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Game Thread #33: Oakland A’s at Houston Astros

Road trip to the Garbage Dump

By Alex Hall

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Los Angeles Angels v Oakland Athletics Photo by Ezra Shaw/Getty Images

After two days off to protest social injustices, the Oakland A’s are back in action on Saturday, and they’re making up for lost time by playing a doubleheader against the Houston Astros.

The twin-bill opens with Lance McCullers on the hill for Houston. The right-hander missed 2019 to Tommy John surgery and this will be his first time facing the A’s this year. He’s off to a shaky start in 2020, with a high ERA but more promising peripherals, but the key stat here may turn out to be that he leads the majors in hitting batters with pitches. Given the recent history between these two clubs, and Oakland’s frustration with getting hit so much overall this summer, even an accidental HBP or two could set a seriously negative tone for this weekend.

On the other side is Chris Bassitt, who has cooled off from his early hot streak but is still putting the A’s in position to win every time. They lost his last two starts, but mostly because they managed to score only three runs each time. He’s pitching into the 6th inning every time as well, even when he’s not at his sharpest.

The A’s swung a trade last night to acquire a new hitter, 2B Tommy La Stella from the Angels. However, TLS is not in the starting lineup for the opener, so we’ll have to wait a few more hours to see him. For Houston, reigning MVP runner-up Alex Bregman is out with a pulled hammy.

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 (away)

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

No La Stella yet, but there’s another game later today. Grossman and Piscotty stay at the top of the order, with Laureano down at seventh.

Astros lineup (home)

  1. CF George Springer (R)
  2. 2B Jose Altuve (R)
  3. LF Michael Brantley (L)
  4. 1B Yuli Gurriel (R)
  5. DH Kyle Tucker (L)
  6. SS Carlos Correa (R)
  7. RF Josh Reddick (L)
  8. C Martin Maldonado (R)
  9. 3B Jack Mayfield (R)
  • Lance McCullers, RHP

No Bregman, but still a great lineup.

Let’s Go Oakland!

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