Fautino

De Los Santos

“He’s a guy that has the ceiling to close at some point,” said Melvin. “I don’t know that it’s now.” Brian Fuentes and Grant Balfour are currently considered the front-runners for the job. De Los Santos, 26, registered a sparkling 11.6 K/9 in 33 1/3 innings last season as a rookie.

While De Los Santos has a 3.00 ERA and 3/3 K/BB ratio over three innings this season, he hasn’t recorded an out in each of his last three appearances. The 26-year-old right-hander still has the potential to be a future closer for Oakland, but he’ll continue to hone his craft in the minors.

Melvin also mentioned the names of Fautino De Los Santos and Joey Devine. At this point in time, Balfour is likely the favorite for the job, but De Los Santos might be the best long-term bet. It wouldn’t be a surprise if the team wound up using a host of players for the gig, making it an undesirable situation for fantasy purposes.

De Los Santos has surrendered four hits and walked three in just three innings, but those jams haven’t cost him. The 26-year-old right-hander could join the ninth-inning mix later this summer if Grant Balfour is traded.

De Los Santos, 25, has just 34 games of big league experience under his belt, and he’s posted a pedestrian 4.32 ERA in those appearances. But, he also boasts an 11.6 K/9 rate over that time, which is just a tick below the 11.7 K/9 rate he’s posted in his minor league career. However, with Grant Balfour and Brian Fuentes on the roster, it seems likely that De Los Santos is viewed more as the long-term closer rather than someone that would get the job in 2012 if Bailey is dealt.

Oakland traded closer Andrew Bailey to the Red Sox on Wednesday evening as part of a five-player swap. Balfour seems the likeliest candidate to win the job out of spring training given his age and potential value as a mid-season trade chip, but De Los Santos is a young arm worth monitoring. The 25-year-old may be worth a flier in drafts next spring.

He’s a good get for general manager Doug Melvin. De Los Santos has spent most of this season at Triple-A Sacramento, where he’s posted a 7.25 ERA over 28 appearances. But, the hard-throwing 26-year-old boasts an 11.4 K/9 rate in his 40 career appearances at the big league level, and many felt coming into the year that he was the A’s closer of the future. The deal should officially be announced later Sunday.

De Los Santos has spent most of this season at Triple-A Sacramento, where he’s posted a 7.25 ERA over 28 appearances. But, the hard-throwing 26-year-old had been viewed as the team’s closer of the future and still has plenty of potential. He’s been assigned to Triple-A Nashville.

Acquired from the A’s in the George Kottaras deal, De Los Santos struggled at Triple-A this year, posting a 5.80 ERA over 39 games. But, he also struck out well over a batter per inning and has a shot to be an impact arm in the Brewers’ pen at some point.

It’s just a procedural move to clear a spot on the 40-man roster for Burch Smith. De Los Santos has a 3.86 ERA in two games with the Padres’ Triple-A affiliate this season.