Severino wasn’t complaining. He was simply stating fact. It just so happens his road ERA is 0.95, while it’s 5.28 at home. He’s scheduled to start Sunday’s series finale. In road games, he said, “We feel more comfortable because we can do things we cannot do here.”
Severino isn’t the only Athletic with extreme home-road splits. The hitters are feeling it, too. Tyler Soderstrom and Brent Rooker lead the A’s in homers with nine apiece as Soderstrom has hit seven on the road while Rooker has six. Five of Shea Langeliers’ seven homers have come on the road.
What gives? Manager Mark Kotsay said, “I can’t explain it right now. We haven’t played well at home.” Rooker added, “There’s no obvious factor that stands out. By the end of the year, I think our numbers will be pretty close to even.”
One consideration: The A’s have had a tougher home schedule with series against the Cubs, Padres, Mets, Rangers, Mariners, and Yankees. The only pushover was the White Sox. The wind has been a factor, though it’s the same for each side. Some days, it blows toward the plate. Other days, it blows toward the outfield. Friday, it hardly blew, six miles per hour at first pitch, calm and 91 degrees. A hitter’s paradise. At least for the Yankees.
“Pitching here’s tough,” Severino said. “Some days the ball’s flying. Some days it’s not. You have to know how to pitch here. It’s tough, I’m not going to lie. But in the end, this is what we have. This is what we have to deal with.”
Judge had a lot of family, including his parents, and friends in attendance, just as he always did at the Coliseum. It was his first game at the facility since 2013 when his Fresno State team played Sacramento State.
“Just felt like being home,” Judge said. “Any time we play the A’s, it’s just always something that’s familiar for me, close to home for me. It was special.”