Oakland Athletics: 5 Reasons to be Optimistic
By Casey Witt
5. Solid starts from Sonny Gray
Apr 28, 2015; Oakland, CA, USA; Oakland Athletics starting pitcher Sonny Gray (54) pitches during the top of the first inning against the Los Angeles Angels at O.co Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Bob Stanton-USA TODAY Sports
There is no question that Sonny Gray is the “Ace” of the Athletics starting rotation; and on Opening Night he pitched a gem against the Texas Rangers at the Coliseum, tossing eight innings of one-hit ball, allowing no runs, one walk, while recording three punch outs on the evening — propelling the A’s to their first Game 1 victory since 2004 against the same Lone Star State ball club, 5-4. Since then, Gray has made four additional starts against Seattle, Kansas City, and two versus the Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim. In each his five starts this season, Gray has pitched a total of 36 1/3 innings, allowing just eight hits in that span — while having a K/BB ratio of 25:6, on top of a miniscule 1.98 ERA.
Next: A team on the mend