Medina looks to improve 1st-inning command in 2nd half

BOSTON -- Luis Medina’s final start before the All-Star break looked much like most of his 2024 campaign. There were some flashes of why the A’s view him as a potential frontline starter. There were also signs of the recurring issues they’d like him to overcome.

During Thursday’s 7-0 loss to the Red Sox at Fenway Park, Medina showcased a four-seam fastball that maxed out at 99.7 mph but struggled to command it effectively at times, allowing six runs on seven hits and two walks with seven strikeouts across five-plus innings.

In a season that began late for him due to a knee injury, Medina ends the first half 2-4 with a 5.18 ERA in eight starts. Across 40 innings, Medina has struck out 32 batters -- a rather low number given his high strikeout totals throughout the Minors -- and walked 20, with opponents batting .276 against him.

Medina has had four outings this season (June 2 at Atlanta, June 19 vs. Kansas City, June 30 at Arizona and July 6 vs. Baltimore) in which he’s completed at least five innings while allowing just one earned run or fewer. He’s also allowed four earned runs or more in his other four starts (June 8 vs. Toronto, June 13 at Minnesota, June 24 at Angels, Thursday at Boston) this season.

“There’s been good outings and bad outings,” manager Mark Kotsay said of Medina’s first half. “The growth needs to take place where those bad outings are minimal or he understands how to manage and get through the damage. I think that’s something that JP [Sears] has done a better job with this year. When he gets traffic [on the bases], he gets outs. That’s part of the maturation process for a young starter.”

If you watched Thursday’s game without focusing on the mound, you would think the starter for the A’s in the first inning was a completely different pitcher from innings two through five. Medina walked two batters in the first, the second of which set up back-to-back RBI hits by Masataka Yoshida and Wilyer Abreu for three runs.

Medina was nearly pulled in the opening frame as left-hander Kyle Muller began warming in the A’s bullpen just before Medina retired Dominic Smith on a groundout to end a 34-pitch first.

“The first-inning struggles are something that we have to look into,” Kotsay said. “After that, he gave up two solo homers. But really, that first inning, he got himself in trouble. The velocity was down. You saw the intensity come to life after they already got the three runs.

“It’s something we’ve got to look into and talk to him about. His velo was [mostly] 93-95, and then it was 97-100. He left some mistakes in the middle and got hurt from it.”

Medina’s pitching splits will show that the first inning is when his command is clearly not at his best. Over his eight starts, the 25-year-old right-hander has issued seven first-inning walks. On Thursday, he pitched into the sixth without allowing another walk after the first and allowed just four more hits after the first, including a pair of solo shots by Connor Wong and Abreu.

“The first inning, my pitches were failing me,” Medina told MLB.com in Spanish. “I couldn’t find myself in that first inning. I was able to make the pitches I needed to finish the inning. But for the most part, I couldn’t find myself.”

Medina said there was no particular adjustment that led to better success and increased velocity after the first, instead chalking it up to better execution.

“This game is demanding,” Medina said. “Every inning, you have to try to make an adjustment.”

With Thursday marking just his 31st career game (25th start) in the big leagues, the A’s understand there is a clear development process for Medina to go through before harnessing his electric stuff with more consistency. Stabilizing that promising talent is what he hopes to accomplish over the second half.

“I always want to get better,” Medina said. “I’m always going to get better, because I want to be a better pitcher. I hate coming into the clubhouse and not being able to experience the joy that I desire to have every time I take the mound. This game is about learning. I’m going to keep going forward and expect to get better and elevate my talent in the big leagues.”