The big, hard-throwing Plunk started occasionally for the A’s in 1986-87 but had terrible control. In 1988 he settled into the bullpen as an effective set-up man for stopper Dennis Eckersley and was 7-2, 3.00 for the AL champion A’s with 79 strikeouts in 78 innings. Plunk was one of five players the Yankees traded to Oakland for Rickey Henderson after the 1984 season, and in 1989 he returned to the Yankees with two others as Henderson was dealt back to the A’s. New York returned him to the starting rotation.
