Game Thread #32: Oakland A’s at Texas Rangers

One way you get to the top of the league standings is by not falling into long losing streaks, and the Oakland A’s have been adept at that so far in 2020. They’ve only lost consecutive games three times this year, and only once did they lose three in a row, leading them to a 21-10 record around the halfway point of the short season.

That resilience has been on full display this week. The A’s dropped Monday’s series opener to the Texas Rangers at Globe Life Field in Arlington, but they got right back on the horse Tuesday and earned a decisive 10-3 win. Now they’ll look to make it two in a row.

Oakland turns to Mike Fiers, who missed a quality start by two outs in his last appearance but still helped the team to a victory. In fact, the A’s have won five of Fiers’ six starts so far. He faced Texas a few weeks ago and had a quality start after six frames, but then stayed out for the 7th and ended up allowing two more runs; Oakland still won.

Texas counters with Kolby Allard. The lefty was once a Top 100 national prospect for the Atlanta Braves, but was shipped to the Rangers last summer for reliever Chris Martin. He’s still searching for his groove, with a 7.82 ERA through four starts (and 6.41 career). He did pitch well against the Angels in his second appearance, going five scoreless with six strikeouts, but over his last two outings he gave up 10 runs while recording only 11 total outs.

First pitch is 5:05 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 (away)

1. SS Marcus Semien (R)
2. CF Ramon Laureano (R)
3. RF Stephen Piscotty (R)
4. LF Mark Canha (R)
5. 1B Matt Olson (L)
6. DH Khris Davis (R)
7. C Sean Murphy (R)
8. 2B Franklin Barreto (R)
9. 3B Vimael Machin (L)

• Mike Fiers, RHP

Well now THAT’S a different look. Laureano moves back up against the lefty, but team RBI leader Piscotty joins him up No. 3. Davis gets a turn, and both Barreto and Machin get some love, giving Matt Chapman some rest after getting beaned in the head last night and also giving Tony Kemp a day off against a like-handed southpaw.

Rangers lineup (home)

1. LF Shin-Soo Choo (L)
2. 1B Danny Santana (S)
3. C Jose Trevino (R)
4. RF Joey Gallo (L)
5. 3B Todd Frazier (R)
6. 2B Nick Solak (R)
7. DH Derek Dietrich (L)
8. SS Isiah Kiner-Falefa (R)
9. CF Leody Taveras (S)

• Kolby Allard, LHP

After facing two lefty starters, the Rangers employ their vs-RHP lineup. That means our first looks at Choo and Dietrich.

Let’s Go Oakland!