A's send pitcher Luis Morales to minors to work on control issues

Manager Mark Kotsay hopes the 23-year-old right-hander can regain his confidence after struggling with command.

Apr. 7, 2026 at 10:18pm

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A fragmented, geometric painting depicting the various angles and planes of a baseball pitcher's delivery, with sharp lines and overlapping shapes in shades of green, brown, and navy blue conveying the mechanical struggles the player is working to overcome.A cubist deconstruction of a young pitcher's delivery highlights the mechanical issues that have led to his control problems and demotion to the minor leagues.Houston Today

The Oakland Athletics have optioned pitcher Luis Morales to their Triple-A affiliate in Las Vegas, with manager Mark Kotsay saying the 23-year-old right-hander needs to work on regaining his confidence and command after struggling in his first two starts of the season.

Why it matters

Morales was expected to be part of the A's starting rotation this season, but his early struggles with control and command have led the team to send him down to the minors to work on mechanical and mental aspects of his game.

The details

Morales went 0-2 with a 12.27 ERA in his first two starts against the Toronto Blue Jays and Houston Astros, issuing a career-high six walks in his last outing. The A's felt Morales, who signed with the team in January 2023, needed a 'reset' to regain his confidence and work through some mechanical issues that have plagued him.

  • Morales was optioned to Triple-A Las Vegas on Tuesday, April 7, 2026.
  • Morales was scheduled to start for the A's this weekend against the New York Mets, but the team did not announce who will fill his spot in the rotation.

The players

Luis Morales

A 23-year-old right-handed pitcher in the Oakland Athletics organization who has struggled with command and confidence in his first two starts of the 2026 season.

Mark Kotsay

The manager of the Oakland Athletics, who said the team is hoping Morales can regain his confidence and work through mechanical issues while pitching at the Triple-A level.

Joel Kuhnel

A relief pitcher whose contract was purchased by the Athletics from their Triple-A affiliate in Las Vegas to replace Morales on the active roster.

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What they’re saying

“We're going back to spring training -- you don't look at performance in spring training -- but you look at the quality of the pitch-making and he didn't have a great spring. We felt like he could make the adjustment to being able to fix some mechanical things that he needs to work through.”

— Mark Kotsay, Manager, Oakland Athletics

“Just the lack of confidence overall, too, you could see it the last start. So, I think it's a good reset for Luis. My expectation is he goes down and he gains his confidence back and he'll be back with us at some point.”

— Mark Kotsay, Manager, Oakland Athletics

What’s next

The judge in the case will decide on Tuesday whether or not to allow Walker Reed Quinn out on bail.

The takeaway

This move by the Athletics highlights the importance of developing young pitching talent and the challenges teams face in balancing player development with immediate major league needs. Morales' struggles with command and confidence are common issues for young hurlers, and the A's are hoping this 'reset' in the minors will help him regain the form that made him a promising prospect.