Game Notes: Manaea Looks to Make Strides Versus Rangers

file photo: A’s starter Sean Manaea

OAKLAND– Sean Manaea isn’t used to getting knocked around. The A’s second-best prospect dominated hitters the while playing at Indiana State and through the minor leagues, but has gotten a rude awakening in the majors.

He’ll need to step it up on Monday if he wants to stay on the roster when Henderson Alvarez and Jesse Hahn return from the disabled list, having given up 20 runs in just 17.2 innings with Oakland.

The A’s expected more out of the 2013 first-rounder, who mowed down minor league competition to the tune of a 2.82 ERA in 214 innings, striking out an eye-popping 257 strikeouts. He made just three starts for Triple-A Nashville before being called up to Oakland on April 29th, going 2-0 with a 1.50 ERA. The A’s acquired Manaea as the centerpiece of the deal that sent utility player Ben Zobrist to the Kansas City Royals.

Manaea hasn’t been the only A’s starter that has struggled to be effective and go deep into games this season. Oakland is the only MLB team this season who hasn’t had a starter go more than seven innings in a start, and four of the A’s last seven starters have gone fewer than four innings.

He’ll look to get the A’s off to a good start on a long stretch of home games — Oakland will play 13 of their next 16 contests from the friendly confines of the Oakland Coliseum. Prior to taking 2 out of 3 from the Tampa Bay Rays over the weekend, Oakland had dropped five straight games, and is just 3-10 in May.

He’ll face Rangers’ left-hander Derek Holland (3-2, 6.09), who despite his struggles this season, is 5-4 with a 3.26 ERA in 18 career games against Oakland. Holland will be just the seventh left-handed starter Oakland has faced all season, and he won’t be the last — Texas will send three lefties to the hill this series. Fellow southpaw Cole Hamels (4-0, 2.95) will take the ball Tuesday, along with Martin Perez (1-3, 3.23) on Wednesday in the series finale.

The A’s offense broke out against the Rays, hitting eight home runs in the three-game set, their most in a series since 2012. Danny Valencia supplied the power on Sunday, going yard three times, giving him the second three-dinger game in franchise history.

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