Oakland A's Sign Pitcher After Six-Year MLB Absence

He last pitched in the major leagues in 2016, and since then has played in Japan, Korea and an independent baseball league. But now at age 33, Joe Wieland has himself another contract with an MLB organization. 

A's have added veteran RHP Joe Wieland on a minor-league deal. Wieland spent the 2017-18 seasons with Yokohama in the NPB before pitching for Kia in 2019 in the KBO. He was part of the Cubs 60-man player pool in 2020 and pitched briefly in the TB org last year.

— Melissa Lockard (@melissalockard) January 19, 2023

Wieland pitched two seasons in the Nippon Professional Baseball league for Yokohama in 2017 and 2018, and compiled a 3.80 ERA with a 1.29 WHIP, split between starting and relieving. 

In 2019, he went to the Korean Baseball Organization and had a 4.75 ERA in 28 starts for Kia. 

His 2020 was spent in something called the Constellation Energy League, which existed only in 2020 in Texas, to make up for the cancellation of the affiliated minor league season due to the pandemic. He started nine games and had a 2.41 ERA.

His time in the majors, from 2012 to 2016, saw him throw a total of 52.2 innings for the San Diego Padres, Los Angeles Dodgers and Seattle Mariners, to the tune of an unseemly 6.32 ERA and 1.52 WHIP. 

Hopefully his time overseas has helped refine his game, and he can be some kind of factor in the A's organization as a depth piece. 

Photo: Kelvin Kuo-USA TODAY Sports