Batters showing preference for lefties
SEATTLE — That the A’s carried a markedly better record against lefthanded starters than righthanders into Friday’s game in Seattle was “a little bit of a surprise” to manager Bob Melvin.
Before facing Mariners lefthander Yusei Kikuchi on Friday evening, the A’s were 2413 (.649) when their opponent started a lefthander, the AL’s secondbest winning percentage. Only the White Sox, at 198 for .703, owned a better one. Oakland’s 37 games against lefthanded starters were thirdmost in the league.
“In the past we’ve been way more dominant against lefthanded pitching and I feel like our team is a little bit better suited this year against righthanded starters,” Melvin said. “We’ll mix and match as the game goes along and sometimes that affects the record. But maybe a little bit surprising that the numbers are better against lefthanded pitching and just means we’re pretty wellbalanced I guess.”
Overall, the A’s have not overwhelmed lefthanded pitchers — or righthanders. Their team OPS (.715) against lefthanders entering Friday ranked 18th in the majors and was slightly lower than their mark against righthanders (.718), which ranked 14th.
Yet a few key lineup figures own notable splits. Ramón Laureano had an .889 OPS against lefties entering Friday and a .702 mark against righthanders. Matt Chapman owned an OPS nearly 100 points higher against lefthanders (.744) than righties (.645).
Also a factor has been Matt
Olson’s improvement against lefthanded pitching. Olson entered Friday with a teamhigh 1.036 OPS against lefties and was the lone lefthanded hitter in the A’s lineup against Kikuchi, who held lefthanded
hitters to a .111 average and .375 OPS in his first 17 starts.
With Olson hitting third, Melvin again had Jed Lowrie, who owns nearly even splits against left and righthanders, in the cleanup spot. It was the
14th game Lowrie has started in the cleanup spot — only Olson and Chapman have more starts for the A’s there this season.
“When (Lowrie’s) swinging well it gives us protection for Oly over the course of a game,”
Melvin said of the switchhitter. “He’s been an important guy for us to back Oly up knowing that you’re always going to get a matchup with Jed.”
Not all A’s hitters have benefited from leftright matchups. Elvis Andrus carried a .157 average against lefties into Friday and catcher Sean Murphy’s .791 OPS against righthanders was more than 200 points better than his mark against lefties.
Chad Pinder, a lineup fixture against lefthanders when healthy, owns a .798 OPS against them this season but has been limited to 46 games by injuries. Pinder is on the injured list with a right hamstring strain suffered July 7. Melvin said Pinder has resumed baseball activities and light jogging but did not provide a timetable for Pinder’s recovery.
Briefly: The A’s awoke Friday at 22nd in the majors in batting average (.234) but with the fourthlowest batting average on balls in play (.275), suggesting some poor luck. “It’s supposed to even out,” Melvin said. “You can’t expect it to, but I think over the course of 162 (games), numbers suggest that it will.” … Melvin revealed what he’ll watch on TV to unwind after games. “If we’ve lost a game, it’s ‘Friends’ reruns all the time,” he said. “I’ve seen every one of them, so I don’t really have to process it too much.” He added he’ll watch baseball “every now and then” after wins.