Milone reaches out to Melvin after requesting trade

OAKLAND -- As word leaked Monday that Tommy Milone had requested a trade, the A's lefty reached out to manager Bob Melvin.

"He got a hold of me when this was all coming out," Melvin said Tuesday. "I'm pretty sure he didn't expect it to get the play it has, but to an extent, he's looking out for his big league career, and he's pitched really well for us. You don't blame him for wanting to be in the big leagues."

FOXSports.com's Ken Rosenthal was first to report of Milone's desire to go elsewhere. The news came just two weeks after the lefty was optioned to Triple-A amid the acquisitions of Jeff Samardzija and Jason Hammel, even after going 6-0 record and 2.62 ERA in his last 11 starts.

It was his second demotion in the last year.

"He wants to pitch in the big leagues," said Melvin. "He'd much rather do it here, but when you've had the type of success he's had and you're pitching in the Minor Leagues, that's not somewhere he wants to be.

"It doesn't mean he doesn't want to be here. He does want to be here. He's well thought of by his teammates, well respected by his teammates, and he respects the situation going on here, but he wants to be in the big leagues, and I don't blame him for that."

Milone provides the A's unmatched pitching depth at Triple-A, so it's unlikely he's traded -- unless the A's opt to use their extra arms (Drew Pomeranz included) as trade bait to reel in an upgrade at second base.