Playoff rotation anybody’s guess
For a team that sewed up the division title with seven games to play, the A’s have some issues to sort out — specifically, with their offense. And maybe, unthinkably a few weeks ago, with their defense. Meanwhile, Oakland’s postseason pitching possibilities now look wide open.
Jesús Luzardo, who was on track to start one of Saturday’s doubleheader games, worked three innings in relief in the A’s 51 loss to the Dodgers in Los Angeles on Thursday. That means that the rookie lefthander could start Game 1 of the wildcard series Tuesday, joining
Sean Manaea as a possibility. If Chris Bassitt, Friday’s starter against Seattle, were to work only limited innings, he, too, theoretically could be an option in Game 1.
“We just wanted to keep him on regular turn,” manager Bob Melvin said of Luzardo, who’d last started Saturday, “and keep our options open at the end. We’re trying to keep as many options as possible.”
Even Thursday night’s starter, Mike Fiers, could be considered, though that seems somewhat less likely despite a solid evening against a Dodgers team that has baseball’s best record. He allowed five hits, including a solo homer by Corey Seager, a walk and two runs in five innings. Fiers is 63 this season, and since he joined the A’s, the team is 269 in his starts. “Look at our record in the games he starts,” Melvin said. “He’s a battler. He pitched well.”
With maximum flexibility, Oakland, which dropped back to the No. 3 seed in the AL playoff chase, can adjust depending on the opponent in the bestofthree wildcard series, but recent outings also might factor. Luzardo didn’t look sharp out of the bullpen, allowing three hits, two walks and three runs in his first inning of work. “Not enough strikes early,” Melvin said. “That’s a good team — you get behind them and they’re tough to put away.”
Pitching, no matter who’s on the mound, remains a major plus for Oakland, but the other areas are a little less solid. Thursday night, the A’s managed just three hits and struck out 16 times — the team was so off, even Tommy La Stella, who rarely strikes out, K’d twice. Oakland struck out 36 times in the series at
Los Angeles.
“Teams go through this, hitting is contagious and hopefully we start to grind out some atbats,” La Stella said. “We hit some balls hard, they didn’t find holes, and when that happens, it’s going to be a tough night. But one through nine, I like where we’re at. We’re going to be OK.”
“Just kind of an off night for us,” Melvin said, “A lot of strikeouts, including a guy like La Stella who doesn’t normally do that. So we’ve just gotta put this one away and come back and finish up strong at home and get ready to go next week.”
Over the past 11 games, the team is batting .194. Since the A’s fiveday break after a positive coronavirus test, numerous key players are struggling, including Mark Canha (.162) and Robbie Grossman (.178). Stephen Piscotty, redhot in August, had some knee issues and hasn’t done much all of September, batting .178 with no homers and three RBIs. And Matt Olson has 16 hits in his past 73 atbats.
There were some defensive glitches in Los Angeles, too, including two failed chances to turn double plays and at least one apparent miscommunication between La Stella and shortstop Marcus Semien on a shift. The A’s are, of course, without Platinum Glove third baseman Matt Chapman the rest of the year, and La Stella was acquired at the end of August, third baseman Jake Lamb last week.
Walker Buehler, who hadn’t pitched since Sept. 8 because of a blister, started the finale for Los Angeles and worked four scoreless innings, then Dylan Floro, Pedro Báez, Blake Treinen and Jake McGee worked an inning apiece before Kenley Jansen closed it out in the ninth.
“They are as well put together a team as there is in the big leagues,” Melvin said. “You see that before you play them — but once you play them, you understand how well they’re put together.”
“One through nine, I like where we’re at. We’re going to be OK.”
Tommy La Stella, A’s second baseman