OAKLAND, Calif. — The Oakland A’s have acquired minor league right-handed pitcher Billy Sullivan from the Philadelphia Phillies in exchange for outfielder Cristian Pache, the club announced today.
Sullivan was a non-roster invitee with the Phillies this spring and allowed eight runs on eight hits in 2.0 innings over three relief appearances. He spent the 2022 season at Double-A Reading where he went 5-1 with two saves, a 4.59 ERA and .744 opponents OPS in 44 games, including two starts. The 23-year-old right-hander struck out 77 batters in 51.0 innings but also walked 36. Sullivan was originally signed by Philadelphia as a non-drafted free agent on June 17, 2020 and is 6-2 with a 3.98 ERA in 64 games over two professional seasons.
Pache hit .302 with eight RBI and a .781 OPS in 21 games with the A’s this spring. He was on the A’s Opening Day roster last year and was batting .159 with a .427 OPS in 68 games when he was optioned to Triple-A Las Vegas on June 30. The 24-year-old right-handed hitter returned to Oakland on Aug. 28 and hit .166 with three home runs, 18 RBI and a .459 OPS in 91 games overall. Pache made his Major League debut with Atlanta in 2020 and is a .156 career hitter with four home runs and 22 RBI in 115 games in three seasons.