Rangers at Athletics Series Preview Podcast
With the Texas Rangers in Oakland for the next three days, InsideTheAthletics joined forces with Rangers beat writer Chris Halicke of the North Texas Nine Podcast and InsideTheRangers for a preview of the series.
Of special import to both sides is Tuesday’s matchup, which pits Texas’ right-hander Lance Lynn against the A’s Jesús Luzardo.
Lynn has started twice, pitched 12 innings and not only has not been scored upon, but has allowed only three hits. On the other side, this is the first Major League start for Luzardo, the club’s top-ranked prospect, a left-hander blessed with both velocity and control. He would have begun the season in the rotation but for the need to sit out for 14 days at the beginning of July after having tested positive for the coronavirus.
The A’s are 6-4 and own a one-half game lead in the American League West while the Rangers are 3-5 and badly need to win the series to keep the A’s from starting to separate from the West pack.
Chris and I look at the probable pitching matchups for the series, the offensive plight of both teams – it was recorded a few hours before the A’s broke out with an 11-run, 12-hit showing Monday night in Seattle – and the bullpens, which have been an issue for Texas and a pillar of strength for Oakland.
We also take a look at how both teams are trying to handle life on the road as MLB teams try to balance the need to social distance and the need to do their jobs on the field and in the clubhouse in a season played under the specter of the COVID-19 coronavirus.
Listen to the podcast here:
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