Sacarmento A’s Brent Rooker has returned from his injury and will face the Kansas City Royals Tue Apr 28, 2026 at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento (AP News photo)
Sacramento A’s podcast Mauricio Segura:
#1 Can Brent Rooker make an immediate impact in his return? With Brent Rooker expected back from injury and likely slotted into the heart of the order, will his power bat spark the A’s offense right away after missing time?
#2 Will Carlos Cortes stay hot at the plate? Carlos Cortes has been one of the A’s most productive hitters recently—can he continue his surge against Royals pitching and solidify his role in the lineup?
#3 Talk about Lawrence Butler he’s batting only .186, two home runs, nine RBIs, with 16 hits at one time was the lead off hitter but has dropped to eighth in the line up. How surprising is it that his average has fallen off since last season.
#4 Can Shea Langeliers and Max Muncy lead the middle-of-the-order production? With Shea Langeliers providing power and Max Muncy swinging a strong bat early, will they capitalize on scoring opportunities against Kansas City’s pitching?
#5 Will the A’s pitching—possibly led by Jacob Lopez—contain the Royals? If Jacob Lopez gets the start, can he deliver a quality outing and give Sacramento a chance to control the game from the mound?
Whether you’re pre-gaming with the Kings or celebrating an A’s win, Cyprus Grille at the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena is your downtown go-to.
⚡Craft cocktails? Check. 🔥Game-day bites? Oh yeah. 🏟️Steps from Golden 1 Center? You bet.
Open daily, Cyprus Grille is serving up local flavor with a front-row seat to the action. Stop by before or after the game—or make it your new downtown hangout.
Cyprus Grille—where fans fuel up.
📍Located inside the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena @ 300 J Street
Happy Hour – 4pm-6pm
Show your ticket for additional discounts when dining in.
Sacramento A’s starter JT Ginn (35) leaves in the fourth inning after feeling some pain in his left ankle assisted by trainer Jeff Collins against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field in Arlington on Sun Apr 26, 2026 (AP News photo)
Sacramento A’s podcast Barbara Mason:
#1 Sacramento A’s starter JT Ginn had an amazing game until the fourth inning he tweaked something in left ankle and had to exit the game when releiver Joel Kuhnel took the mound. The A’s used five pitchers and wound up winning Sunday’s contest 2-1 and taking the series 2-1.
2. The A’s took an early 2-0 lead scoring both runs in the first inning. Carlos Cortez continued his offensive excellence driving in both runs. He had three hits on four at bats. This game got uncomfortably close but the A’s hung on.
3. Despite being so early in the season this game carried some importance when it comes to momentum-it’s been a while since the A’s have been at the top of the standings and seeing them occupy first place has been a long time coming.
4. Shea Langliers continues to prove that he is one of the best offensive and defensive catchers in ht league with hits in both games two and three.
5.The A’s will start a thre-game series Tuesday taking on the 10-17 Kansas City Royals in Sacramento. First pitch for that game is scheduled for 6:40 PM with Jacob Lopez (2-1 ERA 5.70) taking the mound for the A’s while the Royals will start Kris Bubic (2-1 ERA 4.08).
Whether you’re pre-gaming with the Kings or celebrating an A’s win, Cyprus Grille at the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena is your downtown go-to.
⚡Craft cocktails? Check. 🔥Game-day bites? Oh yeah. 🏟️Steps from Golden 1 Center? You bet.
Open daily, Cyprus Grille is serving up local flavor with a front-row seat to the action. Stop by before or after the game—or make it your new downtown hangout.
Cyprus Grille—where fans fuel up.
📍Located inside the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena @ 300 J Street
Happy Hour – 4pm-6pm
Show your ticket for additional discounts when dining in.
Sacramento A’s Carlos Cortes swings for a fourth inning single against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field in Arlington on Sun Apr 26, 2026 (AP News photo)
Sacramento A’s podcast Daniel Dullum:
#1 Sacramento A’s hitter is Carlos Cortes is in a groove on Sunday he provided more punch with a first inning two run triple that was key in the A’s 2-1 one run win over the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field in Arlington to win the rubber game two games to one. With the win the A’s move back into first place in the AL West by one game on top of the Rangers.
#2 No doubt that Cortes is seeing the ball good he slugged a 106.3 MPH line drive off the glove centerfielder Evan Carter on the warning track that scored the A’s Tyler Soderstrom and Brent Rooker.
#3 A’s pitcher JT Ginn left in the fourth inning due to sorness in his elbow with one out and the A’s in front 2-0. The relief staff of Joel Kuhnel, Jacob Lopez, Justin Sterner, Hogan Harris and Jack Perkins pitched the rest of the way to shutout the Rangers.
#4 Brent Rooker returned to the A’s line up hitting clean up as the designated hitter going 0-4 a bit rusty but walked and scored a run Rooker is expected to get his timing back.
#5 Next up for the A’s the Kansas City Royals LHP Kris Bubic (2-1 ERA 4.08) the A’s have not announced a starter for Tuesday’s game at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento.
Whether you’re pre-gaming with the Kings or celebrating an A’s win, Cyprus Grille at the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena is your downtown go-to.
⚡Craft cocktails? Check. 🔥Game-day bites? Oh yeah. 🏟️Steps from Golden 1 Center? You bet.
Open daily, Cyprus Grille is serving up local flavor with a front-row seat to the action. Stop by before or after the game—or make it your new downtown hangout.
Cyprus Grille—where fans fuel up.
📍Located inside the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena @ 300 J Street
Happy Hour – 4pm-6pm
Show your ticket for additional discounts when dining in.
Boston Red Sox manager Alex Cora signs autographs for the fans just before a game against the Baltimore Orioles at Camden Yards in Baltimore on Fri Apr 24, 2026. Turns out this was Cora’s last game managing the Red Sox. (AP News photo)
MLB The Show podcast Charlie O:
#1 The Boston Red Sox on Saturday morning fired manager Alex Cora and five of his coaches Bench coach Ramón Vázquez, hitting coach Peter Fatse, third base coach Kyle Hudson, assistant hitting coach Dillon Lawson and hitting strategy coach Joe Cronin were also dismissed. The Sox are in last in the AL East. Was this firing justified or was it premature of the Sox as the first month of the season isn’t even over yet.
#2 After Cora and his coaching staff was fired the Sox responded with a grand slam home run by Andruw Monasterio in the tenth inning snapping the Red Sox four game losing streak Saturday.
#3 No matter how many injuries keep piling up for the 2026 Chicago Cubs the Cubs keep winning. This time on Friday night against the Los Angeles Dodgers at sold out Dodger Stadium beating the two time champs in a come from behind 6-4 win after getting some great defense by the Cubs Dansby Swanson and Nico Hoerner it was the Cubs tenth straight win the most since their World Championship seaon in 2026. The Cubs did end losing Saturday and Sunday but had a ten game win streak with lots of injuries.
#4 The St Louis Cardinals got home run help from Julio Rodriguez, Will Wilson, and Cole Young and Leo Rivas got a two run home run in the ninth inning in the Seattle Mariners win over the Cards 11-0. The Cards are getting some offense.
#5 The Sacramento A’s have won six of their last 11 games. They are tied for first place with the Texas Rangers and have accomplished winning most of their series. They’ve built up their hitting and are getting good pitching from their starters.
Former Oakland A’s pitcher Jesus Luzardo pitches to the Baltimore Orioles at the Oakland Coliseum on Sat May 1, 2021. Luzardo is the only MLB player born in Peru. (AP News file photo)
From My Notebook: Jesús Luzardo only Major League Player born in Perú
By Amaury Pi-González
Jesus Luzardo was drafted by the Washington Nationals in the third round of the 2016 MLB draft. While the Nationals were the first team to draft and sign him, he did not make his Major League debut with them. He was traded to the Oakland Athletics in 2017, before making his MLB debut with the A’s on September 11, 2019.
He only pitched with the A’s until 2021, after being traded to the Miami Marlins. Since 2025, he has been pitching for the Philadelphia Phillies. His best season to date was 2025, when he finished with a 15-7 record and a 3.92 ERA; his 15 wins were the most among Phillies pitchers in 2025.
During the Oakland A’s fanfest in 2021, Jesús told me that although he was born in Lima, Perú, he considers himself a Venezuelan. His parents were temporarily living in Perú when he was born, but later they all moved to Venezuela, which is why, as he told me, “I consider myself Venezuelan”.
While signing autographs for fans at the A’s Fanfest in 2021 at Jack London Square in Oakland, he reminisces about his years at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School, where he played baseball, and said he was very sad for the events that made that High School infamous, the events of a 14th of Febraury 2018, when a shooter killed 17 (students and staff).
Nevertheless, his years at that school, from which he graduated, were happy and memorable for him, who, as he told me, were the basis for my start in baseball. The 28-year-old southpaw is 1-3 with a 6.91 earned run average in 5 starts this season, not a very good start, as huis teams is also struggling coming to the end of April.
The Phillies are in fourth place in the NL West with a 9-19 record. Luzard is a good pitcher with good stuff, including a slider, fastball/4-seam, sinker, and change, and everybody expects him to do well again, as he did in 2025, becoming one of the best left-handers in the National League and leading the Phillies in games won.
Quote: “Left-handers have more enthusiasm for life. They sleep on the wrong side of the bed, and their head gets more stagnant on that side.” — Casey Stengel
Amaury Pi-Gonzalez – Cuban-born Pi-González is one of the pioneers of Spanish-language baseball play-by-play in America. Began as Oakland A’s Spanish-language voice in 1977 ending in 2024 (interrupted by stops with the Giants, Mariners and Angels). Voice of the Golden State Warriors from 1992 through 1998. 2010 inducted in the Bay Area Radio Hall of fame.
LaTerraza Mexican Restaurant 1027 2nd Street in Old Sacramento give them a call at 916-440-0874
From the second you step in the front door, the sounds of Latin America will gently seduce your ears and continue as you relax outdoors with your favorite cocktail enjoying the view. The wonderful flavors and aromas of our cuisine will not disappoint.
We use only the finest, freshest, local ingredients in every dish and every dish is prepared to order. Enjoy live mariachi music weekly and on special occasions, catch balet folklorico dance performances among other live entertainment. Come visit us and have a great time! Enjoy fast, friendly service, fantastic food & cocktails, music and allow us to share our beautiful Mexican heritage with you.
LaTerraza Mexican Restaurant at 1027 2nd Street in Old Sacramento give them a call at 916-440-0874.
Sacramento A’s pitcher Justin Sterner pitches to the Texas Rangers line up in releif in the sixth inning at Globe Life Field in Arlington on Sun Apr 26, 2026 (AP News photo)
Sacramento A’s game wrap: Green and Gold Fly Home With a 2-1 One-Run Nerve Test
By Mauricio Segura
The Sacramento A’s did not exactly storm out of Texas on Sunday afternoon. They tiptoed through traffic, ducked a few falling anvils, and still somehow walked away with a 2-1 win over the Rangers. In a game that began with a first-place tie in the American League West, the Green and Gold grabbed two runs in the first inning, then spent the next eight innings protecting them like a man carrying soup across a trampoline to retain sole poscession of the top spot.
The biggest swing came early. After Nick Kurtz struck out and Shea Langeliers grounded out, Tyler Soderstrom and Brent Rooker worked back-to-back walks against Kumar Rocker. That brought up Carlos Cortes, who has been one of the hottest bats on the roster during this road trip. Cortes turned on a line drive to center field, racing all the way to third as Soderstrom and Rooker scored. Just like that, the A’s had a 2-0 lead before Texas could settle into the day.
That triple fit right into Cortes’ recent surge. Entering the game, he had gone 10-for-20 on the road trip with three homers, two doubles and five RBIs, and he kept applying pressure Sunday. He added singles in the fourth and eighth, finishing with three hits and both Athletics RBIs. For a lineup that stranded chances later, Cortes’ first-inning swing became the whole offensive meal, not just the appetizer.
J.T. Ginn did his part before leaving after an injury delay in the fourth. He opened with a ground-ball single to Brandon Nimmo, then immediately erased it with a double play off Joc Pederson’s bat. Texas threatened in the second when Josh Jung doubled, Josh Smith walked, and a balk moved both runners into scoring position. Ginn responded by striking out Danny Jansen to keep the Rangers empty-handed. He worked around another single in the third and left with a 2-0 lead after Evan Carter was hit by a pitch and stole second in the fourth.
From there, the bullpen turned the game into a long, sweaty trust exercise. Joel Kuhnel escaped the fourth. Jacob Lopez worked a clean fifth but ran into trouble in the sixth when Jung doubled and Carter’s sacrifice bunt turned into a throwing error, allowing Jung to score and cutting the lead to 2-1. When Jake Burger walked and Josh Smith reached on a bunt single, Texas had the bases loaded with nobody out and every reason to believe the game was about to flip.
Justin Sterner refused to let it happen. He struck out Jansen, struck out Sam Haggerty, and got Nimmo to line out to center. That was the game’s hinge, the moment when the Rangers had the door open and the Athletics slammed it shut with both hands. It also continued a strong bullpen stretch for the A’s, who entered the day having allowed just four runs over their previous seven games from the relief corps.
The A’s offense had chances to breathe easier but could not cash in. Langeliers doubled in the fifth and singled in the seventh. Nick Kurtz singled in the seventh, and Zack Gelof stole second as a pinch-runner in the eighth. In the ninth, Lawrence Butler singled, Darell Hernaiz moved him over with a sacrifice bunt, Kurtz was intentionally walked, and Soderstrom walked to load the bases. But Brent Rooker struck out, leaving the lead stuck at one run.
That made Jack Perkins’ finish even bigger. After Hogan Harris handled the seventh and Perkins struck out two in the eighth, the right-hander returned for the ninth with no margin for foolishness. Nimmo lined out sharply to left. Andrew McCutchen struck out swinging. Corey Seager then grounded out to Kurtz, who flipped to Perkins covering first, ending a tight win that felt more like a street fight than a clean baseball game.
Side note: Kurtz also made a little franchise history with his ninth-inning intentional walk, extending his walk streak to 16 straight games and breaking the all-time Athletics record he had shared with Topsy Hartsel, Max Bishop and Rickey Henderson.
This win did not come with fanfare, but it came with grit, bullpen nerve, and and a sprinkle of Cortes thunder. Sometimes that is all a club needs. The Green and Gold did not bury Texas. They simply outlasted them on their own turf.
The Kansas City Royals are scheduled to visit the A’s and West Sacramento on Tuesday night at Sutter Health Park starting pitcher for the Royals LHP Kris Bubic (2-1 ERA 4.80) the A’s have not announced a starter for Tuesday night yet first pitch 6:40pm PDT.
Costa Rican-born Mauricio Segura has been covering sports in the Bay Area since 2001 for a variety of magazines and newspapers, as well as his own publication, Golden Bay Times.
Whether you’re pre-gaming with the Kings or celebrating an A’s win, Cyprus Grille at the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena is your downtown go-to.
⚡Craft cocktails? Check. 🔥Game-day bites? Oh yeah. 🏟️Steps from Golden 1 Center? You bet.
Open daily, Cyprus Grille is serving up local flavor with a front-row seat to the action. Stop by before or after the game—or make it your new downtown hangout.
Cyprus Grille—where fans fuel up.
📍Located inside the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena @ 300 J Street
Happy Hour – 4pm-6pm
Show your ticket for additional discounts when dining in.
Sacramento A’s catcher Austin Winns (right) puts the late tag on Texas Rangers Danny Jansen (left) who scores on an RBI fly out hit by Brandon Nimmo in the last of the third inning at Globe Life Field in Arlington on Sat Apr 25, 2026 (AP News photo)
By Mauricio Segura
For five innings Saturday night, the Sacramento Athletics looked like a team ready to grab the wheel once again, and drive off with a clean road win. They struck first, built a three-run lead, and got a strong early outing from Jeffrey Springs. Then baseball did what baseball loves to do. It got weird, turned sideways, and reminded everyone that a lead in the third inning is not a savings account. The Texas Rangers rallied back, Josh Jung delivered the biggest swing of the night, and the A’s fell 4-3 after a game that started with promise and ended with a quiet ninth inning.
The first inning gave no hint of the early offense to come. Shea Langeliers, Nick Kurtz, and Colby Thomas all struck out in the top half, while Springs answered with a clean bottom half, retiring Brandon Nimmo, Andrew McCutchen, and Corey Seager in order. The A’s broke through in the second when Jacob Wilson ripped a sharp double to left. After Max Muncy struck out, Darell Hernaiz shot a ground-ball single into left field, bringing Wilson home for a 1-0 lead. Austin Wynns reached on Corey Seager’s fielding error, but the Athletics could not add more.
They did not wait long to stretch the lead. In the third, Langeliers opened with a sharp single to left, and Kurtz followed with a walk. Thomas then lined a single into center, scoring Langeliers and moving Kurtz to second. Tyler Soderstrom’s groundout pushed both runners up, and Wilson added a sacrifice fly to right to score Kurtz. Just like that, the Green and Gold had a 3-0 lead and looked sharp enough to make Texas pay for every extra base.
But the Rangers answered in the bottom of the third with a rally that was less thunderstorm and more slow leak. Danny Jansen was hit by a pitch, Evan Carter walked, and Sam Haggerty dropped down a soft bunt single to load the bases. Nimmo lifted a sacrifice fly to left to score Jansen. After Springs struck out McCutchen, Seager lined a single to center, bringing home Carter and cutting the Athletics’ lead to 3-2. Springs escaped by striking out Jake Burger, but Texas had shoved itself right back into the game.
From there, the middle innings became a wrestling match. Langeliers singled again in the fourth, Wilson added another single in the fifth, and Springs settled down after the shaky third. He worked through a one-out single by Jansen in the fourth and retired the Rangers in order in the fifth, including a nice first-to-pitcher groundout that saw Kurtz and Springs handle Nimmo cleanly. For a while, it felt like the A’s might survive the earlier scare.
The turning point came in the sixth. Seager opened with a single to right, and after Burger flew out sharply to left, Jung changed the entire night with one swing. He launched his fourth home run of the season to right-center field, scoring Seager and flipping a 3-2 Athletics lead into a 4-3 Rangers advantage. It was the kind of swing that does not just change the scoreboard. It changes the temperature in the building. Springs got through the rest of the inning, but the damage was done.
The Athletics had chances, though not many clean ones. In the eighth, Carlos Cortes came off the bench for Muncy and drilled a sharp double to right with one out. That put the tying run in scoring position, but Jeff McNeil, also entering as a pinch-hitter, flew out to left, and Wynns followed with a flyout to center. Texas had opened the door just enough for trouble, but the A’s could not kick it in.
Mark Leiter Jr. gave the Athletics a flawless bottom of the eighth, retiring Seager, Burger, and Jung in order, which kept the deficit at one. That gave the top of the order one last chance in the ninth against Jacob Latz. But the inning disappeared quickly. Zack Gelof grounded out to short, Langeliers was called out on strikes, and Kurtz grounded out to third to end it.
Wilson was one of the bright spots for the Athletics, finishing with a double, a single, a run scored, and a sacrifice fly. Langeliers collected two hits, Hernaiz drove in the first run, and Thomas added an RBI single. But the A’s also struck out ten times and managed only one run after the third inning. Texas did not pile up offense all night, but it did enough, and Jung’s two-run homer was the difference between a clean Athletics win and a frustrating one-run loss.
Sunday the rubber game series tied 1-1 starting pitchers for Sacramento RHP JT Ginn (0-0 ERA 3.74) for Texas RHP Kumar Rocker (1-1 ERA 3.48) first pitch 11:35am PDT.
Costa Rican-born Mauricio Segura has been covering sports in the Bay Area since 2001 for a variety of magazines and newspapers, as well as his own publication, Golden Bay Times.
Whether you’re pre-gaming with the Kings or celebrating an A’s win, Cyprus Grille at the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena is your downtown go-to.
⚡Craft cocktails? Check. 🔥Game-day bites? Oh yeah. 🏟️Steps from Golden 1 Center? You bet.
Open daily, Cyprus Grille is serving up local flavor with a front-row seat to the action. Stop by before or after the game—or make it your new downtown hangout.
Cyprus Grille—where fans fuel up.
📍Located inside the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena @ 300 J Street
Happy Hour – 4pm-6pm
Show your ticket for additional discounts when dining in.
Sacramento A’s slugger Carlos Cortes is thrilled after hitting a solo home run off Texas Rangers pitcher Nathan Eovaldi in the top of the first inning at Globe Life Field in Arlington on Fri Apr 24, 2026 (AP News photo)
Sacramento A’s podcast Tony Harvey:
#1 How did Luis Severino perform as the starting pitcher for the A’s against the Rangers, and what adjustments did he make after his recent struggles?
#2 What impact did Carlos Cortes have batting in the third spot of the lineup, and how did his role influence the A’s offensive production?
#3 How did Zack Gelof perform while playing in center field, and what does his usage there suggest about the team’s roster flexibility?
#4 In what ways did Shea Langeliers contribute offensively or defensively in the game, particularly in helping the A’s secure their 8–1 win?
#5 How did the overall performance of key A’s players like Luis Severino, Carlos Cortes, and Zack Gelof contribute to the team taking sole possession of first place after the game?
Whether you’re pre-gaming with the Kings or celebrating an A’s win, Cyprus Grille at the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena is your downtown go-to.
⚡Craft cocktails? Check. 🔥Game-day bites? Oh yeah. 🏟️Steps from Golden 1 Center? You bet.
Open daily, Cyprus Grille is serving up local flavor with a front-row seat to the action. Stop by before or after the game—or make it your new downtown hangout.
Cyprus Grille—where fans fuel up.
📍Located inside the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena @ 300 J Street
Happy Hour – 4pm-6pm
Show your ticket for additional discounts when dining in.
Tyler Soderstrom (21) is greeeted by Sacramento A’s teammate Carlos Cortes (26) after hitting a solo home run in the top of the first inning against the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Stadium in Arlington on Fri Apr 24, 2026 (AP News photo)
Sacramento A’s game wrap: The A’s Go Deep in the Heart of Texas 8-1
By Mauricio Segura
The Sacramento Athletics arrived in Arlington Friday night tied with Texas in the American League West, and then spent the first inning acting like they were trying to settle the matter Like Santa Ana at the Alamo. On a night that began at 7:09 p.m. local time at Globe Life Field, the Green and Gold jumped on Nathan Eovaldi immediately, rode the surf of a sharp Luis Severino start, and powered their way to an 8-1 win over the Rangers.
Nick Kurtz opened the game with a home run to right field, his fifth of the season, giving the A’s a 1-0 lead before vendors could sell their first hot dogs. Two batters later, Carlos Cortes sent another ball over the wall, this one to right center. Then Tyler Soderstrom followed with a blast to center, turning the first inning into a three-homer ambush and giving the Athletics a 3-0 lead. For a club that entered the night with only four first-inning runs all season, this was not so much a fast start as a rude awakening.
Severino took that cushion and treated it like good leather, preserving it with care. He worked around a Joc Pederson single in the first by getting Corey Seager to roll into a double play, then kept the Rangers quiet through three innings. Texas finally scratched him in the fourth when Seager doubled and Josh Jung drove him in with a ground-rule double to left. Jung even stole third, but Severino shut the inning down by striking out Evan Carter, keeping the A’s in firm control at 3-1.
The real hammer fell in the fifth. Zack Gelof singled, Kurtz worked a walk after a successful challenge overturned the original pitch call, and Shea Langeliers popped out on the infield fly rule. That brought up Cortes, who had already homered once. He did it again, lifting a three-run shot to right field that stretched the lead to 6-1 and gave the A’s breathing room big enough to rent out.
Cortes finished with two home runs and four RBI, continuing a strong run after stepping into a larger role with Brent Rooker on the injured list. The switch has not looked like a patch job; it has looked like an opportunity being grabbed with both hands.
Kurtz also kept building his own strange and impressive brand of chaos. His leadoff homer, fifth-inning walk, and seventh-inning single gave him three trips on base, and the walk extended a stretch that had already placed him near historic Athletics territory.
He entered the game having walked in 13 straight games, the longest such run by an Athletic since Rickey Henderson’s 15-game streak in 1993. Kurtz is not merely swinging for damage. He is forcing pitchers into uncomfortable conversations, and lately, he has been winning most of them.
Severino’s night was exactly what the A’s needed. He gave them 6.2 innings of one-run baseball, allowing six hits and one walk while striking out five. That was especially important because he entered the game with better road numbers than home numbers and with a history of early-inning trouble this season. Instead of wobbling early, he steadied the whole game. Hogan Harris replaced him in the seventh with two Rangers aboard and struck out pinch-hitter Sam Haggerty to end the threat.
The A’s bullpen kept the door shut from there. Harris handled part of the eighth before Justin Sterner came in after singles by Andrew McCutchen and Seager. Sterner got Jake Burger on a forceout and Josh Jung on a flyout to escape the inning. Luis Medina finished the ninth with a clean frame, getting Carter, Kyle Higashioka, and Josh Smith in order.
Gelof added one last thump in the ninth, launching a two-run homer to left after Jeff McNeil singled. It was Gelof’s first homer of the season and the sixth Athletics home run of the night, a tidy final insult in a game Texas had spent most of the evening chasing.
The A’s also played clean defense behind their pitchers, with Jacob Wilson helping turn the first-inning double play and continuing to look steady at shortstop. That fits a larger season theme, as the club entered the night with the fewest errors in the majors and Wilson carrying the longest errorless streak by a shortstop in Athletics history.
For one night in Texas, the Athletics did not need late drama, bullpen roulette, or a comeback script. They brought the thunder early, added more in the middle, and walked out with an 8-1 win that felt every bit as loud as the scoreboard suggested.
Saturday starting pitchers for Sacramento LHP Jefferey Springs (3-1 ERA 3.34) for Texas LHP MacKenzie Gore (2-2 ERA 4.15) first pitch 4:05pm PDT.
Costa Rican-born Mauricio Segura has been covering sports in the Bay Area since 2001 for a variety of magazines and newspapers, as well as his own publication, Golden Bay Times.
Whether you’re pre-gaming with the Kings or celebrating an A’s win, Cyprus Grille at the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena is your downtown go-to.
⚡Craft cocktails? Check. 🔥Game-day bites? Oh yeah. 🏟️Steps from Golden 1 Center? You bet.
Open daily, Cyprus Grille is serving up local flavor with a front-row seat to the action. Stop by before or after the game—or make it your new downtown hangout.
Cyprus Grille—where fans fuel up.
📍Located inside the Holiday Inn Sacramento Downtown – Arena @ 300 J Street
Happy Hour – 4pm-6pm
Show your ticket for additional discounts when dining in.
Seattle Mariners Josh Naylor front is hugged by teammate Julio Rodriguez back after celebrating Naylor’s walk off single against the Sacramento A’s at T Mobile Field on Wed Apr 22, 2026 (AP News photo)
Kurtz Cracks the Door and Seattle Slams It Shut 5-4 at T Mobile
By Mauricio Segura
The Sacramento Athletics came to Seattle riding a six-game road winning streak and sitting alone atop the American League West, and for most of Wednesday afternoon they looked ready to leave town with another gritty win. Instead, they got a reminder that baseball loves to wait until the last possible moment to break your heart dropping the third game against the Seattle Mariners 5-4 at T Mobile Field.
The A’s jumped on Logan Gilbert right away and looked sharp from the first pitch. Nick Kurtz opened the game with a walk, which fit the patient approach that has become part of his early-season identity. Shea Langeliers followed with a single, Carlos Cortes added another, and just like that the bases were crowded with trouble for Seattle.
Tyler Soderstrom lifted a sacrifice fly to center to bring home Kurtz for the game’s first run, and after Jacob Wilson flew out, Jeff McNeil lined a single to center that scored Langeliers. Julio Rodríguez misplayed the ball behind him, which allowed Carlos Cortes to move to third, and the A’s had a quick 2-0 lead before many fans had even settled into their seats.
Seattle answered in the bottom of the first, because this game had no interest in being calm. J.P. Crawford singled, Julio Rodríguez and Josh Naylor followed with base hits, and Randy Arozarena’s sacrifice fly cut the lead to 2-1. Aaron Civale managed to escape a bases-loaded jam by striking out Dominic Canzone, which felt important at the time and still did later.
The A’s stretched the lead again in the third, and Wilson was right in the middle of it. Carlos Cortes singled to start the inning, and Wilson drilled a double to left that brought him home for a 3-1 lead. Wilson has been swinging a hot bat lately, and the hit fit what the Athletics had already been seeing from him.
Wilson also entered Wednesday with a record-breaking 62-game errorless streak at shortstop, the longest ever by an Athletics shortstop, so his name was already all over the game notes before he added another extra-base hit. Nick Kurtz also came in with a walk in 11 straight games, one of the longest such streaks in franchise history, and he extended it right out of the gate. Those are not side notes anymore. They are becoming part of who these young A’s are.
Seattle kept punching back. Cal Raleigh led off the bottom of the third with his fifth home run of the season, sending a ball to right that made it 3-2. Civale then settled back down for a bit, and the A’s bullpen tried to carry the rest. Brady Basso entered in the sixth after Josh Naylor singled and Randy Arozarena popped out, but the Mariners got even when pinch-hitter Mitch Garver doubled and Rob Refsnyder lifted a sacrifice fly to center. That tied the game at 3-3 and erased the edge the Athletics had been protecting since the opening inning.
The seventh inning was where Seattle finally moved in front. Mark Leiter Jr. took over for the A’s, and Crawford singled again to set the table. Raleigh then ripped a double to right, pushing Crawford to third. Julio Rodríguez did not need a hit that time. He rolled a grounder to short, and while Wilson made the play cleanly, Crawford scored to give the Mariners their first lead at 4-3. Raleigh later stole third after a challenge overturned the original call, but Leiter escaped any further damage by striking out Naylor.
That should have been the swing that decided it. Then Kurtz showed up again.
Leading off the ninth against Andrés Muñoz, with the A’s down to their last three outs, Kurtz drove a ball to center field for a game-tying home run. It was his fourth homer of the season and the kind of shot that changes the whole mood of a dugout.
One minute the A’s were staring at a frustrating road loss, and the next they were six outs from maybe stealing another one-run game. That would have fit their season so far. The Athletics had already shown during this stretch that they were comfortable living close to the edge.
But the bottom of the ninth belonged to Seattle. Leo Rivas opened with a single. Crawford then grounded into a double play, which looked enormous. Two outs, bases empty, tie game. Then Raleigh singled. Rodríguez singled. Naylor lined another single to left, and Raleigh scored the winner. Just like that, Seattle had a 5-4 walk-off win, and the A’s were left staring at a game they nearly stole twice and still could not finish.
It was a bruising kind of loss because the Athletics did a lot right. They scored first. Wilson delivered again. Cortes kept hitting. Kurtz worked a walk and blasted the tying homer in the ninth. But this one turned on timing, not talent. The Mariners got the last swing, and the A’s left Seattle with a lesson that every contender learns sooner or later: being tough is not always enough when the other team gets the final word.
The A’s move onto Texas to face the Rangers at Globe Life Field in Arlington on Fri Apr 24, 2026. The A’s have Thu Apr 23, 2026 off it’s the A’s first day off in 16 days. Starting pitcher for Sacramento RHP Luis Severino (0-2 ERA 6.20) Texas has not announced a starter yet.
Costa Rican-born Mauricio Segura has been covering sports in the Bay Area since 2001 for a variety of magazines and newspapers, as well as his own publication, Golden Bay Times.
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