Game Thread #46: A’s at Angels

The Oakland A’s are more than one-quarter of the way through the 2021 season, with 45 games in the books, but they’re yet to play against three of their four AL West division rivals — the Angels, Mariners, and Rangers.

That’s about to change quickly, beginning Friday. The A’s open a three-game series in Anaheim against the Angels, then head home for three against the Mariners and four more against the Halos, and then they fly to Seattle for three road contests against the M’s. Settle in, because June 4 is the next time we’ll see the A’s play against a team other than the Angels or Mariners, with the next 13 matchups coming against that pair of western opponents.

Oakland takes the first step on that journey behind James Kaprielian. The right-hander debuted last summer but made his first MLB start on May 12 at Fenway Park, tossing five innings of one-run ball in a victory over a Red Sox lineup that ranks third in MLB in per-game scoring.

A’s lineup (away)

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

• RHP James Kaprielian

Chapman moves up to second in the order.

Angels lineup (home)

1. SS Jose Iglesias (R)
2. DH Shohei Ohtani (L)
3. 3B Anthony Rendon (R)
4. 1B Jared Walsh (L)
5. LF Taylor Ward (R)
6. RF Jose Rojas (L)
7. CF Juan Lagares (R)
8. C Drew Butera (R)
9. 2B David Fletcher (R)

• LHP Jose Quintana

Let’s Go Oakland!

How To Watch

• Date: Friday, May 21
• Time: 6:38 p.m. PT
• TV (local): NBC Sports California
• Radio: 960 AM (more listings here)
• Streaming (watch): NBCS website (with cable sub)
• Streaming (listen): A’s Cast