Mike Fiers Named Opening Day Starter
Mar 9, 2019, 2:18 PM | Updated: 2:23 pm
(Photo by Jason O. Watson/Getty Images)
(Photo by Jason O. Watson/Getty Images)
With the A’s starting their season on March 20 in Japan, Bob Melvin named Mike Fiers the teams Opening Day starter.
“He’s really relishing it, because it’s the first time he’s going to be put in that spot,” Melvin said on Saturday. “He’s the first guy we signed back for a reason — and this is one of the reasons. He did a nice job for us last year.”
The Athletics non-tendered Fiers in December but never planned on losing him, signing him to a two-year $18 million deal in late December. The 33-year-old started nine games last season for the A’s after being traded from Detroit in July. He held a 5-2 record with Oakland with 52 strikeouts and 11 walks with an ERA of 3.74.
It’s official: Mike Fiers will be the Opening Day starter in Japan.#RootedInOakland pic.twitter.com/cjVkJmhjo4
— Oakland Athletics 🌳🐘⚾️ (@Athletics) March 9, 2019
The A’s open the season against the Seattle Mariners. Oakland finished with a 9-10 record against the M’s last season but Seattle overhauled their roster over the off-season losing Robinson Cano, Nelson Cruz, and Edwin Diaz. Fiers pitched against Seattle three times last season, twice with the A’s and once with the Tigers. In those three games, Fiers allowed 11 earned runs in 14.2 innings giving up 19 hits and six home runs finishing with a 1-1 record.
