Jack Perkins News: Claims first hold Saturday

Perkins collected a hold in Saturday's 8-2 win over the Guardians, striking out three while allowing no hits and one walk over three scoreless innings.

Perkins faced the minimum nine batters during his 31-pitch outing, and he atoned for the walk he issued to Carlos Santana to begin the bottom of the seventh by generating an inning-ending double play. Since being called up from Triple-A Las Vegas on June 22, the 25-year-old righty has looked sharp as a long man out of the bullpen, netting a pair of three-inning saves while accruing a 2.84 ERA, 0.87 WHIP and 14:4 K:BB in 12.2 frames. Manager Mark Kotsay has indicated Perkins will make starts for the Athletics before the end of the season, but his usage out of the bullpen Saturday suggests that he won't immediately fill the vacant spot in the club's rotation Tuesday in Texas.