Game Thread #111: A’s vs. Tigers

Good evening and a very happy Friday to you! Drink of choice: Dry ice white wine slushie.

This time last week, the A’s were in possession of a six-game win streak as they made their way into Colorado...where they were hit by the only real buzz-saw of the last two months; the Rockies absolutely stopped the A’s dead in their tracks in Friday, Saturday, and Sunday’s games—the only team to manage that feat. However, if there were ever conditions in which a team could survive a sweep in a playoff battle, it was this one. Houston was also swept (by Texas, of all teams!) and Seattle barely escaped the Angels; losing two of the three. The A’s lost only one game in the standings, despite everything, and with the subsequent sweep of the Blue Jays this week, they not only made up the lost game, but they have now passed the Mariners in the standings, and hold sole possession of second place in the AL West and the all-important second Wild Card spot.

That is not a typo. If the season ended right now, the 2018 Oakland Athletics are a playoff team. Who saw that coming?

It’s the beginning of August. The A’s aren’t satisfied with merely holding a Wild Card spot, nor do they really want a one-game play-in game before a playoff series. What they want is the AL West. Standing in their way is the Houston Astros and their (slimmer) 5-game lead, who open a series with the Los Angeles Dodgers tonight in a World Series rematch.

As fun as the scoreboard watching has been, the A’s will continue to gain games if they continue to win their own. Brett Anderson is on the mound tonight facing off against the Detroit Tigers to open the series, while the offense will take on lefty Blaine Hardy, who started the season well, and then moved into the bullpen, and is now back as a starter.

The A’s have one more exciting surprise up their sleeves in tonight’s game. Starting in center field and batting ninth, we find Ramon Laureano, who, much like the Oakland Athletics, has been kicking a** and taking names this year.

Let it be known: The A’s owe me a Friday night win. Let’s make it tonight to start the series off right.

Here are your lineups for your PLAYOFF HUNT 2018 Oakland Athletics:

LET’S GO OAK-LAND!