For the second straight year, Luis Severino pitched like the ace of the A’s staff on Opening Day, and for the second straight year, the A’s came away without a win. Despite some clear similarities between the two contests, Friday night’s loss is a little more uplifting than last year’s defeat.
Last night, Shea Langeliers was the entire A’s offense, crushing two solo home runs in a 3-for-4 start to the season for the backstop. Those three hits were the only ones that the green and gold’s vaunted offense would be able to manage against Kevin Gausman’s (mostly) un-hittable splitter.
A year ago to the day, it was Tyler Soderstrom that went 2-for-3 with two solo home runs that had the A’s ahead late in the game. Jacob Wilson added a third hit to the A’s tally that game. The difference between the two is that the A’s were playing from behind last night, tying the game in the ninth, while the bullpen melted down late in Seattle last year.
While Justin Sterner ended up giving up the game-winning hit in the bottom of the ninth inning against Toronto, there were a couple of other factors that had more of an impact on the game than the cutter that Andres Giménez grounded to right for the win.
Defense let down otherwise solid pitching
Right before Giménez came up to bat, Ernie Clement doubled down the line on a ball he hit five feet with a launch angle of -37 degrees, but due to the surface of the field at Rogers Centre, it bounced high into the air, over the head of Max Muncy, and into the outfield.
The problem here appeared to be the positioning of Muncy, who looked to be near the grass when the ball was hit. The A’s commentators said the club was playing no doubles, but with two outs Muncy looked to be protecting against a bunt, which didn’t make a lot of sense. Because he was in, that ball was able to go over his head, and Clement had his double.
Granted, it was hit so high that Clement may have ended up at first anyway, but there would have been runners on first and second instead of second and third. That’s a pretty big difference.
The other play that cost the A’s a couple of runs was the misplay in the outfield between Denzel Clarke and Tyler Soderstrom. Clarke is one of the best defenders in baseball, and Soderstrom was a Gold Glove finalist last season in his first year at the position. They’re good with the gloves. But on Friday night, their communication was lacking.