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.
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Athletics' Mike Fiers: Suffers setback
Rotowire
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.
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Athletics' Mike Fiers: Throwing from 60 feet
Rotowire
Fiers (elbow) has thrown from 60 feet out on three occasions since receiving a platelet-rich injection in June, the Athletics' official site reports.
Fiers was still experiencing problems throwing shortly after receiving the PRP injection, but he's bounced back over the last several weeks. However, the veteran right-hander remains without a timetable for return after last taking the mound May 7, and given the length of his absence, he would undoubtedly need a robust rehab assignment before being deemed ready for activation.
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Athletics' Mike Fiers: Still 'having problems' in recovery
Rotowire
Fiers (elbow) continues "having some problems" and is still not comfortable throwing, according to manager Bob Melvin, the team's official site reports.
The veteran right-hander does have the peace of mind of having been given the all clear in terms of structural damage from renowned surgeon Dr. James Andrews in late June, but even the subsequent platelet-rich plasma injection he received apparently hasn't improved his condition sufficiently. Given Melvin's latest report, it appears Fiers isn't anywhere close to starting a rehab assignment.
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Athletics' Mike Fiers: Won't need surgery
Rotowire
Fiers (elbow) has no structural damage and won't require surgery, Justice delos Santos of MLB.com reports.
Fiers visited with Dr. James Andrews on Wednesday after he felt elbow discomfort while throwing Monday, but he received somewhat encouraging news. The right-hander will receive a PRP injection, and he'll be shut down from throwing for up to four weeks following the setback. However, he could still return sometime during the second half of the season since he won't require surgery.
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Athletics' Mike Fiers: Still feeling discomfort
Rotowire
Fiers (elbow) will see Dr. James Andrews on Wednesday after feeling elbow discomfort again Monday while throwing, Matt Kawahara of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
Both of the righty's attempts to resume throwing have yielded the same concerning results, so it's worth wondering whether he's nursing a more significant injury to his right elbow than just a sprain. There's been no such indication from the Athletics, but Fiers' visit to the renowned doctor should clarify his situation.
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Athletics' Mike Fiers: Experiences setback
Rotowire
Fiers (elbow) felt discomfort when throwing off flat ground late last week and has been shut down from throwing temporarily, the team's official site reports.
The veteran right-hander's recovery continues to experience some fits and starts, and he's currently limited to just engaging in plyometric exercises. Depending on how he continues to progress, Fiers could attempt to resume throwing at some point this week.
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Athletics' Mike Fiers: Still lacking return timeline
Rotowire
Fiers (elbow) has resumed plyometric activities but still lacks a timeline for when he could resume throwing, Justice delos Santos of MLB.com reports.
Fiers began the campaign on the IL with a hip injury, briefly returned to make a pair of starts at the end of April, and then went back on the injured list with an elbow injury in early May. The right-hander was transferred to the 60-day injured list May 21, and while he's been able to resume some activities, he still appears to be a ways away from beginning a throwing program. He becomes eligible to come off the injured list July 8, but that return date could be a tad optimistic at this point. Nonetheless, a clearer timeline should emerge in the coming weeks for the 35-year-old.
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Athletics' Mike Fiers: Moves to 60-day IL
Rotowire
Fiers (elbow) was transferred to the 60-day injured list Friday, Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports.
He last pitched May 6, so this pushes his return date into at least early July. Fiers was shut down from throwing back on May 8 with a sprained right elbow.
