May was “miserable” as a starter before moving to the reliever originally appeared on NBC Sports Bay Area
Going from a starter to a reliever is a big change for any pitcher. But track and field freshman Trevor May passed that test with flying colors well before he signed with Oakland this winter.
Speaking to NBC Sports California’s Brodie Brazil on the latest episode of “All A’s,” May described what the differences were when he was a starter earlier in his career and is now a helper for the A’s.
“I think there are two sides to every coin when you talk about these things,” May explained. “As a starter, it was just miserable when I was struggling to wait four more days for the pitch.”
May added that starters often have to sit and think about how to get better while waiting for their spot in the rotation to open up, jokingly telling Brazil that impatience “runs” in his family.
“And so I was drawn to relieving a little bit more,” May continued. “I don’t think it’s a secret that because you’re pitching so many innings and how hard it is to stay healthy for a full year, the pay is better as a starter and the value to the team in general is a bit higher. “
As a former starter for the Minnesota Twins, May knows the drudgery of taking the mound every fifth day, and the 33-year-old is aware of how it can affect a pitcher’s body.
May explained that some of the “big things” for him in deciding to become a rescuer were that as a starter he needed to conserve energy and that rescuers have less room for error.
“So there’s a place you have to go if you want to throw in points that have big, big moments or leverage or are important to get the win and stay in the lead. There’s a certain mentality that you have to adopt that’s different than any other position on the field,” May said. “So I just loved that.
“I don’t know, it was just so fun and exciting that there’s so much at stake on every pitch.”
Before Signing with Oakland In the offseason, May proved to be one of the most effective assists in MLB from 2018 to 2022 with the Twins and New York Mets.
In 207 appearances (one start) with Minnesota and New York, May went 19-7 and compiled a 3.54 ERA with 12 saves. More importantly, the experienced right-hander held opposing batters to a .218/.287/.376 slash line with a .663 OPS.
RELATED: Kotsay thinks May is a good fit for A on and off the field
As the A’s embark on a new journey in 2023, all eyes will be on general manager David Forst’s offseason signings.
And A’s fans are hoping for the presence of May’s veterans In the locker room as a reliever means success on the field as Oakland looks to recover from its 2022 season.
Source : sports.yahoo.com