A's vs. Guardians Preview: Probables, Matchups and X-Factors
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The Athletics are set to continue their homestand with a series against the Cleveland Guardians which will begin on Friday night and run through the weekend.
The A’s have won their last three series, dropping just a single game to each of the Seattle Mariners, Texas Rangers and Kansas City Royals, which moved them into the top spot in the AL West. They currently sit 1.5 games above the second-place Mariners.
On the other hand, the Guardians have lost three-straight series. They picked up a single win against the Houston Astros, Toronto Blue Jays and Tampa Bay Rays in those series, but still hold onto the top spot in the AL Central, albeit just barely. They’re currently tied with the Detroit Tigers with 16-16 records.
Projected Pitchers:
Friday - Joey Cantillo (1-1, 2.97 ERA) vs J.T. Ginn (0-0, 3.24 ERA)
Saturday - Slade Cecconi (0-4, 6.23 ERA) vs Jacob Lopez (2-1, 5.84 ERA)
Sunday - Parker Messick (3-0, 1.73 ERA) vs Aaron Civale (2-1, 3.23 ERA)
Players to Watch - Cleveland
Travis Bazzana
The first Australian to ever be selected first overall in the MLB Draft, Bazanna made his major league debut against the Rays earlier this week. Although he didn’t set the world on fire in his first two games, he can become dangerous once he adapts to the MLB’s pace of play, given his level of talent.
He’s still looking for his first major league hit, so there’s a chance that he’ll achieve that milestone at Sutter Health Park this weekend.
José Ramírez
Although Ramirez’s .222 batting average is much lower than expected to start the season, he’s always a player to keep an eye on. Despite not reaching base as often as he usually does, when he does get a hit, it’s usually a difference-maker.
Of his 26 hits this season, 13 are extra-base hits, and six are home runs. He has also drawn 21 walks to this point in the season, and he can make a defense pay on the basepaths with his 12 stolen bases.
Daniel Schneeman
While Schneeman wasn’t viewed as one of the Guardians’ top players heading into the season. That said, the 29-year-old has been their most efficient batter so far. He currently has a .321 batting average and a .955 OPS in 26 games played. He's kind of like their Carlos Cortes, with the A's version helping to carry them into first place.
He does tend to strike out fairly regularly, sitting with a 29.9% rate entering this series, but he’s a consistent threat to make an impact while at the plate this season. It remains to seen how sustainable his play will be, but for now, the A’s certainly need to keep an eye on him.
Players to Watch - Athletics
Nick Kurtz
It’s not often that a player is being watched for their ability to draw a walk, but that’s exactly what’s happening with Nick Kurtz at the moment. The Athletics’ young star has drawn a walk in 19-straight games, tying him with Ted Williams for the third-longest streak in MLB history. He trails the record holder, Roy Cullenbine, by three games heading into the series against Cleveland.
While Kurtz’s season stats are brought down drastically by his difficult start to the season in March, he seemed more like himself in April. He had a .281 batting average and hit five home runs in April, and now he’ll be looking to carry that momentum into May. While his counting stats haven't been there just yet, his batted ball data should scare opposing pitchers.
Shea Langeliers
At this point, it’s hard not to sound like a broken record when talking about Langeliers. He’s been on another level for the Athletics this season. He’s batting .328 with eight home runs and a .974 OPS, and leads the A's in a slew of offensive categories.
He’s a threat every time he steps into the batter’s box and is slowly gaining the recognition he deserves around Major League Baseball. He’s a major part of the Athletics’ success to this point in the season.
The only factor that could limit his damage against Cleveland would be the impending birth of his first child, which is expected to happen any day.
The Bullpen
The Athletics’ bullpen has been one of the best in the MLB since they traded Mason Miller to the San Diego Padres. Our Jason Burke did a deep dive on what has caused the bullpen’s recent success earlier this week, and spoke to A's manager Mark Kotsay about the behind-the-scenes stuff that contributes to that performance.
With both Joel Kuhnel and Jack Perkins looking like solid options in the ninth, the A's bullpen is rounding into shape nicely.
The first game of the A's series against the Guardians will be on Friday night, beginning at 6:40 p.m. PT.
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William has been a sports journalist for nearly a decade. He previously covered the A's on occasion at Sports Radio Service. He also covers quite a few teams in the Bay Area including the San Jose Sharks, Earthquakes, and Bay FC.
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