Melvin: Kazmir fitting in 'well' with A's

ANAHEIM -- Manager Bob Melvin said Monday that the entire A's rotation will have its next start pushed back a day, thanks to Thursday's off-day.

Left-hander Scott Kazmir, who pitched six shutout innings Sunday in Seattle in his latest gem for Oakland, would probably benefit most, since he left that one early because of triceps tightness.

Melvin, who was managing the Mariners when Kazmir made his Major League debut Aug. 23, 2004, with five shutout innings in a Rays victory, said he couldn't recall a pitcher who's come back so well from a shoulder injury, as Kazmir has.

"He threw 95 [mph] yesterday," Melvin said. "He was dominating. I know he's having a lot of fun, and he's fit in well on this club."

Released by the Angels on June 15, 2011, Kazmir went to independent ball the next year to fight his way back, and had a good year with Cleveland in 2013

"I was in the other side, when he had his first game," Melvin said, remembering the kid -- now 30 -- who just rocked and fired. "He was in the low-to-mid 90s then.

"He's had to reinvent himself since then. It's hard to see the ball from him."