Game Thread #28: Oakland A’s vs. Los Angeles Angels

The Oakland A’s are on another winning streak! This one is only three games at the moment, but we’ll see how far they can take it. They have another prime opportunity on Saturday, against the last-place Los Angeles Angels and their 8-19 record. (That’s the opposite of the A’s AL-best 19-8 record.)

Oakland has Chris Bassitt on the hill. The right-hander has cooled off from his hot first few appearances, but still gutted through a couple tough games his last two times out and kept the A’s in position to win, or at least within reach (they split those two contests). One of those recent starts was against the Angels, and he pitched into the 6th inning, allowed four runs, and walked away with a win. He also blanked the Halos for four frames in the season’s opening weekend.

The Angels counter with Griffin Canning. The right-hander has been roughed up twice by the A’s already this year, giving up seven total runs in 8.2 innings. He’s allowed four homers to Oakland this year, one each to Mark Canha, Matt Olson, Robbie Grossman, and Stephen Piscotty.

That past success is great news for Oakland, who have begun to make a habit of scoring off opposing starting pitchers. In the last three games, they’ve scored 12 runs in 13.2 innings off starters Merrill Kelly and Alex Young of the D’Backs and Andrew Heaney of the Halos. That’s an encouraging development after relying so often on beating bullpens late, and it could continue against Canning if his track record is any indication.

First pitch is 1:10 p.m., with the following options to watch or listen:

• TV: NBC Sports California
• Radio: 960 AM
• Online video stream: fuboTV
• Online audio stream: iHeartRadio

A’s lineup (home)

1. SS Marcus Semien (R)
2. CF Ramon Laureano (R)
3. 1B Matt Olson (L)
4. 3B Matt Chapman (R)
5. DH Mark Canha (R)
6. LF Robbie Grossman (S)
7. RF Stephen Piscotty (R)
8. 2B Tony Kemp (L)
9. C Austin Allen (L)

• Chris Bassitt, RHP

Facing a righty, so the lefty hitters are back — Grossman, Kemp, and Allen, with Olson moving back up to third in the order.

Angels lineup (away)

1. SS David Fletcher (R)
2. 1B Tommy La Stella (L)
3. CF Mike Trout (R)
4. 3B Anthony Rendon (R)
5. DH Shohei Ohtani (L)
6. LF Brian Goodwin (L)
7. RF Jo Adell (R)
8. C Jason Castro (L)
9. 2B Luis Rengifo (S)

• Griffin Canning, RHP

Ohtani is in there, a mere 15 hours late after ending Friday’s game in the on-deck circle waiting to pinch-hit. Castro gets his turn behind the plate, and Rengifo gives Andrelton Simmons a day off as the latter eases back in from injury.

Let’s Go Oakland!