MidValleySports.Com

By Tim Byrnes

Athletics Notes: Having the least experienced pitching rotation in baseball will come back to haunt a team but the A’s have held it together the last few weeks. A starter giving up more than 3 earned runs has been rare occurence since the Astros series but there were issues against the Rays. Sandwiched between the Rays complete 7-4 and 8-2 wins was probably the best pitched complete game by the A’s all season, a 6-0 shutout win for the green and gold.

Athletics Batting: As the Notes said before the Rays series, AL Rookie of the Year frontrunner 1B Nick Kurtz is having issues with inside breaking pitches. He sat the finale with strikeouts in half his at-bats. Kurtz is batting a solid .300 on the season but since the 6-for-6, 4 home run game his power has been missing. He had issues with inside sliders earlier this season and made the adjustments so the team expects him to get hot again soon. On a brighter note, LF Tyler Soderstrom needs some love with him being on a team-leading 13-game hitting streak. While a somewhat quiet streak, he has been pounding the ball all season, hitting 23 doubles, 22 home runs, and 71 RBI’s in 2025. We have to be realistic about C Shea Langeliers, and it needs to be said. His bat is a must! It’s true. He hit his 24th home run versus the Rays and has 45 extra-base-hits this year. He is batting nearly 50 points higher and a solid .272 on the year but his ability to keep the basepath’s quiet has been horrible. Seven of the eight base stealing attempts were successful in the Tampa Bay series and it can’t be said its just a bad series. On the year, Langeliers has allowed 64 stolen bases in 79 attempts and while he calls a solid game and handles his pitching staff professionally, the team may have to start thinking of a future with him as a designated hitter and move to another everyday catcher next year.

Injury Update: After winning MLB’s Electric Play of the Week four consecutive times, and hitting nearly .300 in July, an adductor strain sidelined CF Denzel Clarke and put him on the 10-day IL. He has been activated and is expected to be playing in AAA Las Vegas over the weekend but don’t leave out a quick return.

Athletics Pitching: Rookie Jacob Lopez pitched a seven inning, four hit gem of an outing with nine strikeouts. Lopez (6-6, 3.30) dominated the game and relievers Justin Sterner and Tyler Ferguson each pitched a hitless inning to complete the 6-0 shutout. The relievers, as a group, continue to overachieve while being asked to pitch longer than they usually go and with less rest than they are accustomed. Hogan Harris pitched in both losses against the Rays but ate innings by going 4 2/3 innings of two hit, scoreless ball. Having Thursday off helps this staff, and gives recently promoted Tyler Ferguson some needed extra rest, as he is expected to be a workhorse for the rest of the season.

Upcoming Series: Usually A’s fans get that sick feeling when the Astros are on the schedule, but this season it’s the Angels that have the fans reaching for Tums. The 59-62 Angels come to West Sacramento with a 7-0 season series lead against the 54-69 Athletics. A’s relief pitcher turned starter RHP Jack Perkins (1-2, 4.08) will defend home turf against Angels LHP Yusei Kikuchi (6-7, 3.37). Both pitchers benefitted from good run support in their last outings but both gave up over three earned runs. GameTime: August 15, 2025 705 PM Sutter Health Park West Sacramento, Ca