Next Game
Probable Pitchers
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- K. Waldichuk OAK
- 0-3, 9.58 ERA, 2.23 WHIP
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- R. Detmers LAA
- 1-1, 2.08 ERA, 0.77 WHIP
Schedule
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Thu, Mar 23
9:05 pm
MLBN
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Top Athletics News
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Athletics' Carlos Perez: Finds work with Oakland
Perez signed a minor-league contract with the Athletics on Sunday.
The 32-year-old journeyman catcher isn't expected to contend for a long-term spot on the Athletics' 26-man active roster in 2023, but he could be needed for depth behind No. 1 option Shea Langeliers with Manny Pina (wrist) in line to open the season on the injured list. Yohel Pozo likely represents Perez's primary competition for the No. 2 role behind the dish. Perez spent the 2022 season in the Rockies organization and was a standout performer in the hitter-friendly Pacific Coast League, slashing .254/.341/.524 with 31 home runs and 87 RBI in 522 plate appearances.
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Athletics' Aledmys Diaz: Continues battle with Allen
Although Diaz continues in a heated competition with Nick Allen for the starting shortstop role, the veteran's ability to play multiple positions should help him garner a near-everyday role irrespective of how the job battle shakes out, Steve Stockmar of MLB.com reports. "You could see Diaz at shortstop. That's kind of been a trend this Spring Training. That's not set in stone," manager Mark Kotsay said. "Aledmys can play in left, we have the opportunity to DH as well. So there's a ton of combinations that we can put together that we feel good about."
Diaz inked a two-year, $14.5 million deal this offseason, and he's wasted no time validating the investment with a strong spring that includes a .357 average across 33 Cactus League plate appearances. Diaz's career .266 average, .763 OPS and modest 14.7 percent strikeout rate should afford him plenty of job security regardless of whether Allen is declared the victor of their competition, considering Diaz's defensive versatility and the fact Kotsay has emphasized he'll be prioritizing offense this season after Oakland's struggles scoring runs throughout 2022.
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Athletics' Nick Allen: In fierce shortstop competition
Allen, who is hitting .375 across 11 Cactus League games, continues to be in a heated battle with Aledmys Diaz for the starting shortstop job, Steve Stockmar of MLB.com reports.
Allen got the start Sunday against the Dodgers, and Stockmar reports the 24-year-old helped his case with an RBI and two stellar defensive plays. However, Diaz is also enjoying a successful spring at the plate, and manager Mark Kotsay is going to emphasize offensive upside in his decision-making process with respect to the winner of the job battle. "You look at the production offensively last year, we evaluate that," Kotsay said. "Obviously, we evaluate our offense last year as a group. We didn't score enough runs, and that's a necessity this year."
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Athletics' Drew Rucinski: Struggling in spring
Rucinski is 0-1 with a 6.97 ERA, 1.65 WHIP and 7:3 K:BB across 10.1 innings over three Cactus League starts.
The veteran right-hander has given up multiple earned runs in each start, but he did turn in his best performance yet Tuesday against the White Sox while allowing two earned runs on four hits and two walks in 5.1 innings. Rucinski's last taste of regular-season MLB action came back in 2018 with the Marlins, after which he spent the next four seasons in the Korea Baseball Organization. Rucinski is battling Kyle Muller and JP Sears for the fifth spot in Oakland's starting rotation, but he could certainly also fit in as a middle-relief option considering all but one of his 41 MLB appearances have come out of the bullpen.
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Athletics' Kyle Muller: Mixed bag in spring
Muller is 1-2 with a 5.65 ERA, 1.60 WHIP and 6:3 K:BB across 14.1 innings over four Cactus League appearances (three starts).
The offseason trade acquisition's Athletics debut Feb. 26 against the Brewers went smoothly, with Muller firing a pair of scoreless innings during which he allowed two hits and a walk. However, the towering southpaw has pitched to plenty of contact during his subsequent three trips to the mound, surrendering 10 runs (nine earned) on 18 hits, two walks and a hit batsman. Muller has been in contention for a back-end rotation spot with Drew Rucinski and JP Sears, and Steve Stockmar of MLB.com notes the big lefty's five-inning, 57-pitch outing against the Reds on Saturday caught the eye of manager Mark Kotsay. "He came out that first inning and really pounded the zone with his fastball," Kotsay said postgame. "I think he's recognizing the importance of the fastball and got through a full five innings. I thought he did a good job."
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Athletics' Tony Kemp: Struggling in Cactus League
Kempt went 1-for-3 in Saturday's Cactus League contest against the Reds.
Kemp has really struggled thus far this spring, so it's nice to see the 31-year-old have some success. Even with the knock, the left-handed hitter is slashing just .154/.361/.192 in his time in Arizona. Kemp is likely to hit at or near the top of the order against right-handers for the A's while likely moving to the bottom or out of the lineup altogether against southpaws.
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Athletics' Trevor May: Shaky start to spring season
May has registered a 9.64 ERA in five Cactus League appearances so far in spring training.
May has allowed five runs in 4.2 innings of work, but he has struck out nine while only issuing one walk. Signed to a one-year deal by Oakland in December 2022, the right-hander has a chance for saves in 2023 -- albeit for one of the projected worst teams in baseball. His role in the Athletics' bullpen has yet to be defined, so he probably won't be appealing in fantasy drafts.
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Athletics' Seth Brown: Could play in outfield next week
Athletics manager Mark Kotsay announced that Brown, who has been dealing with shoulder soreness, could play in the outfield as soon as next Friday, Matt Kawahara of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
Brown has not been able to play in the outfield since March 7. The outfielder will throw to the bases Wednesday, and if that goes well, he has a chance to back in the field by the end of next week. Brown would likely be the designated hitter if he can't get fully healthy by Opening Day, but everything points to him being in the outfield to start the year.
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Athletics' Aledmys Diaz: Strong numbers this spring
Diaz is hitting .385 (10-for-26) with a double, four RBI, four walks and two runs across 10 Cactus League games.
Diaz's performance at the plate is a welcome sight after the Athletics committed $14.5 million to him through 2024 this offseason. The versatile infielder is one of several veteran signings by an Athletics team in transition, and he should serve as a decent source of power numbers as he fills in across the infield and at designated hitter during the upcoming campaign.
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Athletics' Jesus Aguilar: Solid spring results at plate
Aguilar is hitting .261 (6-for-23) with two doubles, six RBI, five walks, a hit-by-pitch and three runs across 10 Cactus League games.
While he's yet to leave the yard, Aguilar has put forth a productive spring at the plate thus far and encouragingly struck out just twice in 28 plate appearances. Aguilar has never been able to re-ascend to the heights of his career-best 35-homer 2018 season with the Brewers, but he proved he still had some solid pop in his bat a year ago while belting 35 extra-base hits, including 16 round trippers, across 129 games with the Marlins and Orioles. Aguilar is slated to play on a near-everyday basis at either first base or designated hitter to open the 2023 campaign.
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Athletics' Jace Peterson: Holding own at plate in spring
Peterson is hitting .240 (6-for-25) with two doubles, two home runs, six RBI, seven walks, a stolen base and four runs across 12 Cactus League games.
The veteran is trying to lock down the starting third base job on the Opening Day roster. Peterson owns a career .231 average and .664 OPS across 741 big-league games, so his real-world and fantasy ceilings are irrefutably capped, but he's proven to be a serviceable contributor over the years. The left-hander should open the season seeing the majority of work against right-handed pitching, but he has managed a .268 batting average and .340 OBP versus southpaws over the last three seasons, albeit in only 94 plate appearances.
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Athletics' Ryan Noda: Mixed results at plate in spring
Noda is hitting .161 (5-for-31) with three doubles, one home run, four RBI, eight walks, a stolen base and five runs over 15 Cactus League games.
The Rule 5 pickup is being given a long look by the Athletics in spring training, and the results have been somewhat mixed. While the .161 batting average leaves plenty to be desired, four of Noda's five hits have gone for extra bases, and his eight walks are a positive. However, the 26-year-old has also struck out 17 times in his 39 plate appearances, an extension of the sub-par contact rates he's generated through the majority of a minor-league career that dates back to 2017. Noda does offer some welcome defensive versatility in addition to his power -- he has experience at first base and all three outfield spots -- so a rebuilding squad such as Oakland could potentially see value in keeping him on the Opening Day roster.
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Athletics' Chad Smith: Settling down after rough debut
Smith has pitched to a 5.79 ERA, 1.50 WHIP and 7:3 K:BB across 4.2 innings in four Cactus League appearances.
Smith struggled out of the gate in his Athletics debut against the Diamondbacks on Feb. 25, getting tagged for three earned runs on three hits and a walk over one inning. However, the veteran right-hander has bounced back to fire 3.2 scoreless, one-hit frames. Smith has flashed some solid swing-and-miss stuff and a penchant for keeping the ball in the park throughout his minor-league career before getting his first MLB opportunity with the Rockies in 2022, during which control issues (7.5 BB/9 across 18 innings) helped lead to a bloated 7.50 ERA and 1.72 WHIP.
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Athletics' Paul Blackburn: Ruled out for Opening Day
Blackburn (finger) will begin the season on the injured list, Matt Kawahara of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
Blackburn is dealing with a fingernail avulsion on his pitching hand. He is still able to play catch but has to wait for the injury to heal to do anything else, and evidently the Athletics anticipate that taking awhile. It's not clear at this point how long Blackburn might be sidelined.
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Athletics' Manny Pina: Will begin season on IL
Pina was diagnosed with left wrist inflammation Friday and will begin the season on the injured list, Matt Kawahara of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.
Pina was set to be the Athletics' backup catcher to start the 2023 season. Now that he'll be sitting out for an extended period of time, the A's will have to explore other options to back up Shea Langeliers behind the plate.
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Athletics' Manny Pina: Visits wrist specialist
Pina visited a specialist Thursday in Atlanta for his lingering left wrist issue, Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports.
It's the same specialist who conducted Pina's season-ending wrist surgery last May. The results of the review are still pending, but it sounds like the veteran catcher could be facing another extended absence. He had been in line to open the 2023 campaign as the No. 2 catcher in Oakland.
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Athletics' Conner Capel: Making solid case for spot
Capel is hitting .280 (7-for-25) with two doubles, two home runs, four RBI, five walks, two stolen bases and six runs across 10 Cactus League games.
Capel has also struck out a modest four times across 29 plate appearances after posting an impressively low 16.9 percent strikeout rate over his first 59 big-league PAs last season with the Cardinals and Athletics. Capel produced an impressive .308 average and .875 OPS over that span as well, and Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports the lefty-swinging 25-year-old is serving as formidable competition to another impressive young bat in Brent Rooker for a reserve outfield spot. "In terms of roster construction, we're still ahead of the game in terms of making that decision," manager Mark Kotsay said. "That's an area we're definitely focused on. I think there's more than just those two in that mix. But, obviously, they're making a really good impression right now."
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Athletics' Brent Rooker: Standing out in spring
Rooker is hitting .391 (9-for-23) with five doubles, two RBI, eight walks, a hit-by-pitch, a stolen base and six runs across 11 Cactus League games.
The 28-year-old was claimed off waivers in November after being designated for assignment by Kansas City, and he's now making a strong case for an Opening Day roster spot as a reserve outfielder. Rooker boasts a 1.172 OPS in Cactus League play and impressively laced a pair of two-baggers off the White Sox's Dylan Cease and reliever Joe Kelly on Tuesday, the latest installment in a spring that Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports has been an extension of a very strong minor-league body of work in both the Padres and Royals organizations in 2022. "Rook's having a good spring," manager Mark Kotsay said. "These at-bats today were great. He hits the ball hard. He's done a nice job of taking some great at-bats. He's taking advantage of this opportunity right now."
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Athletics' Shintaro Fujinami: Mixed bag in three spring starts
Fujinami has allowed five earned runs on six hits and eight walks while recording 13 strikeouts across eight innings in his first three Cactus League starts.
The former NPB star has seen some of his career-long control issues surface in fairly prominent fashion early in his MLB career, but he's also done a nice job closing out his fair share of hitters. Fujinami actually allowed just one earned run across five innings in his first two exhibitions before getting touched up for four runs over three frames by the Rockies in his most recent turn Monday, an outing in which he also rang up seven strikeouts. Fujinami worked up to 70 pitches against Colorado, and although he got only 40 of those offerings into the strike zone, Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports the right-hander's fastball hit 99 mph and his slider served as the putaway pitch on five of his seven Ks.
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Athletics' Freddy Tarnok: Dealing with arm issue
Tarnok hasn't pitched in a Cactus League game since March 8 due to right arm discomfort, Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports.
Initial reports suggested it was a thumb issue Tarnok was dealing with, but apparently it's his pitching arm. He's undergoing tests and the Athletics should have a clearer idea of what's going on with the right-hander soon. Tarnok came over to the Athletics from Atlanta in the Sean Murphy trade. If healthy, he's likely to start 2023 at Triple-A Las Vegas.
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2022 Team Statistical Rankings
| Avg | R | HR | ERA | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Team |
.216 (30th) |
568 (29th) |
137 (27th) |
4.52 (24th) |
Injuries
| Player | Injury |
|---|---|
| P. Blackburn SP Paul Blackburn SP | Finger |
| F. Tarnok RP Freddy Tarnok RP | Arm |
| M. Pina C Manny Pina C | Wrist |
| K. Snead RP Kirby Snead RP | Shoulder |
No ticket information available.