We are so back baby! The site is back up for the most part, most of the writers are logged in, and we are ready to continue on with our season.
The Athletics will take on the Nationals this afternoon for the second of three games, looking to win their second in a row after last night’s outburst from the offense. Taking the ball for the Green & Gold will be left-hander Jeffrey Springs, who will be getting his 24th assignment today. He brings a flat 4.00 ERA on the year but he’s been on a roll in recent starts. Over his past seven appearances he’s sporting a better 3.46 ERA, and that’s including a blow up he had a couple starts ago. His bottom line season stats don’t show how good Springs has been for the club since May.
The starting nine for today’s contest looks like this:
Leadoff Shea is back at the top of the lineup, and why change things after last night? Langeliers had a game for the ages when he swatted three homers in yesterday’s drubbing, becoming just the second catcher in baseball history to hit three homers from the leadoff spot (Travis d’Arnaud in 2019). Sluggers Nick Kurtz and Brent Rooker are right behind him in the order but the cleanup spot will be occupied by JJ Bleday, who hit 4-for-6 last night with a double and a homer last night. Lawrence Butler also returns to the lineup while Gio Urshela and Max Schuemann occupy the final two spots in the batting order again.
The bats will be going up against Nats rookie right-hander Cade Cavalli. Once considered one of the top pitching prospects in the sport, Cavalli has seen his career essentially put on pause after undergoing Tommy John surgery in 2023. He’s only pitched in one big league game and that start didn’t go well for the young righty. The A’s will try to make it two straight bad starts to begin his big league career.
Washington’s starting lineup tonight:
Time to make it two straight wins. Maybe another outburst is on tap? That’d be fun. Let’s go A’s!