Oakland A's probable pitchers and starting lineup vs. Cleveland Guardians, April 21
The Oakland Athletics will face off against the Cleveland Guardians today, looking for their first win since last Sunday afternoon. The A's are currently battling a 5-game losing streak and have gone 1-5 against the Guardians in 2024.
A's outfielder Esteury Ruiz is once again absent from the starting lineup today despite being arguably the best hitter on the team in the limited sample size so far. In just 18 plate appearances, Ruiz is hitting .375/.389/.938 with two homers, two steals, and an 11.1% strikeout rate. Ruiz has done everything in his power to earn the playing time and he's being shorted by manager Mark Kotsay.
Despite the strict platoon approach the A's are currently taking, they're now down to 8-13 on the year and have been outscored by 33 runs, the fourth-worst mark in the majors. They'll hope to get things pointed in the right direction with a win today, though they'll get a tough test as they face off against the Guardians' nominative ace Tanner Bibee.
Probable pitching matchups
- Ross Stripling gets the nod for the Athletics today, entering the matchup with a 5.32 ERA and an 0-4 record. Stripling's only solid outing came against the Red Sox back on April 3rd, when he went 7 innings while allowing just one earned run. He's allowed at least 3 runs in each of his other three starts and gets the luck of facing a Cleveland team that's posted the 3rd highest runs scored mark in MLB to this point.
- Tanner Bibee will take the mound for the Guardians today. He's 1-0 on the year with a 4.82 ERA and an 18:10 strikeout to walk ratio in his first 4 starts. Bibee was exceptional in his debut in 2023, pitching to a 2.98 ERA in 142 innings. He's yet to find the thread this year but this A's offense could prove to be the steppping stool he needs to get his season heading in the right direction.
Oakland Athletics' starting lineup, April 21
- Abraham Toro, 3B
- JJ Bleday, CF
- Seth Brown, LF
- Brent Rooker, DH
- Ryan Noda, 1B
- Zack Gelof, 2B
- Lawrence Butler, RF
- Kyle McCann, C
- Nick Allen, SS
Cleveland Guardians' starting lineup, April 21
- Steven Kwan, LF
- Andres Gimenez, 2B
- Josh Naylor, DH
- David Fry, 1B
- Will Brennan, RF
- Ramon Laureano, CF
- Bo Naylor, C
- Gabriel Arias, 3B
- Brayan Rocchio, SS
How can I watch the Oakland A's game today?
- Game time: 10:40 am PDT
- Athletics fans can watch on NBCSCA
- Guardians fans can watch on Bally Sports Great Lakes
How can I stream the Oakland A's game today?
- NBC Sports Bay Area Live
- MLB.tv (subscription required)
- Fubo TV (subscription required, free trial available)
How can I listen to the Oakland A's game today?
- The Athletics broadcast will be available on A's Cast and Bloomberg 960AM/103.7 HD2
- The Guardians broadcast will be on WTAM 1100, WMMS 100.7, WARF 1350, and the Guardians Radio Network
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