Say hey, baseball: Say hello, goodbye to switch-pitcher Pat Venditte

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Only a week after MLB was introduced to Oakland Athletics’ switch-pitcher Pat Venditte, the 29-year-old landed on the 15-day disabled list with a strained right shoulder. His unorthodox approach had its skeptics, but Venditte left a strong impression on the A’s during his five innings with the club, maintaining a scoreless streak with one hit, two walks, and four strikeouts in 18 batters faced.

In 2013, Venditte suffered a torn labrum in his dominant shoulder (he’s naturally right-handed, despite being able to pitch effectively with both arms) and continued to pitch with his left arm while undergoing rehab on his right. Although it seems like an obvious solution, asking Venditte to pitch left-handed until his right shoulder recovers again is not an option the A’s are currently considering.

Their reasoning is simple enough: the rookie’s delivery and results appear nearly identical from either side, and his strength lies in the flexibility he lends to the A’s matchups, allowing them to gain an edge no matter how the opposition stacks the lineup. Reverting to an exclusively left-handed approach would make him the fourth lefty reliever in Oakland’s arsenal and his unique advantage would be lost.

While Venditte works toward reclaiming his spot as MLB’s sole switch-pitcher, the A’s have recalled 26-year-old righthander Arnold Leon from the Triple-A Nashville Sounds. Leon appeared in five games for Oakland back in May, delivering eight hits, three runs and seven strikeouts in 5 1/3 innings. Leon is not expected to be a long-term replacement for Venditte, but he’ll see plenty of time on the mound while the ambidextrous hurler sits out for the next two weeks.