, while Diekman, highly impressive in his own right a year ago, has largely made his living at the big-league level as a solid seventh- and eighth-inning option. Gallegos notes the left-handed sidearmer's elite velocity could still earn him some ninth-inning chances when Rosenthal is unavailable or a particular matchup calls for it, but for the moment, it appears Diekman will revert to having optimal value in fantasy formats that factor in holds.

FEBRUARY 18, 2021 • ROTOWIRE

May share closing duties Diekman remains the likeliest choice for primary closer in 2021, but manager Bob Melvin has noted he may sometimes utilize the left-hander prior to the ninth inning, Matt Kawahara...

Impact The departed Liam Hendriks was the unquestioned closer in 2020, but Diekman certainly put on a pretty convincing impression by allowing just one earned run across 21 innings while posting a 0.94 WHIP, 36.8 percent strikeout rate and 96.8 percent strand rate as a seventh- and eighth-inning option. Melvin's recent comments about not always limiting his use of the veteran southpaw to the ninth inning lends some ambiguity to the situation as spring training begins, however, and with other experienced candidates such as Sergio Romo, J.B. Wendelken and Burch Smith (forearm) also available, Diekman may be in line to eventually share some save opportunities.

FEBRUARY 17, 2021 • ROTOWIRE