⏩ A’s observations: Preview of opener?
MESA, Ariz. — The A’s lineup for their Cactus League finale Monday had an Opening Night look.
The same group — Mark Canha, Jed Lowrie, Matt Olson, Matt Chapman, Ramón Laureano, Mitch Moreland, Sean Murphy, Stephen Piscotty, Elvis Andrus — might form manager Bob Melvin’s lineup Thursday night against the Astros, though the exact order could vary.
“Might be an adjustment or two in there,” Melvin said, “but it’s fairly close.”
Canha still appears pegged for the leadoff spot. Melvin said Canha “hasn’t had a great spring” — he went 7for42 (.167) in Cactus League play — but dismissed the numbers.
“I don’t worry too much about him,” Melvin said. “I know once the season starts, he’s going to show up, and as long as he’s comfortable with the (leadoff ) spot, I am as well.”
Lowrie, a switchhitter, is a lefthanded option in the second spot against righthanded starters. Laureano and Andrus also could hit higher in the lineup at times and have some career success against righthander Zack Greinke, Houston’s Opening Night starter — Andrus is 9for25 (.360) and Laureano is 5for9 with four extrabase hits.
⏩ Melvin set the eightman bullpen: Trevor Rosenthal, Jake Diekman, Sergio Romo, Yusmeiro Petit, J.B. Wendelken, Lou Trivino, Adam Kolarek, Burch Smith.
Rosenthal, the new closer, was the only member of that group to pitch Monday in a 72 loss to the Giants. He allowed an unearned run in one inning with a walk and a strikeout. In four spring appearances, Rosenthal’s fastball ranged mainly from 95 to 97 mph and touched 98 mph.
⏩ Lefthander Sean Manaea said he “felt great” throwing upwards of 80 pitches in his final tuneup start: “I feel like I could do a little better controlling my fastball to both sides and just getting around my slider at points, but other than that, I feel great and ready for the season.”
Manaea was pulled during a fourrun third inning and looked displeased with umpire Alex Tosi’s strike zone. Manaea said he “felt like I did a pretty OK job” handling the close calls but “can definitely work on controlling it better and washing things away and just living in that moment.”
⏩ Righthander Mike Fiers (hip) will face hitters in a simulated game Wednesday in Oakland and then likely join the A’s alternate site at Stockton to build his pitch count. Melvin said the A’s are targeting “some point in time in April” for Fiers to potentially join their rotation.
⏩ Rule 5 outfielder Ka’ai Tom was “pretty excited” when told he’ll make the seasonopening roster, Melvin said. To keep Tom, the A’s optioned Seth Brown and Vimael Machin to TripleA on Sunday. Melvin termed those moves “very difficult. … I believe at some point in time, we’ll see both these guys.”