@OnionSports photo: Shohei Ohtani is expected to have Tommy John surgery and could miss a year and half of baseball returning in the 2020 season

On the A’s podcast with Joey:

The A’s are coming off a three-game sweep by the Houston Astros in a 7-3 loss on Thursday at the Oakland Coliseum. Can they stop the bleeding starting tonight as they face the Los Angeles Angels? The Astros’ starting pitcher Justin Verlander notched up win number nine against two loses and had command of the A’s line up.

A’s starter Frankie Montas got touched up by the Astros’ offense. The Astros and some of their power hitting got things started right away in the first inning with two runs. The A’s who were no match for Houston this week and now host the Angels tonight. The Angels, without Shohei Ohtani, can feel a difference in the clubhouse, fans in the stands, through the lineup and pitching rotation without Ohtani in the lineup.

Joey Friedman does the Oakland A’s podcast each Friday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com