Oakland Athletics Acquire LHP Felix Doubront From Toronto Blue Jays

In the last hour before the trade deadline, the Oakland Athletics acquired left-handed starting pitcher Felix Doubront from the Toronto Blue Jays for cash considerations. Doubront had been designated for assignment on Wednesday to make room for Troy Tulowitzki who the Blue Jays acquired from the Colorado Rockies. This starting pitcher is expected to take Scott Kazmir’s spot in the A’s starting rotation even though the Athletics currently have newcomer Aaron Brooks slated to start the game on Saturday against the Cleveland Indians.

Doubront has split his time between Toronto and Triple-A Buffalo this season. In four starts with the Blue Jays, he had a 4.76 ERA with a 1.63 WHIP. However, Doubront fared better in Triple-A where he had a 2.44 ERA in nine starts and struck out 43 batters in 48 innings pitched.

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Throughout much of his career, Doubront has bounced between the majors and Triple-A. However, in 2012 and 2013, he earned a spot in the Boston Red Sox’s starting rotation. In 2012, he had a 11-10 record with a 4.86 ERA. He performed much better in 2013 with an 11-6 record and allowed only 13 homers in 162.1 innings pitched. Even though Doubront pitched out of the bullpen in the 2013 postseason, he performed well and earned his first postseason career victory in Game 4 of the World Series.

After the 2013 season, Doubront struggled with consistency, which is ultimately the reason as to why the Red Sox took him out of the starting rotation and traded him to the Chicago Cubs in 2014. When he is performing well, he has a strong fastball, a curveball, and a changeup. Doubront has a deceptive delivery and can be quite effective against right handed hitters.

If Doubront is able to bounce back and pitch the way he did in 2013, this could be a good pickup for the Athletics whose starting rotation has been downgraded this month. With the recent Kazmir trade, Jesse Hahn on the disabled list, Jesse Chavez struggling and Brooks having only made one career start in the Major Leagues, Doubront could bring some veteran experience to this rotation as long as he is consistent. Since Doubront is out of options, he will be added to the A’s 25-man roster and it will be interesting to see if he or Brooks will start on Saturday against the Indians.

Next: Oakland Athletics' Newest Starter Aaron Brooks Has A Lot To Prove