Game Thread #98: A’s at Mariners

Back on the road again! The Oakland A’s won three out of five games on their recent short homestand, including a two-game sweep of the Los Angeles Angels, and now they head north to visit another AL West division rival in the Seattle Mariners.

The A’s lead off the series with Sean Manaea on the mound. He’s allowed at least three runs in each of his last three starts (Rangers, Astros, Indians), but also struck out 19 batters to just one walk during that span. He already faced the Mariners once this year in early-June, and he dominated them in a shutout, working nine sensational innings of four-hit ball.

The losing pitcher in that June shutout was Chris Flexen, and he’ll oppose Manaea again tonight. Oakland tagged him for five runs in six innings last time, all in the 3rd inning, including a homer by Mitch Moreland. Since returning from the injured list a few days ago, Moreland is 3-for-12 with a dinger, two doubles, and three walks (1.067 OPS), with a .413 xwOBA from Statcast based on 99.4 mph exit velocity.

A’s lineup (away)

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

• LHP Sean Manaea

Brown instead of Kemp.

Mariners lineup (home)

1. SS J.P Crawford (L)
2. RF Mitch Haniger (R)
3. 1B Ty France (R)
4. 3B Kyle Seager (L)
5. DH Luis Torrenz (R)
6. C Tom Murphy (R)
7. CF Jerred Kelenic (L)
8. 2B Dylan Moore (R)
9. LF Shed Long (L)

• RHP Chris Flexen

How To Watch

• Date: Thursday, July 22
• Time: 7:10 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