Game Thread #50: A’s vs. Rangers

Usually I fall asleep during the game these days, but today I mixed it up and took a nap before it started.

The Oakland A’s lost the first three games of this series to the Texas Rangers, and there’s not a particularly compelling reason to think today will go any differently. The Rangers have been hitting better and they’ve been pitching better. But four-game sweeps don’t happen often, so maybe sheer probability will help the A’s salvage this finale Sunday afternoon.

At this point, the starting lineup is basically an auto-forfeit. I don’t necessarily feel that way about each individual player, in fact I like most of them and want them here on the team. But the scoreboard is getting impossible to ignore and it says this group isn’t winning games this year, and they don’t bring enough future upside to keep running it out there as currently constructed. Try something new ASAP.

A’s lineup (home)

1. 2B Tony Kemp (L)
2. RF Ramon Laureano (R)
3. DH Jed Lowrie (S)
4. 1B Seth Brown (L)
5. C Sean Murphy (R)
6. LF Luis Barrera (L)
7. SS Elvis Andrus (R)
8. 3B Kevin Smith (R)
9. CF Cristian Pache (R)

• RHP James Kaprielian

Rangers lineup (away)

1. 2B Marcus Semien (R)
2. SS Corey Seager (L)
3. RF Adolis Garcia (R)
4. DH Kole Calhoun (L)
5. C Jonah Heim (S)
6. 1B Nathaniel Lowe (L)
7. 3B Andy Ibañez (R)
8. LF Brad Miller (L)
9. CF Eli White (R)

• RHP Dane Dunning

How to watch/listen

• Date: Sunday, May 29
• Time: 1:07 p.m. PT
• TV: NBC Sports California
• Radio: 960 AM
• Streaming (listen): A’s Cast