Spring Game Thread #13: A’s at Reds

No more noon start times!

The Oakland A’s finally play a Cactus League night game on Saturday, though the sun won’t quite be down yet here in the Bay Area at first pitch. Then the clocks move forward tonight because that’s still a thing we do, but at least this time it’s the good version, for two reasons.

The first is that every day for the next six months lasts longer on the backend, which is absolutely worth losing an hour tonight and having later morning dawns. The other is that we now line back up with Arizona, who doesn’t change their clocks at all, so spring training games will begin at 1 p.m. here just like they do locally there.

Saturday brings the 2021 debut of another A’s starter, this time lefty Sean Manaea. His story line last year revolved around getting a second and third time through the lineup, and he made progress in that department as the abbreviated summer went on. His 3.71 FIP was second only to Chris Bassitt in Oakland’s rotation.

The Reds are without star first baseman Joey Votto, who tested positive for coronavirus and was placed on the COVID-19 related injured list on Wednesday.

First pitch is 5:05 p.m. PT. You can listen to the radio broadcast for free online at A’s Cast.

A’s lineup (away)

1. 3B Vimael Machin (L)
2. CF Ramon Laureano (R)
3. 1B Seth Brown (L)
4. SS Chad Pinder (R)
5. LF Luis Barrera (L)
6. RF Skye Bolt (S)
7. C Austin Allen (L)
8. 2B Pete Kozma (R)
9. DH Greg Deichmann (L)

• LHP Sean Manaea

It’s a prospect day, and also Pinder gets a turn at shortstop.

Reds lineup (home)

1. CF Shogo Akiyama (L)
2. RF Nick Castellanos (R)
3. 2B Mike Moustakas (L)
4. 3B Eugenio Suarez (R)
5. C Tucker Barnhardt (L)
6. SS Alex Blandino (R)
7. LF Aristides Aquino (R)
8. 1B Nicky Delmonico (L)
9. DH Scott Heineman (R)

• RHP Jeff Hoffman

Let’s go Oakland!