Tag: Sacramento A’s

Brent Rooker in the game against the White Sox on Saturday afternoon. (Photo: Athletics on X)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

WEST SACRAMENTO — The Athletics came into Saturday’s matchup against the White Sox riding high. The A’s had just won a series against the Texas Rangers and handled business in the first game of the three-game series against the White Sox. Riding stellar bullpen performances and timely hitting of late, the A’s looked to win consecutive home series for the first time in their brief history at Sutter Health Park.

The White Sox had other plans, handling the A’s with ease in a 10-3 victory.

A’s starter Jeffrey Springs struggled early, as has been the case in a few of his starts this season. Springs gave up four runs in the first inning and two more in the second, putting the A’s in an early hole against baseball’s worst team. The game felt firmly in the White Sox’s possession, and the only question was whether the A’s offense could do enough to win a slugfest.

However, in a game that was bad early for Springs, he did settle in nicely, managing to go six innings. He gave up only one more run in the sixth, finishing with seven runs allowed on seven hits with two walks and four strikeouts. It was undoubtedly a good sign for Springs, who early on looked like he might not finish two innings.

On the offensive side, the A’s couldn’t get much going against the White Sox. They got a run back in the fourth inning on a Miguel Andujar groundout that scored Brent Rooker, who had doubled earlier in the inning.

In the seventh, the A’s added another run courtesy of a Luis Urías homer, but only after the White Sox had expanded their lead against the A’s bullpen in the top half. The White Sox scored three runs against reliever Noah Murdock, who pitched two innings, giving up three runs on three hits while walking three batters. It was not Murdock’s best outing, as he had been stellar of late for Mark Kotsay.

Grant Holman pitched the top of the ninth for the A’s, firing a scoreless inning with no walks and a strikeout.

The A’s were able to add a run in the ninth thanks to a Nick Kurtz RBI single after a Miguel Andujar triple, but they would drop the second game of the series 10-3 to the White Sox.

The A’s fell to 13-14 with the loss as the White Sox improved to 7-20 with the win.

Up Next: The A’s and White Sox will play the rubber game of the series on Sunday at 1:05 PM PST at Sutter Health Park. Osvaldo Bido is slated to go for the A’s, countered by Davis Martin for the White Sox.

Jacob Wilson celebrating after hitting the game winning RBI single in the A’s victory against the Rangers on Thursday night. (Photo: Athletics on X)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

WEST SACRAMENTO — Chris Caray said it best on the A’s TV broadcast: “The A’s have arrived in West Sacramento,” Caray declared as Jacob Wilson was mobbed in right-center field after singling home Luis Urías to give the Athletics a 4-3 walk-off win over the Rangers.

Not only was it the A’s first walk-off win in Sacramento, but it also marked their first series win at their new home ballpark since relocating from Oakland this spring.

While I might seem unimpressed with Wilson’s late-game heroics, nothing about the walk-off surprised me. In fact, just before the hit, I turned to media members in the press box and said, “This is exactly the guy you want up right here.” That, of course, turned out to be true.

Jacob Wilson was the perfect man for the moment. His elite bat-to-ball skills prepared him for exactly that situation. The A’s had tied the game earlier in the inning after a walk and an untimely error in center field set the table for Wilson. Then, after seeking out advice from manager Mark Kotsay—who told Wilson before the at-bat, “He’s going to stay with the breaking ball, it’s [Luke Jackson’s] best pitch, so stay on the breaking ball”—Wilson did just that, drilling the ball to center field to score the winning run.

It was a true team win for the A’s. As Kotsay said, “Overall it was a group effort tonight. We used everyone except for Pereda on the bench. We got the matchups the way we wanted… it just felt good from a team standpoint tonight to get a win and a series win against a good team that’s leading the division.”

For a moment, things got dicey in the fourth inning. A’s starter J.T. Ginn struggled and was only able to go three and two-thirds innings, giving up three home runs—the only scoring for the Rangers. Two of those came on back-to-back swings.

However, the A’s bullpen was the unsung hero of the night, delivering another scoreless performance across four and a third innings. Hogan Harris, recently recalled from Las Vegas, tossed two and a third scoreless frames to steady the game for the A’s. “Phenomenal job by those two,” Kotsay said of Harris and Holman. “For Hogan, getting optioned early—he easily could have gone down to Triple-A and not been happy… but he went down there and threw the ball really well.”

Other notable performances included Tyler Soderstrom, who finished 2-for-4 with a two-RBI double, and Gio Urshela, who stayed hot with a 3-for-3 night before being pinch-hit for in the ninth inning.

With the win, the A’s improve to 12-13 on the season.

Up Next: The A’s will stay home to host the Chicago White Sox for a three-game series beginning Friday night at 7:05 PM PST at Sutter Health Park. The A’s swept the White Sox last week in Chicago.

Nick Kurtz in the A’s clubhouse on Tuesday. (Photo: Athletics on X)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

WEST SACRAMENTO — A new era at first base for the Athletics is upon us!

The A’s first selection in the 2024 MLB Draft, Nick Kurtz, will make his debut for the Athletics in Sacramento against the Texas Rangers on Wednesday evening.

Kurtz, the No. 4 overall selection in last year’s draft out of Wake Forest, will debut after just 32 minor league games and less than 10 months since being drafted — both unprecedented in MLB. In those 32 minor league games, Kurtz hit .366 with 11 home runs, 10 doubles, and 22 walks, good for a 1.121 OPS. Coaches and players who have seen him during his brief time in pro ball have described him as a very mature player despite his limited experience. 

A’s manager Mark Kotsay, speaking with the media on Tuesday, said, “He’s a pretty accomplished young hitter, and he’s got an advanced approach. As David mentioned, his demeanor, he’s a pretty even-keeled kid.

It’s safe to say there’s plenty of excitement surrounding Nick, both in the clubhouse and in the front office.

Kurtz will play first base on Wednesday as Tyler Soderstrom moves to the outfield.

As the A’s continue to struggle at home (2-8 over their first 10 home games), Kurtz might be just what the doctor ordered. Granted, A’s pitching is generally seen as the area most in need of improvement.

As for Kurtz and his appeal to fans, I’ll say this: I watched Nick clear the batter’s eye in center field and hit the scoreboard in right-center during batting practice on Tuesday afternoon. The kid is gonna be must-watch baseball.

Brent Rooker receives his Silver Slugger from the 2024 season. (Photo: Athletics on X)

By Jeremiah Salmonson

WEST SACRAMENTO — The A’s were back home in Sacramento on Tuesday night after a road trip that took them through Chicago and Milwaukee. They swept the White Sox and dropped two of three to the Brewers, finishing the trip with a winning record of 4-3.

On Tuesday, the A’s welcomed in the AL West-leading Texas Rangers, who entered the game with a 13-9 start to the 2025 season. The A’s came in last place in the division at 10-12 but sat just three games behind the Rangers.

The A’s fell to Texas by a final score of 8-5.

A’s starter Osvaldo Bido was roughed up, lasting five and a third innings while allowing eight runs (all earned) on eight hits, including four home runs. It was a tough outing in a game where any decent contact seemed to have a chance to leave the yard.

Rangers starter Patrick Corbin went five innings, giving up two earned runs on seven hits and allowing two homers.

The A’s got on the board with solo home runs in the second and third innings from Miguel Andujar and Lawrence Butler, respectively. Aside from those, they didn’t generate many scoring chances until the sixth inning, where they loaded the bases but came up empty. They finally broke through again in the bottom of the seventh when JJ Bleday delivered an RBI single to score Brent Rooker and cut the deficit to 8-3.

Sacramento continued to chip away in the eighth as Luis Urias and Brent Rooker each added solo shots to pull the A’s within three at 8-5 heading into the ninth.

After a scoreless top of the ninth from the bullpen, the A’s went down in order in the bottom half to end the game.

Brent Rooker finished 2-for-4 with a home run and a walk. JJ Bleday went 2-for-4 with a walk, and Miguel Andujar had a strong night, going 3-for-5 with a homer.

After the game, manager Mark Kotsay praised the team’s fight but pointed to missed chances in the sixth inning. “The sixth inning was the inning we left opportunities on the bases… we left the bases loaded, second and third with nobody out really… We continued to take good at-bats after that… it could’ve been more. We just had our opportunities—had 11 hits and left 10 on the bases.”

Note: In the top of the seventh inning, A’s reliever Jose Leclerc recorded only one out before leaving with right shoulder soreness. After the game, Kotsay confirmed the injury, calling it “more of a strain than soreness.” It’s tough news for a bullpen already dealing with depth issues.

Up Next: The A’s and Rangers continue the series on Wednesday night at 7:05 PM PST at Sutter Health Park. J.P. Sears is scheduled to start for the A’s, while the Rangers counter with Kumar Rocker. A’s No. 1 prospect Nick Kurtz will make his debut at first base in the contest.