JANUARY 2, 2021 • WHITECLEATBEAT.COM
JAKE DIEKMAN #30 - PITCHER - NEW YORK METS
2-3 W-L •
1.47 WHIP •
5.62 ERA
2-3 W-L
1.47 WHIP
5.62 ERA
Oakland A’s: Jake Diekman should not be the closer just yet The Oakland A's have tentatively named Jake Diekman as their closer for 2021. Their bullpen construction dictates that he should not close j...
Jake Diekman a major gamble as A’s presumptive closer The Oakland A's will need a new closer in 2021. For now, Jake Diekman appears to have the inside track for the role, but he is a major risk....
DECEMBER 11, 2020 • WHITECLEATBEAT.COM
Tabbed as top closer, for now Athletics general manager David Forst said Wednesday that Diekman is the top internal candidate to close for the team in 2021, Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
Impact "Internal" is the operative word here, as the Athletics are still expected to look outside the organization for late-inning help this offseason with incumbent closer Liam Hendriks unlikely to re-sign with the team. That being said, the Athletics historically haven't been willing to dole out big-money contracts to relievers, so any bullpen reinforcements they bring in likely won't have a clear path to the closer's role. Diekman should at least be given a chance to compete for the ninth-inning job after he delivered a career-best season in 2020, finishing with a 0.42 ERA, 0.94 WHIP and 31:12 K:BB across 21.1 innings.
DECEMBER 9, 2020 • ROTOWIRE
Oakland A’s: Jake Diekman wants lifetime ban for PED users Oakland A's reliever Jake Diekman isn't a fan of performance-enhancing drugs. He wants Robinson Cano to get a lifetime ban for his PED viola...
NOVEMBER 20, 2020 • CALLTOTHEPEN.COM
Oakland A’s: Jake Diekman has strong thoughts about Robinson Cano Oakland A's reliever Jake Diekman is not in a forgiving mood when it comes to Robinson Cano and his latest PED suspension. Over the years, M...
NOVEMBER 20, 2020 • WHITECLEATBEAT.COM
Oakland A’s: Jake Diekman’s overlooked dominant season Middle relievers are often overlooked in any award voting, but Oakland A's reliever Jake Diekman deserved some consideration for the AL Reli...
OCTOBER 22, 2020 • WHITECLEATBEAT.COM
Pinder delivers timely hit, A's advance in playoffs at last
The Oakland Athletics finally advanced in a playoff round to erase two decades of little postseason success, riding a go-ahead two-run single by Chad Pinder in the fifth and repeat...OCTOBER 1, 2020 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Braves beat Reds 1-0 in historic 13-inning postseason opener
OCTOBER 1, 2020 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
A's hold off Abreu, White Sox 5-3, force series to Game 3
Marcus Semien and Khris Davis homered early and the Oakland Athletics held off José Abreu and the Chicago White Sox in the late innings for a 5-3 win that sent their AL playoff ser...SEPTEMBER 30, 2020 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Grabs second win Diekman (2-0) was credited with the victory in an extra-inning win over the Mariners on Friday, allowing an unearned run on one walk over an inning while also recording a strikeout...
Impact The southpaw notched his second victory in as many outings with an effective 15-pitch frame. Diekman notably allowed a run for the second consecutive appearance as well after sporting an unblemished ERA through his first 18.1 frames of the campaign, although Friday's was aided by a passed ball and scored by inning-opening baserunner Dee Strange-Gordon. The 33-year-old now boasts an 0.44 ERA and 0.98 WHIP across 20.1 innings alongside his two victories and 12 holds.
SEPTEMBER 26, 2020 • ROTOWIRE
Canha homers in 10th inning, rallies A's past Mariners 3-1
Mark Canha hit a two-out, two-run home run in the 10th inning, lifting the Oakland Athletics past the Seattle Mariners 3-1SEPTEMBER 26, 2020 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Marlins, Reds, Astros lock up spots in the postseason
SEPTEMBER 26, 2020 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Secures first win of season Diekman (1-0) secured the win in a victory over the Dodgers on Wednesday despite allowing an earned run on one hit over one inning while also recording two strikeouts.
Impact Tasked with preserving a 4-3 lead when he entered in the eighth inning, the normally reliable Diekman surrendered a one-out, game-tying solo home run to Edwin Rios. The veteran did bounce back in trademark form to record swinging strikeouts of Max Muncy and Will Smith, and he was subsequently afforded his first win of the campaign when Ramon Laureano slugged a go-ahead two-run blast in the top of the ninth and Liam Hendriks slammed the door on Los Angeles in the home half of the frame. The stumble aside, Diekman heads into the final days of the regular season with Wednesday's run as the only one he's allowed across 19.1 innings, a span during which he's also rang up an impressive 28 strikeouts.
SEPTEMBER 24, 2020 • ROTOWIRE
A's beat Dodgers 6-4 on Laureano's 9th-inning homer
Rámon Laureano broke a ninth-inning tie with a two-run homer and the Oakland Athletics beat the Los Angeles Dodgers 6-4 on Wednesday night in a matchup of West division championsSEPTEMBER 24, 2020 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Rays clinch first AL East title in 10 years
SEPTEMBER 24, 2020 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Fiers, lights-out bullpen help Athletics beat Rockies 3-1
Mike Fiers threw six sharp innings before turning it over to a lights-out bullpen and the Oakland Athletics snapped a six-game skid against the Colorado Rockies with a 3-1 winSEPTEMBER 16, 2020 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Remains perfect on season Diekman secured his ninth hold during a win over the Astros in the first game of a doubleheader Tuesday, firing a scoreless sixth inning during which he allowed no hits or walks an...
Impact The veteran left-hander continued his season-long dominance, posting his 15th scoreless effort in as many appearances. Diekman has yielded a scant six hits over his 15 innings as well while posting an elite 12.6 K/9. The one qualm with his 2020 body of work has been his trademark control issues, which have led to a bloated 6.0 BB/9 that he's nevertheless successfully navigated to this point.
SEPTEMBER 9, 2020 • ROTOWIRE
AP Sportlight
Sportlight for Sept. 1, 2020AUGUST 31, 2020 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
This Date in Baseball-Sept. 1
This Date in Baseball-Sept. 1AUGUST 31, 2020 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Keeps rolling Sunday Diekman fired two scoreless innings in an extra-inning win over the Angels on Sunday, allowing a hit and a walk while recording three strikeouts.
Impact The veteran left-hander has been one of the most effective bullpen options for manager Bob Melvin all season, and Sunday, he notched six key outs while serving as a bridge to Joakim Soria and Liam Hendriks in the ninth and 10th inning, respectively. Diekman threw 24 of 32 pitches for strikes, extending his season-opening scoreless streak to 11 innings and 11 appearances.
AUGUST 24, 2020 • ROTOWIRE
Swanson's 2-out, 2-run homer in 9th lifts Braves past Nats
AUGUST 18, 2020 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
Continues scoreless streak Saturday Diekman was credited with his fourth hold in a win over the Astros on Saturday, allowing a hit and no walks over a scoreless eighth inning while also recording a strikeout.
Impact Diekman was exceedingly sharp, throwing nine of his 10 pitches for strikes while extending his season-opening scoreless streak to 6.2 innings over seven appearances. The hard-throwing left-hander is one of several veteran later-inning options for manager Bob Melvin that have thrived this season, leading to Oakland's bullpen sporting a 1.80 ERA and .195 BAA across a sample of 219 batters faced going into Sunday's action.
AUGUST 9, 2020 • ROTOWIRE
Semien delivers again vs Astros; A's win 8th in row
Marcus Semien homered in the first after hitting a walkoff single to end a 13-inning win a night earlier and the Oakland Athletics beat the Houston Astros 3-1 for their eighth stra...AUGUST 8, 2020 • ASSOCIATED PRESS
A.J. Puk expected to join an already thriving bullpen Oakland A’s pitching coach Scott Emerson, Jake Diekman, Joakim Soria, Burch Smith’s tweaks that made the bullpen a star.
AUGUST 6, 2020 • MERCURYNEWS.COM
This pitcher got a nasty new slider ... from Twitter Here's a really cool story about pitch design in the social media age. It's the story of how a Major League pitcher learned a nasty new pitc...
AUGUST 5, 2020 • MLB.COM
