Game Thread #90: A’s at Rangers

The Oakland A’s are still on the road, and they’re still in Texas, but they get to leave their nightmare hellscape of Houston and Minute Maid Park and travel to Arlington to face the last-place Rangers.

That doesn’t mean we should get cocky though. The Rangers have been an irritatingly tough opponent this year, winning four of seven meetings so far while the A’s themselves have been mired in a slump. Getting back on track against their division’s doormat would be a welcome conclusion to the first section of the season, heading into the All-Star break next week.

Oakland opens the series with Cole Irvin on the mound. The lefty has been brilliant lately, with eight shutout innings against the Giants and then seven innings of quality ball against the Red Sox. He faced the Rangers once in June but was only needed for five mediocre innings, as the A’s ran away with a blowout victory.

A’s lineup (away)

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

• LHP Cole Irvin

Murphy Brown!

Rangers lineup (home)

1. SS Isiah Kiner-Falefa (R)
2. 1B Andy Ibañez (R)
3. CF Adolis Garcia (R)
4. RF Joey Gallo (L)
5. DH John Hicks (R)
6. C Jonah Heim (S)
7. 2B Nick Solak (R)
8. LF Eli White (R)
9. 3B Charlie Culberson (R)

• RHP Jordan Lyles

How To Watch

• Date: Friday, July 9
• Time: 5:05 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