We Might Actually Get A Barry Zito Versus Tim Hudson Matchup

After rosters expanded on September 1st and the Oakland A’s didn’t bring up Barry Zito—who has been toiling away in Triple-A Nashville all year—it was reported that he wasn’t going to come up this season. But after starting pitcher Jesse Chavez fractured a rib the team reversed course, once again proving that God works in mysterious ways.

Besides a shockingly effective two games for the Giants in the 2012 playoffs, Zito hasn’t been an above average pitcher in almost a decade. At 37 and unable to get called up from the minors before September, in all likelihood he’s done after this season. If so, he might have one hell of a game to go out on.

The A’s have three games against the Giants at the end of the season, who just so happen to employ Tim Hudson. Zito and Hudson of course, along with Mark Mulder, were the Big Three pitchers who led the A’s to four straight playoffs in the early 2000s. Wouldn’t it be great if Zito and the retiring Hudson—two great Bay Area pitchers who pitched for both Bay Area teams—faced off against each other?

It’s not at all certain, but it seems like it might actually happen! While A’s beat reporter Susan Slusser reported that the team would only use Zito out of the bullpen, she added that it didn’t sound like the idea of him starting was ruled out altogether, and Ken Rosenthal reports that the A’s will try and make it happen. On the Giants side, the Mercury News reports that they’re open to the idea, and Hudson is supposed to start during the A’s series.

The A’s are in last place, and the Giants will be eliminated shortly. Why not give the fans what they want?

Photo via Getty

E-mail: [email protected] | PGP key + fingerprint | DM: @kevinmdraper