Former Notre Dame pitcher [autotag]Brandon Bielak[/autotag] is saying goodbye to the only MLB organization he has ever known. Five days after the Houston Astros designed the right-hander for assignment, he has been traded to the Oakland Athletics for cash considerations.
Ironically, the A’s and Astros are in the middle of a series with each other, so Bielak will be going to the other clubhouse when he next arrives at Minute Maid Park. That’s always a fun quirk whenever it happens in baseball.
Bielak was an 11th-round selection by the Astros out of Notre Dame in 2017. He made his big-league debut early in the COVID-shortened 2020 season. In five seasons, he has an 11-13 record and one save to go with a 4.65 ERA, 155 strikeouts and 85 walks over 191 2/3 innings. In the early part of this season, he has a 5.71 ERA over 17 1/3 innings and has not pitched since May 7.
Best of luck to Bielak in his new surroundings.
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