Angels News: Former Pitcher Janson Junk Designated by Oakland A's After Rough Start

The Oakland Athletics have released former Los Angeles Angels pitcher Janson Junk after just six days with the team.

Junk was designated for assignment following a disappointing debut against the Seattle Mariners, where he faced eight batters without recording an out, allowing six hits and two walks, resulting in seven earned runs.

Junk had been claimed off waivers from the Houston Astros on August 31, just two days after the Astros designated him for assignment.

His brief stint with the A’s ended quickly as they opted to recall left-hander Brady Basso from Triple-A Las Vegas.

“It’s frustrating,” Junk said after the disaster . “I just didn’t do my job.”

In his short time with Oakland, Junk struggled significantly. He entered the game in the seventh inning with the A’s trailing 5-2 and immediately gave up a leadoff home run.

His performance raised concerns, prompting the team to make a swift decision regarding his future.

“They seemed to not really get fooled with anything,” A's manager Mark Kotsay said. “Their soft contact were hits, but they squared up a lot of balls. End of the day, he wants to turn the page on this game.”

Despite his rocky outing, Junk had shown promise in Triple-A this season, posting a 3.60 ERA over 50 innings.

Last year, he pitched 140 innings with a 4.18 ERA in the Brewers' Triple-A system. After his release, he accepted an outright assignment to Triple-A Nashville, allowing him to stay within the A's organization and continue working toward a return to the majors.

Junk originally joined the Angels in 2021 after being acquired from the New York Yankees in a trade.

He made a handful of appearances with the Angels before being traded to the Brewers in 2022. Now, he has the opportunity to rebuild his career and potentially face the Angels again in the future.