Athletics series preview: Last visit to Oakland?
The Kansas City Royals and Oakland A’s have had some good battles over the years.
The Athletics left Kansas City in 1967 and began a dynasty shortly thereafter with three consecutive titles in the early 70s. The new Royals began battling them for the Western Division title throughout the 70s.
The A’s and Royals were the top two teams in the division in 1973 (A’s took the division), 1975 (A’s again), 1976 (Royals), and 1980 (Royals, by a big margin). The A’s beat the Royals under the 1981 playoff format, and the Royals finished a distant second to the Bash Brothers A’s in 1989, missing the playoffs despite having the third-best record in baseball. Perhaps the most famous tilt between the two teams came in 2014, when the Royals and A’s played the most thrilling Wild Card game in history, with Salvy’s game-winning hit down the line etched in the minds of every Royals fans.
There’s a tremendous history between the Royals and the Oakland Athletics, but the chapter may be coming to an end. The team has announced plans to relocate to Las Vegas, and will spend the next few seasons in Sacramento. There are still several details to be finalized, but this could be the last visit the Royals ever make to Oakland. And say what you will about the rival A’s, but their fans deserved better than this.
Kansas City Royals (41-32) vs. Oakland Athletics (26-48)
Royals: 4.81 runs scored/game (8th in MLB), 3.97 runs allowed/game (9th)
Athletics: 3.59 runs scored/game (28th), 4.84 runs allowed/game (25th)
The A’s have been rebuilding, and while they’re still bad, they’re not as laughably bad as they were last year when they lost 112 games, the most in club history in over 100 years. The team got off to a decent .500 start, but have lost 31 of their last 40, without a series win since May 23 over the Rockies. The Royals swept them back in mid-May in Kansas City, outscoring them 19-9.
The A’s still take a Moneyball-approach to hitting, with the fifth-most home runs, the second-highest strikeout rate, and a decent walk rate, but the lowest batting average in baseball. Shea Langerliers is second among all catchers in home runs with 13. Former Royals outfielder Brent Rooker has the third-highest strikeout rate in baseball, the third-lowest contact rate, and he has been lucky when he does make contact with the eighth-highest BABIP.
Former first round pick Tyler Soderstrom has picked things up this month after a slow start, hitting .325/.413/.625 with four home runs in 14 games in June. Rookie Max Schuemann enjoyed the first four-hit game of his career on June 1 against Atlanta, and has gone 6-for-40 (.150) since then.
Only three teams have stolen fewer bases than the A’s, and they have the sixth-worst caught stealing rate at 26 percent. They have the third-worst Defensive Runs Saved at -26 and Langeliers is one of the worst pitch-blockers in baseball. The A’s designated J.D. Davis for assignment this week and are expected to call up outfielder Lawrence Butler to replace him.
The A’s have given up 5 or more runs in eight of their last nine games.
After putting up a 7.14 ERA in his rookie year, Hogan Harris has pitched brilliantly this year, allowing just three earned runs over 16 2⁄3 innings in his three starts. Opponents are hitting just .100 against his changeup that he mixes in with his 93 mph four-seamer and curve. He has a reverse split with lefties hitting much better against him (.280/.357/.440) than righties.
Luis Medina came over from the Yankees in the Frankie Montas trade, but he has struggled in the big leagues so far, putting up a 5.42 ERA in 109 2⁄3 innings last year. The 25-year-old has good velocity at 95 mph, but hasn’t been able to put hitters away. He gives up a lot of flyballs, but it hasn’t hurt him so far with the long ball.
Rookie Mitch Spence gave up four runs on nine hits in 5 2⁄3 innings in his last start against the Twins. He has one of the lowest home run rates in baseball, and has only given up one dong at home in Oakland, although his overall numbers are better on the road. He primarily throws a slider with a 27 percent whiff rate, but will also mix a cutter, curve, sinker, and change, yielding a groundball rate of 49 percent.
Oakland’s bullpen has been pretty good, with a 3.50 ERA, good for ninth-best in baseball. Rookie closer Mason Miller has been a sensation with the fastest heater in baseball, topping 101 mph. He is striking out nearly half of all batters he has faced, with opponents hitting just .140 against him. He hasn’t pitched since Sunday, when he came into a bases-loaded situation in the eighth and walked in a run, blowing his second save of the year.
Lucas Erceg is a former third baseman who went to the independent leagues and made it to the big leagues as a reliever throwing 98 mph. He has one of the best strikeout rates in baseball and a 49 percent ground ball rate. Austin Adams throws sliders 78 percent of the time, most in the league. Curveball artist Dany Jiménez has one of the highest walk rates in baseball.
The Royals should expect a series win and a sweep isn’t out of the question. They haven’t won the season series against the A’s since 2015, but perhaps their last trip ever to Oakland can give them some pleasant memories.