‘Now the fun starts’ as Oakland travels to N.Y. for wild card
ANAHEIM — With the A’s heading into the postseason, Stephen Piscotty is in a nice groove, which might be what you’d expect from one of Oakland’s most “big-game” type of players.
In his only at-bat of the day, Piscotty crushed a two-run homer off Matt Shoemaker in the second inning of the A’s regular-season finale Sunday at Angel Stadium. The Angels came back to win 5-4 by scoring three runs off Chris Hatcher in the ninth, with Taylor Ward providing a walk-off two-run shot to end it. Now, the A’s get set to take on the Yankees in the wild-card game.
“We know we have a challenge ahead of us, but that’s
when we play our best,” majorleague home-run leader Khris Davis said as he packed his bag for the team flight to New York.
Piscotty, who hit a careerhigh 27 homers, could be a key for Oakland in the wild-card game and beyond if the A’s advance: He has a great postseason track record, too, with three two-run homers in the Cardinals’ four-game Division Series against the Cubs in 2015. Piscotty, then a rookie, had a hit in each game and went 6-for-16 in the series.
“The bigger the game this year, the more he’s stepped up for us,” A’s manager Bob Melvin said. “He’s hit so many big home runs for us in big games, it’s nice to have somebody like that. He seems to respond in the clutch moments at the bigger times.”
Two A’s with the potential for big milestone numbers came up short Sunday, but Jed Lowrie twice came close to getting his 100th RBI, hitting balls to the warning track in the first and the third. Davis will have to settle for 48 homers.
“I was trying,” Davis said of his push to reach 50, “but it never works out that way. But I like where I’m at and I like where this team is at.”
Davis did manage a feat that might be even more remarkable: In each of the past four seasons, he has finished with a .247 average.
“I’m kind of speechless,” he said. “I don’t know, it’s just weird. … I’m just kind of shocked. It was meant to be. That’s all I got.”
“That is just tough to comprehend,” Melvin said. “That’s almost impossible to do. The power numbers have gone up and he’s a better hitter, but I can’t explain that. The baseball gods obviously want him to hit .247.”
Oakland finished with a record of 97-65, which, even with Sunday’s loss, is a bonkers number after the team’s three consecutive last-place finishes and with the A’s disabled list packed with starting pitchers.
“Shoot, we’re thrilled with where we are to this point,” Melvin said. “And now the fun starts.”
With the A’s taking off for New York and Wednesday’s wild-card matchup against the Yankees after the game, the wild-card roster began to take shape.
Starter/reliever Daniel Mengden — who worked 42⁄3 scoreless innings and allowed one hit against the Yankees on Sept. 4 — said he is among the group of pitchers heading to Arizona to be ready for future rounds, if needed. Outfielder Dustin Fowler also is going to the team’s minor-league complex to catch the extra pitchers and stay sharp in the event of an injury.
Rookie reliever J.B. Wendelken, the September sensation, said he has been told he’s on the wild-card roster; with his 0.54 ERA since being called up Aug. 30, including 10 consecutive scoreless outings over 132⁄3 innings. Wendelken could wind up with some higher-leverage situations in the postseason, a la Francisco Rodriguez after the Angels called him up in September 2002 en route to the World Series title.
“You look up and look at the numbers and it’s been a quick ascent,” Melvin said.
The A’s still have not announced a starter for Wednesday, but the clear favorite is reliever Liam Hendriks to open the game, followed by a long string of relievers. Oakland’s best bullpen arms, especially closer Blake Treinen, could get multiple innings.
Melvin wasn’t ready Sunday to name a starter — the Yankees have not done so, either — and said the announcement will come Tuesday.