Major League Baseball

A's trade pitcher Shintaro Fujinami to Orioles

Updated Jul. 20, 2023 2:10 a.m. ET

The Oakland Athletics traded right-hander Shintaro Fujinami to the Baltimore Orioles for minor league left-hander Easton Lucas on Wednesday.

Oakland announced the deal shortly after its 6-5 win against the Boston Red Sox gave the last-place A's (26-71) a second straight victory following an eight-game skid.

The 29-year-old Fujinami is in his first MLB season after a 10-year professional career in his native Japan. He currently holds an 8.57 ERA and has spent the majority of the season in the bullpen after seven starts. However, Fujinami recorded a 3.97 ERA in June and has a 2.25 ERA so far in July after posting an ERA of over 10.00 in the months of April and May.

The 26-year-old Lucas, a 14th-round pick by the Marlins in 2019 out of Pepperdine, has gone a combined 1-0 with a 2.73 ERA and 37 strikeouts and a save over 20 relief outings and 29 2/3 innings with Baltimore's Double-A and Triple-A clubs this season.

With his ability to start or come out of the bullpen, Fujinami adds overall pitching depth to an Orioles team that just vaulted over the Tampa Bay Rays for first place in an uber-competitive American League East.

The Orioles are reportedly sending Triple-A pitcher Easton Lucas back to Oakland in return for Fujinami.

The Associated Press contributed to this story.