The Oakland Athletics are set to take on the Baltimore Orioles in a series rubber match this morning. The A's enter the matchup with an 11-17 record and an offense that's gasping for air. It doesn't help that 2023 breakout Zack Gelof and free agent signings JD Davis and Miguel Andujar are on the IL, but the offense as a whole has failed to launch.
The A's come into today's game with a -44 run differential, and their 77 runs scored are good for 29th in the league. Ryan Noda has taken a major step back after last year's run. Gelof hadn't been hitting well before his trip to the IL. Esteury Ruiz has spent the majority of the year in the minors. Nick Allen and Seth Brown are down bad, and Darell Hernaiz doesn't look like he's ready to hit major league pitching.
All in all, it's been a rough stretch for the A's, at least on the offensive side of the ball. The bullpen on the other hand has been a surprising strength for Mark Kotsay's squad. Mason Miller has been unhittable, Lucas Erceg looks like an elite set-up man, and Rule 5 pick Mitch Spence looks like a capable major leaguer. Overall, the A's have a top-10 bullpen by ERA and are top-5 by FIP. So far, the bullpen has carried the A's and they've had some success in close games.
They'll need more of that good energy if they want to leave Baltimore with a victory today. They're 3-6 on their current road trip and a win today would put them in a decent spot as they get ready for a 10-game homestand starting Monday.
Probable starting pitchers
- The A's will send Paul Blackburn to the mound this morning. He enters today's matchup at 2-1 with a 2.03 ERA and 23 strikeouts in 31 innings. He's done an excellent job getting batters to put the ball on the ground and let his defense work. His 52.8% groundball rate is 9th among all qualified starting pitchers. Baltimore's hitters have the 4th highest fly ball rate in the league so it should be an interesting battle.
- Righty Albert Suarez will take the mound for the Orioles. He's 1-0 in his two starts and has yet to allow a run in 11.1 innings. Suarez left professional baseball in 2018 and spent 2022 and 2023 playing in Korea. He signed with the Orioles this offseason and injuries to Baltimore's rotation created the opportunity to make his first major league appearance since 2017. Suarez relies heavily on a high-90's four seamer and mixes in a cutter and a changeup, and should prove to be a difficult matchup for the A's.
Oakland A's starting lineup, April 28
- Lawrence Butler, RF
- Tyler Nevin, 3B
- JJ Bleday, CF
- Brent Rooker, DH
- Seth Brown, LF
- Max Schuemann, 2B
- Ryan Noda, 1B
- Darell Hernaiz, SS
- Kyle McCann, C
Baltimore Orioles starting lineup, April 28
- Gunnar Henderson, SS
- Adley Rutschman, C
- Ryan O'Hearn, RF
- Anthony Santander, DH
- Ryan Mountcastle, 1B
- Cedric Mullins, CF
- Colton Cowser, LF
- Ramon Urias, 3B
- Jorge Mateo, 2B
What channel is the Oakland A's game on today?
- Game time: 10:35 am PDT
- Athletics fans can watch on NBCSCA
- Orioles fans can watch on MASN
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 960 AM / 103.7 HD2
- The Orioles broadcast will be available on 98 Rock FM / 97.9 HD2, WBAL News Radio AM/FM