26-year-old Lou Trivino made his MLB debut less than a month ago, but he has already become one of the most trusted arms in the A’s bullpen.
The 6-foot-5 right-hander has allowed just one run in 10 2/3 innings, for a sparkling ERA of 0.84. He has also picked up a pair of wins and two holds in his eight appearances.
“He’s an instrumental cog now,” said A’s manager Bob Melvin. “He certainly throws hard. He’s a guy we really thought during Spring Training would be here, maybe not at this point pitching in close games late, but he has the ability to do it, and he’s pitched really well for us.”
Melvin is not kidding when he says Trivino throws hard. His fastball lives in the high-90s and has even hit 100 mph. He also throws an effective sinker and changeup.
“I’m pretty blessed that I’ve been able to have some success,” Trivino said. “It definitely helps with the confidence. It’s nice to know that your stuff plays in the big leagues.”
Trivino has also shown the ability to pitch multiple innings. On April 18, he tossed 49 pitches in three scoreless frames against the White Sox.
“When you’re down a guy like [Ryan] Buchter, it’s nice to have another guy who we didn’t expect at this point in time,” Melvin said. “He’s been absolutely terrific.”
The A’s drafted Trivino in the 11th round of the 2013 MLB Draft out of Slippery Rock University of Pennsylvania. This season he joined the A’s for Spring Training, which helped his comfort level a great deal.
“It was nice to meet the guys, meet the coaching staff a little bit,” Trivino said. “That way, you don’t come in not knowing anyone. Those guys were great to me and I was able to have some success in Spring Training, so it was nice to have some confidence.”
After starting the regular season in Triple-A, Trivino has quickly become a key component of the A’s bullpen. It certainly appears he is here to stay.
