Joey Estes, the 23-year-old pitcher for the Oakland Athletics, has had a challenging start to Spring Training, posting a 6.75 ERA over four innings pitched. Despite a strong strike rate, he has allowed three home runs, highlighting a concerning trend from his previous season where he finished with an 8.71 ERA in September. His strikeout rate of 16.9% ranks him in the bottom tier of the league, while a 5% walk rate indicates his ability to find the strike zone consistently.

Competing for a spot in the A's rotation, Estes faces stiff competition from fellow pitchers like Mitch Spence, Hogan Harris, and Brady Basso, all of whom have impressed in their outings. The A's may consider sending Estes to Triple-A Las Vegas to refine his skills, although his high fly-ball rate could pose challenges in that league. With only a couple of weeks left to solidify his place, Estes must demonstrate significant improvement to secure a spot in the starting rotation for the upcoming season.