A’s rotation hopeful Daniel Mengden is lighter, focused

A’s rotation hopeful Daniel Mengden is lighter, focused

Oakland Athletics' Daniel Mengden pitches in 2nd inning against Los Angeles Angels during MLB game at Oakland Coliseum in Oakland, Calif. on Tuesday, September 18, 2018.Photo: Scott Strazzante / The Chronicle

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2MESA, ARIZONA - FEBRUARY 19: Pitcher Daniel Mengden #33 of the Oakland Athletics poses for a portrait during photo day at HoHoKam Stadium on February 19, 2019 in Mesa, Arizona. (Photo by Christian Petersen/Getty Images)Photo: Christian Petersen / Getty Images

MESA, Ariz. — Since Day 1 of spring training, A’s manager Bob Melvin has said that Daniel Mengden looks like a man on a mission.

“He’s come in with an attitude of, ‘I want to prove myself this year, that I can be a starter every fifth day,’ ” Melvin said. “We think he has the ability to do that. He’s got the right attitude and he came in in really great shape.”

Mengden, who turned in strong work as the “second guy in” after opener Liam Hendriks last September, is gunning for a job actually starting games this season. With potentially two spots open in the rotation, he might have a leg up on the competition after putting up a 2.52 ERA and .180 opponents average the final month of the season.

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He just needs to stay healthy, and he’s trying to address that: After missing time with foot injuries each of the past two seasons (plus in college), Mengden dropped 15 pounds this winter. For the past four or five years, Mengden, 26, has done carb-conscious intermittent fasting, and he did so more strictly over the winter.

Mengden doesn’t eat in the morning and has only protein and vegetables for lunch followed by a slightly more lenient dinner. He follows that plan even more religiously now, with the exception of day games — if he’s pitching a day game, he usually will eat an omelet.

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