Pitcher Adam Oller, acquired as part of Chris Bassitt deal, ‘ecstatic’ for shooting with the A’s
MESA, Ariz. — Adam Oller had 90 minutes left on the 16-hour drive from Houston to Port St. Lucie, Fla., the Mets’ spring training home, when he learned he had been traded to the A and that he should report to Arizona instead.
“It was a quick turnaround,” Oller said at the A’s spring club on Monday. “But to be honest, I was happy with the trade.”
Oller, a 27-year-old right-hander, was one of two pitchers Oakland acquired from the Mets for Chris Bassitt on Saturday. JT Ginn, 22, is the highest-rated prospect by public ratings. But Oller, who had a strong 2021 season in Doubles and Triple-As, could be closer to a major league finish.
His journey has not been easy. Pittsburgh drafted Oller in the 20th round in 2016 and released him in 2018. He briefly played freeball before signing a minor contract with the Giants. The Mets selected him in the 2019 Minor League Rule 5 Draft and he was 9-4 with a 3.45 ERA in 23 starts in their system last year.
“It kind of broke out last year into Double-A and Triple-A,” A general manager David Forst said Monday.
Oller cited two factors, one mechanical. He used to have a “Kershaw-esque” delivery with a hitch to his lead leg and said the modification helped him “come down the mound a lot easier” with better control and consistency. The other was mental – throwing more strikes. Adding a cutter and perfecting a change helped.
“It wasn’t about not having enough of the good stuff,” Oller said. “It was just that I put myself in bad situations.”
Oller has made his last eight starts at Triple-A Syracuse, going 4-1 and having a 2.45 ERA. He totaled 138 strikeouts in 120 minor league innings. The Mets added Oller to the 40-man roster in November, shielding him from the since-cancelled Rule 5 draft. But he knew it would be tough to crack a major league rotation with Jacob deGrom, Max Scherzer and now Bassitt.
“As far as a career opportunity goes, it was a much better situation for me,” Oller said.
Oller attended North West State, pitched for the Windy City ThunderBolts of the independent Frontier League in 2019 and played winter ball in Australia. Before Saturday, Oller said, he and his agent joked that the only thing he hadn’t done in baseball was get traded.
“I’ve done everything you can in the minor leagues now,” Oller said. “There is one checkbox left. And I think I have a good opportunity here, so hopefully things go well this spring training.
Oh, and no, Oller didn’t drive all the way to Arizona: “I was like, ‘We’re gonna fly this one,'” he said. “I’ll just ship the truck.”
Briefly: outfielder Cody Thomas, who is on the 40-man roster, has had Achilles surgery and will not be available at camp, A’s manager Mark Kotsay said. … The A’s bullpen has several spots up for grabs and Kotsay said of the camp candidates, “Everyone is an option.” … left-handed AJ Puk will be extended as a starter this spring and will compete for a rotation spot. … The initial Cactus League A schedule features two games at 6 p.m. — March 19 at the Reds and March 29 at the Dodgers — with all home games at 1 p.m.
Matt Kawahara is a writer for the San Francisco Chronicle.