Game #45: Athletics at Giants Game Thread

Back in a familiar place we once called home

For the first time since their relocation the Athletics are back in the San Francisco Bay Area, a place this franchise called home for 57 wonderful years.

The A’s enter this contest at an even 22-22 and have lost 6 of nine including three straight series. San Francisco comes into tonight riding their own slump as they’ve lost five of six, including getting swept by the Minnesota Twins. They’re beginning a critical homestand where they’ll see two playoff contenders and tonight’s game should be a fun one to kick start it all,

Taking the mound for the visiting team will be left-hander JP Sears. The team’s best starter this season, Sears enters tonight with a 2.80 ERA that ranks 12th in the American League. He’s been a quality start machine for the club this season as all but one of his appearances have qualified as a quality appearance. He’ll hope to keep that going tonight against a Giants lineup that doesn’t look all that scary on paper but does have a few hitters that can do damage.

The Athletics’ starting lineup for tonight’s game in San Francisco:

No rest day for anyone as it’s all hands on deck against the Giants. Part-time third baseman Miguel Andujar will be at the hot corner while the rest of the regulars are at their primary positions. And no surprises in the lineup as shortstop Jacob Wilson seems to have fully taken over the leadoff role from Lawrence Butler, who is settling into his new home in the fifth spot in the lineup behind cleanup hitter Shea Langeliers.

Meanwhile San Francisco will bring out the big guns for tonight as they send ace right-hander Logan Webb to the mound for his 10th start of the season. The 28-year-old veteran has missed out on the Cy Young award in the last couple of years but has been in the mix. He’s putting up another fine season this year as he’s sixth in the NL in ERA with a 2.60 mark in 55 ¹⁄₃ innings. The A’s offense will have their work cut out for them tonight and most of them don’t have a great track record against Webb in limited exposure to him. And with a strong Giants bullpen any runs against Webb will count a little extra tonight since scoring will be at a premium.

San Francisco’s batting order to kick start the weekend looks like this:

In a bit of a surprise the Giants activated second baseman Tyler Fitzgerald off of the IL mere hours ahead of first pitch. The second-year hitter is having a quality season so far and his addition to the Giants lineup will just make Sears’ job that much harder.

Even if they’re not in the same region anymore, it still feels good to beat these guys. Let’s hope for a sweep! Let’s go A’s!