Fiers (elbow) signed a contract March 24 with Leones de Yucatan of the Mexican League.
Fiers made just two starts for the Athletics in 2021 after suffering a sprained right elbow in early May and experiencing multiple setbacks during his rehab. The 36-year-old right-hander is seemingly healthy again, but he's still likely to need a strong showing in Mexico just to secure a minor-league deal with an organization.
Fiers (elbow) suffered a setback during his rehab assignment and is unlikely to return this season, Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports.
Fiers appeared in three games at Triple-A Las Vegas over the past couple weeks, but he's been unable to reach his desired velocity and may make a visit to Dr. James Andrews, per Shayna Rubin of The San Jose Mercury News. The 36-year-old may not be available even if the A's manage a sustained playoff run.
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Athletics' Mike Fiers: Solid in second rehab appearance
Rotowire
Fiers (elbow) was sharp over 34 pitches in his rehab appearance for Triple-A Las Vegas on Saturday, the team's official site reports.
The veteran right-hander got 22 of his offerings into the strike zone over 1.2 innings during which he surrendered an unearned run on two hits without any walks or strikeouts. Fiers' performance was a notable improvement over his first rehab turn, when he yielded three earned runs on three hits and a walk over 1.2 innings last Tuesday. Fiers is very likely to only return as a reliever if he does make it back before the end of the regular season, and his usage out of the bullpen Saturday for the Aviators further supports that notion.
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Athletics' Mike Fiers: Slated to pitch Saturday
Rotowire
Fiers (elbow) will make a rehab appearance at Triple-A Las Vegas on Saturday, Matt Kawahara of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
Fiers made his debut in Las Vegas as a starter Tuesday and gave up three earned runs in 1.2 innings. He'll pitch out of the bullpen in Saturday's appearance since manager Bob Melvin said that the team wants to keep the option open of bringing the right-hander back as a reliever. A better idea of Fiers' status will likely be known based on his pitch count in Saturday's appearance, but he's likely close to returning if the Athletics don't need him fully stretched out as a starter.
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Athletics' Mike Fiers: Struggles in rehab start
Rotowire
Fiers (elbow) allowed three earned runs on three hits and a walk over 1.2 innings in Triple-A Las Vegas' loss to Reno on Tuesday. He struck out two.
The right-hander worked up to 33 pitches, although he only got 19 of those offerings into the strike zone. Fiers' pitch count was right where manager Bob Melvin had projected it for prior to the start, and although the veteran's final line wasn't pretty, the fact he was able to apparently get through the outing without setbacks is encouraging. Fiers will likely take another turn for the Aviators at some point during the coming weekend.
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Athletics' Mike Fiers: Begins rehab assignment
Rotowire
Fiers (elbow) will make a rehab start for Triple-A Las Vegas on Tuesday, Matt Kawahara of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
Fiers missed the start of the season due to hip inflammation and returned to make just two starts before hitting the injured list with a sprained elbow. The Athletics believe he has a chance to return before the end of the season, but he's unlikely to make very many appearances if that does end up happening.
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Athletics' Mike Fiers: Could return this season
Rotowire
Fiers (elbow) will make a rehab start with Triple-A Las Vegas next week and could return before the end of the season, Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports.
He threw a 25-pitch live batting practice session Friday, so it seems possible he could rejoin the rotation in around 10 days. Fiers has given up eight earned runs in 9.1 innings this season.
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Athletics' Mike Fiers: Faces live hitters Friday
Rotowire
Fiers (elbow) threw a 25-pitch live batting practice session Friday, the team's official site reports.
The veteran right-hander continues to inch closer to a possible late-season return, with Friday's bump in activity level another encouraging sign after Fiers threw a 20-pitch bullpen session a week earlier. Manager Bob Melvin labeled Friday's developments "a step in the right direction", and it remains to be seen if the team will deem Fiers ready to test himself in a minor-league setting next.
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Athletics' Mike Fiers: Facing hitters Friday
Rotowire
Fiers (elbow) will throw against hitters Friday, Matt Kawahara of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
Fiers will progress to facing live hitters exactly two weeks after after resuming mound work. The 36-year-old has pitched in only two games this year but appears on track to rejoin the A's before the end of the regular season.
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Athletics' Mike Fiers: Encouraging bullpen Friday
Rotowire
Fiers (elbow) threw a 20-pitch, all-fastballs bullpen session Friday, the Associated Press reports.
It marked the right-hander's first time throwing off a mound in the recovery process. The fact Fiers apparently was able to tolerate a solid workload right out of the gate would seem to bode well for his chances of a return to action before the end of the regular season, but the coming weeks will naturally serve as the final determinant.
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Athletics' Mike Fiers: Bullpen session on tap
Rotowire
Fiers (elbow) is slated to throw a bullpen session Friday, the Associated Press reports.
The session will mark Fiers' first time throwing off a mound during his lengthy rehabilitation process. The veteran right-hander has been ramping up his workload for weeks and has apparently tolerated the process well. If that continues to hold true with Friday's activity, Fiers could potentially start a rehab assignment in the earlier part of September with an eye on availability in some form prior to the postseason.
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Athletics' Mike Fiers: Could return before end of season
Rotowire
Manager Bob Melvin said Friday that the team has not ruled out the possibility of Fiers (elbow) pitching again this season, Matt Kawahara of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
He's been out with a sprained right elbow since early May, but the veteran right-hander has been able to avoid setbacks since ramping up his throwing program in recent weeks. Per Kawahara, Fiers will throw from flat ground Saturday for the first time since suffering the injury. While Melvin noted that the club still does not have a target date for the veteran to throw off a mound, it sounds like there is still hope for him to pitch again in the majors this season. Given the obvious time constraints, it seems like Fiers would have a stronger chance to return as a reliever, though Oakland could opt to try and stretch him out with Chris Bassitt (face) now on the injured list.
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Athletics' Mike Fiers: Pushes up throwing distance
Rotowire
Fiers (elbow) has progressed to throwing out to 90 feet, the Associated Press reports.
The veteran right-hander continues to make fairly deliberate but consistent progress in his attempted return from his elbow sprain. However, he still has no firm timetable for throwing off a mound, and Fiers could well be running out of time for a regular-season return.
