OAKLAND Tyler Austin Jersey , Calif. — Having battled heavyweights for 10 consecutive games, the Oakland Athletics get a chance to enjoy the rivals knocking out each other when they open a three-game series against the last-place Texas Rangers on Friday night.Fresh from their first day off in three weeks, the A’s (84-57) will take the field 3 1/2 games behind Houston (87-53) atop the American League West.The Astros begin a tough series at Boston (97-44) on Friday night.Article continues below ...The A’s likewise find themselves 3 1/2 back of the New York Yankees (87-53) in the race for the top AL wild-card spot. Oakland won two of three from the AL East’s second-place team to slice one game off its deficit in a three-game series that ended Wednesday.The Yankees open a series at Seattle (78-62) on Friday. The Mariners are the A’s chief competition for the second wild-card spot, 5 1/2 games behind Oakland.In the Rangers, the A’s will be facing a team they’ve beaten in six of their last seven head-to-heads, including a three-game series also in Oakland last month in which Texas suffered 9-0 and 6-0 defeats before rebounding with a 4-2 win in the finale.After having started Liam Hendriks and Frankie Montas a total of three times in their last seven games to fill voids created by injuries to Sean Manaea and Brett Anderson, the A’s will try someone relatively new, right-hander Chris Bassitt http://www.yankeesfanproshop.com/authentic-giancarlo-stanton-jersey , against the Rangers on Friday.Oakland gave the 29-year-old a shot the last time the A’s played a non-contender — Aug. 26 at Minnesota — and Bassitt did his job, limiting the Twins to one run on four hits over 4 2/3 innings, setting the tone for a 6-2 win.It was his first start since July 11.Bassitt (2-3, 3.19 ERA) has faced the Rangers twice in his career, once as a starter, and has compiled an 0-1 record with an 11.25 ERA. He has not faced the Rangers since 2015.The A’s went 5-5 in their rugged 10-game stretch against the Astros, Mariners and Yankees. Their reward over the final 21 games — a cupcake-filled finish that includes six meetings with last-place teams and six with fourth-place squads.A’s center fielder Ramon Laureano assured that he and his teammates will remain focused even with the opponents having lesser credentials than those the team just got done dueling.“We just keep the same attitude,” the rookie professed. “Everybody stays hungry and keeps battling. We’re more hungry every day Miguel Andujar Jersey , even when we win.”In Rangers right-hander Yovani Gallardo (8-3, 5.97), the A’s will see a veteran pitcher who beat them twice last season.That, however, merely improved the 32-year-old’s career record against Oakland in 11 meetings, including 10 starts, to 2-5 with a 4.47 ERA.The Rangers took advantage of a soft stretch in their own schedule, winning three of their last five against the Twins and Angels.Nomar Mazara was the big bomber for Texas Tim Tebow Jersey , collecting three home runs and three doubles among eight hits in 19 at-bats (.421) in the five games.Adrian Beltre also had three homers, and Elvis Andrus added two homers in that stretch during which the Rangers totaled 33 runs. Paul Bereswill/Getty ImagesThe New York Yankees announced on Tuesday that Luis Severino will start the team's American League Wild Card Game against the Oakland Athletics on Wednesday night.New York Yankees YankeesTomorrows AL Wild Card Game starter will be LuisSeverino94. #SevySeason K5JFO7UjLdSeverino, 24, is having an excellent 2018 campaign with an 18-10 record, 3.39 ERA, 1.14 WHIP and 220 strikeouts in 191.1 innings.In the past two seasons, Severino has emerged as a foundational rotation piece. But his selection raises concerns.He wasn't great in last year's postseason, as he went 1-1 with a 5.63 ERA Jay Bruce Jersey , 1.31 WHIP and 12 strikeouts in 16 innings and four starts. While he'll bring postseason experience to a crucial play-in game, he cooled off down the stretch this season. In 12 starts since the All-Star Game, Severino went 5-6 with a 5.57 ERA in 63 innings. In September作者: randolph9531 時間: 2023-3-22 04:57
