Morning A’s fans!
We had a bit of a rough weekend as the Athletics dropped two of three to the Chicago White Sox. That’s a bit embarressing considering their poor roster but it’s a good remind that anything can happen in baseball. All the A’s can do now is turn the page and look ahead and prepare for tonight’s contest.
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They’re back on the road for another series in a different city. This time they’re headed to Seattle to take on the division-rival Mariners for three games. Seattle is off to a slow start so far this year with just a 10-13 record so far that places them fourth in the division. The M’s were a favorite pick for lots of baseball people to win the division for the second straight season but they’re not going to be handed the division. They came into this year with a target on their backs.
Tonight’s series kicks off with a matchup between J.T. Ginn and Emerson Hancock. Both young right-handed pitchers, Ginn is coming off a pair of quality starts since joining the rotation and he’d like to keep that roll going. Hancock meanwhile is off to a great start for the Mariners as he’s sporting a 2.28 ERA through his first four outings. Not an easy matchup for the A’s offense but it won’t be getting much easier during the rest of the series.
Tuesday will see Jacob Lopez get the ball for his fifth start. The left-hander has struggled so far this season especially with his control. The rest of the starting rotation is mostly pulling their weight and one has to wonder how long the team will keep trotting Lopez out there if these control problems persist. A big start here would go a long way towards assuaging any concerns the coaching staff may be developing for their lefty. Meanwhile Seattle will send Luis Castillo to the mound for his fifth start as well. The veteran right-hander got knocked around hard a couple outings back that has skewed his ERA but he’s generally performed the way he usually does so far. The A’s have seen plenty of Castillo over the years.
And wrapping the series up on Wednesday afternoon will be a matchup between right-hander Aaron Civale and Logan Gilbert. Civale, signed to a one-year deal to help stabilize the backend of the rotation, has done that and then some so far in his first season with the A’s, pitching to a 3.54 ERA through four starts. He got knocked around last time out though, allowing 11 hits to the White Sox in an eventual loss, so he’ll be looking to get back on track with a strong outing on Wednesday. Gilbert meanwhile is off to a so-so start to his season with a 4.03 ERA so far, but he’s done well in limiting walks with just five free passes in five starts. The A’s will need to take advantage of those when they draw them.
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Could be a tough series, but the A’s need a bounce back after this weekend. Other than that, game is at 6:40 tonight. Have a great week everyone.
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