Spring Game Thread #18: A’s at Padres

The Oakland A’s debuted two of their previously injured pitchers on Wednesday, and now they’re rolling out their starting catcher for the first time this spring.

The A’s have Sean Murphy starting behind the plate in their Cactus League game on Thursday against the San Diego Padres. He missed the first couple weeks of exhibition games after offseason surgery for a collapsed lung.

Another Sean will take the mound for Oakland as Murphy’s battery-mate, as Sean Manaea makes his second spring start. He showed increased velocity in his debut last weekend, relative to the modest heater he worked with last season.

The Padres have a couple former A’s in their lineup. Jurickson Profar is in left field, after signing a three-year contract over the winter to remain in San Diego. At second base is Jorge Mateo, who never made it to Oakland as a prospect but is having a nice spring for the Padres.

First pitch is (was) 1:10 p.m. PT. You can listen to the radio broadcast for free online at A’s Cast.

A’s lineup (away)

1. LF Tony Kemp (L)
2. RF Ka’ai Tom (L)
3. C Sean Murphy (R)
4. 1B Mitch Moreland (L)
5. DH Carlos Perez (R)
6. 3B Vimael Machin (L)
7. 2B Pete Kozma (R)
8. CF Cody Thomas (L)
9. SS Nick Allen (R)

• LHP Sean Manaea

Murphy and some fun prospects!

Padres lineup (home)

1. CF Tommy Pham (R)
2. LF Jurickson Profar (S)
3. SS Fernando Tatis Jr (R)
4. 3B Manny Machado (R)
5. 1B Eric Hosmer (L)
6. 2B Jorge Mateo (R)
7. C Victor Caratini (S)
8. 1B Brian O’Grady (L)
9. LHP Adrian Morejon (L)

• No DH for Morejon

Let’s go Oakland!