Tag: Oakland A’s

A’s to face Tigers, Twins in upcoming homestead

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Oakland A’s starter Jesus Luzardo throws against the Arizona Diamondbacks in the first inning of Tue Apr 13, 2021 game at Chase Field in Phoenix (AP News photo)

By Daniel Dullum
Sports Radio Service
Wednesday, April 14, 2021

The Oakland Athletics have the day off on Wednesday, following a successful two-game sweep of the Arizona Diamondbacks in an interleague series in Phoenix.

Starting Thursday, the A’s begin a seven-game homestand at the Coliseum, hosting the Detroit Tigers (April 15-18) and the Minnesota Twins (April 19-21).

In the Tigers series, Oakland will start Sean Manaea (0-1, 5.06) on Thursday, followed by Frankie Montas (1-1, 8,31), Cole Irvin (0-2, 7.45) and Chris Bassitt (1-2, 4.96).

After a rough start, Oakland has improved to 5-7 overall, trailing the Los Angeles Angels by two games in the American League West. Their overall numbers – 27th in MLB in team batting average (.211), 16th in runs (48), 30th in team ERA (6.00), and 29th in WHIP (1.56).

On the injured list, the A’s have five on the 10-day list – LHP Reymin Guduan (sprained left thumb), LHP A.J. Puk (strained left biceps), INF-OF Chad Pinder (sprained left knee), RHP Burch Smith (strained right groin), and RHP Mike Fiers (lumbar strain).

On Thursday, the Athletics will join other MLB teams in honoring Jackie Robinson Day by having all players wear No. 42. The A’s, in partnership with Kaiser Permanente, will give away co-branded masks to early arriving fans on Saturday and Sunday. Game time for the weekend games is 1:07 p.m

A’s rally beat Diamondbacks 7-5; Lowrie’s homer ties ball game in seventh to catch Arizona

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The Oakland A’s Jed Lowrie (8) who slugged a 394 foot seventh inning home run to tie up the game against the Arizona Diamondbacks is greeted at home plate by teammate Seth Brown (15) at Chase Field in Phoenix on Tue Apr 13, 2021 (AP News photo)

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Oakland A’s rallied from a five-run deficit to beat the Arizona Diamondbacks 7-5 Tuesday afternoon in Phoenix. The A’s won their fourth straight game and the fifth in the last six.

Jesus Luzardo was on the mound for the Green and Gold Tuesday afternoon. Luzardo has had a rough start so far this season, and he was hoping to have a good outing. That did not happen as Luzardo lasted just two and 2/3rd innings. He gave up five runs, all earned six hits, two walks, and struck out one batter. His ERA ballooned to 8.31.

The D-Backs put two on the board in the bottom of the second. Asdrubal Cabrera led off with a single. He went to second when Luzardo walked David Peralta to put men on at first and second with no out. With one out, Luzardo served up a hanger that Carson Kelley sent into the leftfield stands. The ball went 413 feet.

Luzardo didn’t fare better in the bottom of the third. The D-Backs made it a 5-0 game when they scored twice. Kole Calhoun and Eduardo Escobar singled to get things rolling. Cabrera doubled to drive in Calhoun. Escobar stopped at third. Escobar scored on Peralta’s grond out. Luzardo’s effort was over when he walked Carson Kelly. A’s manager Bob Melvin brought in Jordan Weems to finish the third.

The A’s began their comeback in the top of the fourth. A’s right fielder, Stephen Piscotty, led off with a solo homer to make it a 5-1 game.

The A’s tied the game in the top of the seventh. Taylor Clarke was on the hill for Arizona. With one out A’s catcher, Aramis Garcia singled. Mitch Moreland, pinch-hitting for Deolis Guerra, also singled. Mark Canha drove in Garcia with a single to make it 5-2. The D-Backs brought in Kevin Ginkel to pitch to Jed Lowrie. Lowrie tied the game 5-5 with one swing of his bat. Lowrie hit an opposite-field home run to tie the game. The late Earl Weaver loved three-run dingers.

The A’s took the lead for the first time in the top of the eighth. Seth Brown hit a mammoth 422-foot blast to deep right-centerfield to propel Oakland to a 6-5. A’s reliever Sergio Romo set the D-Backs down in order in the bottom half of the inning.

The A’s added an insurance run in the ninth. Ramon Laureano singled to get the rally on its way. The D-Backs nearly picked him off at first. Had they challenged the call, Laureano probably would have been out. Laureano stole second to get into scoring position. A’s third baseman tripled to drive in the Laureano with the A’s seventh run.

Lou Trivino was called on to close out the ninth. With one out, Trivino walked Tim Locastro. The next hitter, Kole Calhoun, was at the plate. Calhoun could tie the game with just one swing of the bat. Trivino got Calhoun to ground into a 3-5-1 double play to end the game. The A’s win 7-

Game Notes- The A’s used seven pitchers Tuesday afternoon. Yusmeiro Petit was the winning pitcher. His record is 3-0. The loss went to Anthony Swarzak.

The A’s improved to 5-7 for the season. Their line was seven runs, eleven hits, and no errors. The D-Backs’ line was five runs, eight hits, and one error. The D-Backs are 4-8. The A’s bullpen was superb as they allowed two hits and no runs over the last six and 1/3rd inning of the game.

The A’s are off on Wednesday. They return home to Oakland to play a four-game series with the Detroit Tigers. Lefty Sean Manaea will pitch the first game of the series. The game will start at 7:05 pm.

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary podcast: A’s hitters producing; A’s Luzardo looking for first win tonight

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Oakland A’s starter Jesus Luzardo will get the call tonight against the Arizona Diamondbacks Zac Gallen both pitchers will be looking for their first win of the 2021 season at Chase Field in Phoenix on Tue Apr 13, 2021 (file photo from athleticsnation.com)

#1 The A’s picked up their fifth win in six games with a 9-5 win over the Arizona Diamondbacks on Monday night at Chase Field in Phoenix to open a brief two game series.

#2 The A’s were already up 7-5 and they added two more runs in the ninth to cap off the win their getting some run production after that rough 0-6 start.

#3 The A’s Ramon Laureano, Mark Canha, Jed Lowrie, and Matt Chapman all scored two runs a piece against the Diamondbacks on Monday night.

#4 Diamondbacks pitcher Madison Bumgarner was touched up for six earned runs and seven hits in 4.2 innings of work and ran his ERA up to 11.00.

#5 On Tuesday the A’s will start Jesus Luzardo (0-1 ERA 6.10) going against the Diamondbacks Zac Gallen (0-0 ERA 0.00) Luzardo is looking for that first win.

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the A’s lead play by play Spanish announcer on flagship station 1010 KIQI LaGrande San Francisco and does News and Commentary at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary podcast Tue Apr 13, 2021 by Sports Radio Service | Free Listening on SoundCloud

A’s rough up MadBum in 9-5 win over Snakes

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Arizona Diamondbacks manager Torey Lovullo makes a pitching change as starter Madison Bumgarner hands over the ball in the fifth inning at Chase Field in Phoenix on Mon Apr 12, 2021 (AP News photo)

By Daniel Dullum
Sports Radio Service
Monday, April 12, 2021

Oakland jumped to an early lead against Arizona starter Madison Bumgarner and defeated the Diamondbacks 9-5 Monday in the first of a two-game interleague series at Chase Field in Phoenix.

Chris Bassitt (1-2) picked up his first win of the season, giving up two earned runs and two hits while walking five in five innings. Bumgarner (0-2) struck out five in 4 2/3 innings, but was tagged for six earned runs on seven hits while walking three. Bumgarner’s earned run average ballooned to 11.20.

Oakland took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first when Mark Canha scored on Jed Lowrie’s infield ground out. The A’s picked up two more runs in the third when Lowrie hit a two-run double to left.

The Diamondbacks cut the Oakland lead to 3-2 on an RBI single by Kole Calhoun and Asdrubal Cabrera’s sacrifice fly to center.

Oakland scored three times in the top of the fifth. After Lowrie delivered a run-scoring single and scored on Matt Olson’s sacrifice fly to left, Matt Chapman hit a solo home run to left, giving the Athletics a 6-2 lead.

Arizona battled back to pull within 6-5 with a run in the sixth and two more in the seventh on a run-scoring double by Cabrera, who scored on David Peralta’s single to center.

Elvis Andrus singled to drive in Stephen Piscotty in the top of the eighth, and the A’s tacked on two more runs in the ninth on an RBI single by Chapman and Sean Murphy’s run-scoring double.

Chapman finished 3-for-5, while Lowrie, Ramon Laureano and Sean Murphy each collected two hits, as the A’s outhit Arizona 12-7. Calhoun finished 3-for-4 for the D-Backs.
In the series finale, Oakland will start Jesus Luzardo (0-1, 6.10), and the Diamondbacks will counter with Zac Gallen (0-0, 0.00). Game time is 11:40 a.m.

Oakland A’s podcast with Barbara Mason: A’s showing signs of snapping out of it; Had day off on Sunday

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Oakland A’s hitter Jed Lowrie singles for two RBIs in the seventh inning at Minute Maid Field in Houston against the Astros on Sat Apr 10, 2021 (AP News photo)

#1 The Oakland A’s started the 2021 season going 0-6 but once that streak ended the A’s have now won three of the their last four games. Including two wins in Houston against the AL Champion Astros.

#2 The A’s got a big 7-3 win over the Astros on Saturday that included a two run home run from Ramon Laureano for his first home run of the season.

#3 The A’s run production came up with two runs in the fourth, fifth and seventh innings something they lacked in those first six games and stayed ahead for the series win.

#4 The A’s got pitching help from starter Frankie Montas going six innings giving up six hits and one run, reliever Sergio Romo threw for two thirds of an inning giving up one hit and two runs. A’s relievers Jake Diekman and JB Wendelken shutout the Astros for the rest of way.

#5 The A’s open a brief two game series in Arizona against the Diamondbacks who have lost six out of their last ten games. The D-Backs are in dead last at 3-6 but the season is still early. The A’s will start Chris Bassitt whose looking for his first win of the season (0-2 ERA 5.56) the Diamondbacks will counter with Madison Bumgarner (0-1 ERA 11.00) since coming to the Diamondbacks he’s struggles and in his last outing he surrendered five runs on eight hits to the Rockies.

Join Barbara for the A’s podcasts each Monday at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

Oakland A’s podcast with Barbara Mason Mon Apr 12, 2021 by Sports Radio Service | Free Listening on SoundCloud

A’s not letting early season struggles define them

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By Morris Phillips

Among the encouraging things happening with the A’s the last couple of games?

Seth Brown may finally be ready to bring his big fly game to the Major League level.

The 28-year old is well-known in minor league circles as an unrepentant slugger, the author of 92 home runs since his debut in 2015, including 37 in just 112 games for AAA Las Vegas in 2019.

That last line had the A’s hopeful Brown could elevate his game in Oakland, but in his first 36 games with the A’s over the last three seasons, Brown didn’t clear any fences…

Until Saturday night. With the A’s 6-0 lead cut in half, Brown took reliever Ryan Stanek into the upper deck, a not-high-enough fastball turned into a memory of a lifetime. So majestic was Brown’s homer, the flight of the ball on television revealed the entire Minute Maid Park scoreboard showing Brown’s numbers without a home run for the last time.

“The only thing he doesn’t have on his resume is a homer for a guy who really is a home run hitter,” manager Bob Melvin said. “I know that takes a lot of pressure off him now that he finally has a home run.”

Pressure off Brown? More succinctly, pressure off the entire Oakland roster. Brown’s shot put the finishing touches on a 7-3 win, the A’s third in four games after an 0-6 start. Not wanting to get buried in the competitive AL West two weeks in, the A’s are fighting back, and giving their 2021 season a healthier look.

In the last four games, the A’s have out-manuvered the Dodgers late, come up with some more late game magic in Houston on Friday, and set up a couple of wins with nearly identical, exemplary starts by Sean Manaea and Frankie Montas.

The key? When you don’t fall behind early–as the A’s did repeatedly in their winless start–you can pick your spots and pounce on the opposition in the later innings.

“We grind it out a little bit and stay in the game until we do something nice late,” said Mark Olson, who came up big in Friday’s win. “I think we can take this momentum and ride it out.”

A few key presences must be reclaimed from the injury list with Chad Pinder (knee), Mike Fiers (hips), Burch Smith (strained groin) and A.J. Puk (strained biceps) on the 10-day injured list, and Trevor Rosenthal on the 60-day list after surgery for thoracic outlet syndrome on Thursday.

Matt Chapman and Sean Murphy remain mired in awful slumps, but both have expressed optimism in recent days–not just for themselves, but for the team as a whole.

We’re always rotating guys and new faces, so for us, it always takes a little bit to get going,” Chapman said. “But once we get going, we’re able to really bond and really pick up steam.”

The A’s open a two-game set with the Diamondbacks in Phoenix on Monday. Familiar face Madison Bumgarner squares off against Chris Bassitt in the opener at 6:40pm.

Oakland Takes Series From the Astros 7-3

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Oakland A’s hitter Ramon Laureano (right) is greeted at the plate by teammate Mark Canha (left) after hitting a two run homer in the fifth inning against the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park in Houston on Sat Apr 10, 2021 (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

After yesterday’s game against the Houston Astros, the Oakland A’s reclaimed the form that we have grown to expect. The form that has taken them into the post-season for quite a few years now. Beating the Astros 6-2 was a real boost for the A’s and also gave them the opportunity to win the series should they win todays game.

Oakland certainly came out in this game full of confidence and once again it was the fourth inning when the A’s began to make some noice. Ramon Laureano and Jed Lowrie scored giving the A’s a 2-0 lead. The Astros would come up empty in the fourth inning and so trailed by the score of 2-0.

The fifth inning was also a good one for the A’s extending their lead to 4-0. Laureano homered scoring Mark Canha who was on base. Frankie Montas was having a great outing through seven innings. Pitching for the A’s was starting to turn around, something that we all knew was just a matter of time.

Oakland would strike again in the seventh inning. Lowrie would hit a single and Mark Canha and Ka’ai Tom would score and the A’s were looking at a 6-0 score in the middle of the seventh. The Astros would get on the scoreboard when Kyle Tucker homered to right giving Houston their first run of the game. Houston was not done scoring two more runs. Myles Straw and Jose Altuve crossed home plate and just like that the Astros were well within striking distance. You can never count the Astros out regardless of the score.

The eighth inning was a highlight for Oakland DH Seth Brown who hit his first homer of the season giving the A’s a 7-3 lead.

It was a quiet ninth inning as the Oakland A’s took the series from the Houston Astros. The Oakland A’s have their rhythm back and now we can all look forward to some high-powered Green and Gold baseball.

Oakland will have the day off on Sunday and will be back on the field on Monday against the Arizona Diamondbacks for a two game series. First pitch is at 6:40 PM.

Oakland Hits 3 Home Runs To Beat Houston 6-2

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Oakland A’s hitter Matt Olson (right) celebrates with Mark Canha (left) after hitting a three home run in the eighth inning against the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Field on Fri Apr 9, 2021 (AP News photo)

By Barbara Mason

Saturday evening the Oakland A’s took on the Houston Astros in Game two of their three game series. It has been a rough start for Oakland this year. They lost a four game series against the Astros to start the season. The A’s then went on to play the defending champs the Los Angeles Dodgers losing two out of three games. It was game seven for the A’s that broke the six game losing streak. They beat the Dodgers 4-3 in ten innings. This year has been their worst start for Oakland since 1916.

Now the A’s are once again tangling with the Houston Astros who seem to have their number. In Game 1, the Astros won handily 6-2 and now the A’s have to suffer through two more games against Houston. In game two loss against the Dodgers, the Oakland club looked far better than they had looked all season. They began hitting and their defense was solid. The bottom line is that this team is far better than they are currently showing. The A’s got a 6-2 win over the Astros on Friday night at Minute Maid Field.

A win over the Astros would be a real confidence builder, especially since the Astros have looked unbeatable. Their current record is 6-1 while the A’s have a 1-7 record. Houston is on a real roll and it will be tough to stop them.

At the end of five innings the game was tied 1-1. Both of the runs in the game were scored in the fourth inning. Jed Lowrie hit a 374 feet homer and Yuli Gurriel scored for the Astros.

The game remained quiet until the eighth inning when both Mark Canha and Jed Lowrie had hits and the A’s had a chance to break the tie. Oakland did exactly that when Matt Olson hit a 414 ft homer scoring three runs and taking the lead 4-1.

The A’s were not finished with the Astros. In the top of the ninth Mark Canha hit a two run homer scoring Elvis Andrus for a 6-1 lead.

This was a great game for the Oakland A’s with 3 homers, Lowrie, Olson and Canha each hit one looking like the team that we have seen for the past few years. It sure was a lot of fun seeing the A’s playing such great baseball. We had to wait a bit but it sure worth the wait. Game three of this series will be played Saturday with first pitch at 1:05.

That’s Amaury’s News and Commentary: Athletics Sabermetrics and Closer

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Former San Diego Padre pitcher and current Oakland A’s pitcher Trevor Rosenthal seen in this Sep 26, 2020 photo is congratulated by catcher Austin Nola after pitching against the San Francisco Giants. Rosenthal will be out for approximately four months after having arm surgery (Bay Area News Group file photo)

Athletics: Sabermetrics and Closer

That’s Amaury News and Commentary

By Amaury Pi-González

Perhaps the worse news for the Oakland A’s 1-7 start to the 2021 season is that they will be without Trevor Rosenthal, signed to a 1-year deal for $11 million contract to take the place of Liam Hendricks, who is now the closer with the Chicago White Sox. Rosenthal had surgery Thursday.

An issue affected his pitching arm (he threw 100 mph) this surgery required removing his first rib releasing the pectoralis minor muscle of his chest-wall. It is called Thoracic Surgery. Matt Harvey had same surgery a couple of years ago when he was pitching for the Cincinnati Reds; today he is pitching with the Baltimore Orioles.

Rosenthal will be out a few months, maybe back in July or August, if everything goes very well during his rehab. About the Rosenthal surgery, manager Bob Melvin said; “I had a feeling that was going to happen,” Melvin said before Thursday’s game against the Astros. “Everything went well. I don’t really have a timetable or anything like that.”

Without a legitimate experienced closer, the team is left with these potential replacements for that position: Jake Diekman, Lou Trivino, J.B. Wendelken or Jordan Weems. Some suggested that young A.J Puk was given a shot, but he was recently placed on the Injured List as they called up Deolis Guerra.

The closer has become one of the most specialized and important jobs for a pitcher in baseball, it’s a given, that nobody can win without a star closer. We do not know, if the A’s would make a trade to acquire somebody to take their closer spot, nobody knows.

You really never know who is going to become a great closer. In 1987 I remember when Dennis Eckersley came to the A’s from the Chicago Cubs (already a 13-year veteran and 20-game winner in 1978 with Boston) Eckersley started two games with the A’s before an injury to then closer Jay Howell.

That opened the door for Eckersley as pitching coach Dave Duncan and manager Tony LaRussa gave him the ball to move into the closer’s role. That year Eck saved 16 games, next year 1988 he saved a league-leading 45 games helped the A’s win the pennant and went to the World Series, and the rest is history.

He was a dominant closer with the Athletics until 1995, then ended with St Louis and finally back to Boston for his last season in 1998. Dennis Eckersley pitched for 24 years ended with 390 games saved. In 2004 he was elected with an A’s uniform to the Baseball Hall of Fame at Cooperstown, New York.

I will never forgot one of my interviews with him while playing here in Oakland. I asked him what makes him that sharp (I nicknamed him, “La Cuchilla”- “The Knife”) he responded “I am afraid of failure and that keeps me motivated.”

He was as automatic as any closer during those years in baseball. The Oakland Athletics and Tampa Bay Rays are the sabermetics darlings of Major League Baseball. They have not spend a lot but they have gotten very good return on their investment, the A’s won the Western Division last season, the Tampa Bay Rays won the American League pennant and lost to the Dodgers in the World Series.

Both clubs are similar in their approach to player’s salaries and they have worked the Sabermetrics very well. The world (everybody not only baseball people) was made aware of Sabermetrics by the movie Moneyball in 2011. “Baseball is like a poker game, nobody wants to quit when he’s loosing; nobody wants you to quit when you are ahead” -Jackie Robinson.

Stay well and stay tuned

Amaury Pi Gonzalez is the Spanish radio play by play announcer for the Oakland A’s flagship station 1010 KIQI LaGrande San Francisco and does News and Commentary at http://www.sportsradioservice.com

A’s woes continue lose fifth straight time to the Astros 6-2

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Oakland A’s starter Cole Irvine throws against the Houston Astros line up in the first inning at Minute Maid Field in Houston on Thu Apr 8, 2021 (AP News photo)

By Jerry Feitelberg

The Oakland A’s lost again for the seventh time in the first eight games of the season. The Astros beat them 6-2 Thursday night at Minute Maid Park. The A’s offense has been non-existent so far this year, and it did not produce until late in the game.

The Astros’ pitchers held the A’s scoreless for eight innings and allowed them just three hits. They plated two runs in the ninth, but it was too little, too late. The Astros continued to pummel Oakland pitching as they bashed three dingers in the game. The A’s have not been able to find a way to stop the Astros’ relentless offense. The recap of the game follows below.

The Astros grabbed an early 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning. Houston’s All-Star shortstop Carlos Correa hit a lazy fly ball to right field that barely made it over the fence for the score. The only other park in the American League where that would have been a home run is New York’s Yankee Stadium which is just 314 feet from home plate.

The Astros put another run on the board in the fourth. With one out, Astros’ DH Yordan Alvarez doubled to left-centerfield. Carlos Correa followed with a double to left to drive in Alvarez. Correa’s second RBI of the game gave the Astros a 2-0 lead after four complete.

The A’s threatened in the top of the fifth. With one out, Elvis Andrus doubled to left field. Andrus tagged on Tony Kemp’s fly to right field. Mark Canha walked to put men on at first and third. Astros’ pitcher Christian Javier struck out Matt Olson looking. The Astros still lead 2-0 halfway through the fifth.

Houston plated three runs in the sixth. With one out, Yordan Alvarez did his best Willie McCovey impersonation as he blasted a solo home run into the second deck of Minute Maid Park. Irvin walked the next batter, Carlos Correa. A’s manager Bob Melvin brought in J.B. Wendelken to pitch.

Wendelken retired Yuli Guriel for the second out. Astros’ right fielder, Kyle Tucker, doubled down the left-field line to send Correa to third. Myles Straw singled to right to drive in Correa and Tucker. The Astros increased their advantage to 5-0 after six.

The Astros extended the lead to 6-0 in the seventh when Jose Altuve homered off A’s reliever Deolis Guerra. Guerra was called up to fill a vacancy in the bullpen.

The A’s put two runs on the board in the top of the ninth. It was too little, too late. Aramis Garcia, pinch-hitting for Mitch Moreland, singled to start the rally. He scored the A’s first run when Stephen Piscotty doubled. Jed Lowrie, pinch-hitting for Tony Kemp, singled to drive in Piscotty with the A’s second run. The A’s could do more. The Astros win 6-2.

Game Notes- With the loss, the A’s are 1-7 for the season. The Astros are 6-1. Five of the Astros wins have come at the expense of the A’s

Houston’s hitting stars were Carlos Correa with a home run and two RBIs and Yordan Alvarez with a monster dinger and a double.

The A’s received bad news about the closer, Trevor Rosenthal. Rosenthal had Thoracic Outlet surgery Thursday to remove an impingement in his shoulder. He will be re-evaluated in eight weeks and is expected to miss about four months of the season. The A’s also announced that lefty A.J.Puk has gone on the ten-day IL with a shoulder issue. The A’s recalled Deolis Guerra to take his spot in the bullpen.

The A’s meet the Astros Friday night at Minute Maid Park in Houston. Lefty Sean Manaea will start for Oakland, and righty Lance McCullers will go for Houston. The game will start at 5:10 pm.