Game Thread #6: A’s vs. Dodgers

The Oakland A’s are five games into the 2021 season, and they’re still looking for that first win. In fact, they haven’t even been competitive in a game yet.

The task won’t get any easier on Tuesday, as they face three-time Cy Young winner Clayton Kershaw and the defending World Series champion Los Angeles Dodgers. Last night the Dodgers won 10-3, and that was with LA’s fifth starter on the mound. The lefty Kershaw last faced the A’s in 2018 and threw six quality innings of two-run ball, though the two sides did meet up this spring and the green and gold knocked him around.

Oakland counters with Chris Bassitt, who got some Cy votes last year after a breakout performance. The right-hander pitched into the 6th inning on Opening Day last week, in a losing effort against the Houston Astros.

The A’s have CF Ramon Laureano back in their lineup, after he missed three games to a jammed left wrist. However, now 1B Matt Olson is out, with a “knee contusion from sliding into the wall chasing a foul ball the other day” but with no structural damage, reports Matt Kawahara of the S.F. Chronicle.

A’s lineup (home)

1. LF Mark Canha (R)
2. DH Jed Lowrie (S)
3. CF Ramon Laureano (R)
4. 3B Matt Chapman (R)
5. C Sean Murphy (R)
6. RF Stephen Piscotty (R)
7. 1B Mitch Moreland (L)
8. SS Elvis Andrus (R)
9. 2B Tony Kemp (L)

• RHP Chris Bassitt

Lowrie gets his first DH start.

Dodgers lineup (away)

1. CF Mookie Betts (R)
2. SS Corey Seager (L)
3. DH Justin Turner (R)
4. 1B Max Muncy (L)
5. LF A.J. Pollock (R)
6. 3B Edwin Rios (L)
7. 2B Gavin Lux (L)
8. C Austin Barnes (R)
9. RF Zach McKinstry (L)

• LHP Clayton Kershaw

Let’s Go Oakland!

How To Watch

• Date: Tuesday, April 6
• Time: 6:40 p.m. PT
• TV (local): NBC Sports California
• Radio: 960 AM (more listings here)
• Streaming (listen): A’s Cast