Ex Chicago White Sox starting pitcher Lance Lynn delivers a pitch the first inning against the Chicago Cubs on Wed Jul 26, 2023 in Chicago. Lynn was dealt to the Los Angeles Dodgers this week and will start Tue Aug 1, 2023 against the Oakland A’s at Dodgers Stadium (AP News photo)

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Oakland A’s won two out of the three games against the Colorado Rockies this weekend. The A’s offense came to life on Friday and Saturday, putting 19 runs on the board and winning 8-5 and 11-3. The A’s offense went back to sleep on Sunday as they lost 2-0. The A’s record is now a woeful 30-77. Additionally, the A’s have the worst run differential (-255) in baseball. The A’s have scored 387 runs and have allowed a whopping 642.

The A’s finish the road trip in Los Angeles as they face the NL West Division leader, the Dodgers, for three games. The Dodgers are 59-45 and have a two-game lead over the San Francisco Giants in the race for first place in the division. The Giants would love to have the A’s commit mayhem by beating the Dodgers.

The Dodgers, favorites to win the pennant in the National League this year, have been hit hard by the injury jinx. The Dodgers’ two best-starting pitchers are not available for the series. Clayton Kershaw, a future Hall of Fame player, is out with a shoulder injury until at least August 10th. Walker Buehler has yet to throw a pitch this season.

Buehler had Tommy John surgery and hoped to return to action around September 1st. Reliever Blake Treinen, a former Oakland Athletic, had rotator cuff surgery and has been unable to perform this season. Treinen is expected back on August 15th. The Dodgers traded with the Chicago White Sox the other day to bolster their pitching.

The Dodgers acquired a starter, Lance Lynn, and a reliever Joe Kelly. Lynn is having a down year. His record is 6-9, and his ERA is a bloated 6.47. Kelly was with the Dodgers in 2018 when they played the Boston Red Sox in the World Series that year. Kelly left the Dodgers to play for Boston and Chicago.

The Dodgers lost shortstop Gavin Lux for the season with a leg injury. The Dodgers lost their star shortstop, Trea Turner, to free agency. Turner is now with the Philadelphia Phillies. The Dodger third baseman Justin Turner left to play with the Red Sox.

The Dodgers made up for the loss of Justin Turner by signing J.D. Martinez as their DH. Martinez had a down year with Boston and is proving Boston wrong for letting him go. Martinez is hitting. 260 with 25 home runs and 75 RBIs.

The Dodgers’ offense is quite potent. Former NL MVP Freddie Freeman and former AL MVP Mookie Betts lead the offense. Other offensive threats are third baseman Max Muncy and catcher Will Smith. Freeman is hitting .329 with 21 homers and 73 RBIs. Betts’ numbers are .227, 27 dingers, and 68 RBIs. Muncy has hit 27 home runs and driven in 70.

The shortstop position has been a problem for the Dodgers this year. The Dodgers have been using Miguel Rojas but acquired Amed Rosario to help improve the play at that position. The Dodgers traded with Boston to bring back the super-utility man, Kike Hernandez. Hernandez can play shortstop, second base, or centerfield.

His ability to play multiple positions gives Dodger manager Dave Roberts the ability to use Mookie Betts in the outfield. David Peralta, James Outman, and Jason Heyward are other players contributing to the Dodger offense. All three players can hit the ball out of the park. The A’s pitching staff will have their hands full trying to contain the potent Dodger offense.

The Dodgers have announced their starters for the series. On Tuesday, Lance Lynn will be making his first start as a Dodger. Lynn has not pitched well this year. He is hoping that Dodger Stadium will be a good place to get a win for his new team.

On Wednesday, Tony Gonsolin will be on the hill for LA. Gonsolin is 5-4 and has an ERA of 4.25. On Thursday, left Julio Urias will start. Urias is 7-6 with an ERA of 4.98. The A’s have yet to announce their starters. Lefties Ken Waldichuk and Hogan Harris may see action.

The A’s would love to get a win or two in the series. The Dodgers are salivating to play the A’s as they hope to get three wins and increase their lead over the Giants. If the Dodgers pitchers are at the top of their game, they could sweep the A’s.

Taking the A’s lightly would be a mistake. The A’s may not have the name players like the Dodgers, but guys like JJ Bleday, Ryan Noda, Zack Gelof, and Brent Rooker can send the ball out of the park, and the A’s can make life a wee bit more miserable for the Dodgers. A’s manager Mark Kotsay will have his team ready. The A’s players will give Kotsay a 100% effort. They may not win, but they will give the Dodgers a total effort.