Game Thread #129: A’s vs. Yankees

The Oakland A’s are on a five-game losing streak, and they need to snap it quickly if they want to stay in the postseason race. Friday night they host the New York Yankees at the Coliseum, for the second of a four-game series between Wild Card contenders.

The A’s have Sean Manaea on the hill. The lefty is mired in his own personal slump amid the team’s larger skid, as he’s completed five innings just once in his last four starts. During that stretch he’s totaled 17 runs in 15⅔ frames, including five homers and an uncharacteristic seven walks.

Oakland’s lineup has a change at the top. Mark Canha has batted leadoff for most of the season, but he’s been struggling at the plate recently so he moves down to seventh. Tony Kemp leads off instead, bringing with him a strong .362 OBP for the season (and .342 OBP in August alone).

A’s lineup (home)

1. LF Tony Kemp (L)
2. CF Starling Marte (R)
3. 1B Matt Olson (L)
4. DH Jed Lowrie (S)
5. 2B Josh Harrison (R)
6. 3B Matt Chapman (R)
7. RF Mark Canha (R)
8. C Sean Murphy (R)
9. SS Elvis Andrus (R)

• LHP Sean Manaea

Kemp to the outfield, Harrison to the infield.

Yankees lineup (away)

1. 2B D.J. LeMahieu (R)
2. 1B Anthony Rizzo (L)
3. CF Aaron Judge (R)
4. RF Giancarlo Stanton (R)
5. LF Joey Gallo (L)
6. DH Luke Voit (R)
7. 3B Gio Urshela (R)
8. SS Andrew Velazquez (S)
9. C Kyle Higashioka (R)

• RHP Gerrit Cole

Let’s go Oakland!

How To Watch

• Date: Friday, August 27
• Time: 6:40 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