Athletics Defeat Mariners for First Victory of 2025

Springs is dominant in his Athletics debut!

Opening week continues in major league baseball tonight in the Pacific Northwest as the Athletics took on the Seattle Mariners at T-Mobile Park. In game two of the four-game set, A’s newcomer Jeffrey Springs faced 32-year-old righty Luis Castillo for Seattle.

Both starters cruised through the first three. Springs faced just one over the minimum walking one batter and striking out four, while Castillo gave up just one hit and two walks. Then in the top of the fifth inning the contract extensions at the top of the order paid their first regular season dividends. With two outs, Lawrence Butler doubled, and Brent Rooker launched his first homer of the regular season giving the A’s a 2-0 lead.

Springs lost his no-hit bid during the bottom of the fifth when Mitch Garver led off with a single, and Jorge Polanco followed with a single of his own. Dylan Moore singled to centerfield, and with Garver trying to score from second, JJ Bleday nailed him at the plate with a great throw and tag by Langeliers. Bleday ended the inning for Springs with a nice sliding catch on a line drive by J.P. Crawford. Springs continued dealing in the sixth, striking out two of the three batters he faced.

With one out in the top of the seventh, Jacob Wilson singled, and Lawrence Butler walked. Brent Rooker struck out on a chin high fastball. JJ Bleday blooped an infield single scoring Wilson from second and moving Butler to third. Shea Langeliers singled into the centerfield gap scoring Butler and moving Bleday to third. Tyler Soderstrom continued to rake with a ground-rule double into the right field stands. That drove in Bleday and moved Langeliers to third. Pinch hitter Miguel Andujar walked to load the bases. But Gio Urshela popped out to right fielder Victor Robles to end the inning. But not before the A’s jumped out to a 5-0 lead heading into the bottom of the seventh. Springs work was complete, ending the day with a line of six innings, three hits, one walk and nine strikeouts. It was an impressive first outing in an A’s uniform.

Justin Sterner made his A’s debut in the bottom of the seventh. He walked the first two batters he faced. Polanco grounded into a force out at second for the first out. Donovan Solano struck out for the second out of the inning. T.J. McFarland replaced Sterner and promptly struck out pinch hitter Luke Raley to end the inning.

Max Muncy led off the top of the eighth inning with his first major league hit, a home run deep into centerfield. That brought the score to 6-0.

Rooker singled for his second hit of the game. Bleday singled, sending Rook to third. Langeliers grounded into a force out to end the inning. Mitch Spence came in to pitch the eighth inning. With two down in the inning, Julio Rodríguez got his first hit of the season, a single to right field. But Spence struck out Cal Raleigh to end the inning.

The scoring didn’t end in the eighth when Luis Urías pinch hit for Gio Urshela and parked a no-doubter in the left field seats. That brought the score to 7-0 A’s. Spence slammed the door in the ninth to lock up the win for Springs. That evens the A’s early season record to 1-1.

Two games remain on this road trip before the A’s christen their new home, Sutter Health Park in Sacramento.