The Athletics keep finding ways to win close games against the Texas Rangers, and they will look to continue that trend on Tuesday in the second contest of a four-game series in Arlington, Texas.
Texas will send right hander Jacob deGrom (0-1, 3.33 ERA) to the mound to begin the game while the Athletics will go with left-hander Jacob Lopez (0-0, 0.00 ERA).
The A’s grabbed the series opener 2-1 on Monday. Tyler Soderstrom’s two-run, fifth-inning double was the difference-maker, and it proved enough for JP Sears and three Athletics relievers.
The Rangers have dropped three straight games overall and three in a row to the Athletics — all by three runs or fewer — including the final two of a three-game series last week in West Sacramento, Calif.
“In the beginning of last year, we had problems winning these types of games, but I think there’s a lot of confidence in that room right now,” Athletics manager Mark Kotsay said after the Monday win. “They’re recognizing how to win these games, and that’s the maturity, that’s the growth we’ve been waiting for and looking for, you know, overall.
“I couldn’t be more proud of the way they played tonight and fought to win.”
Texas finished with just six hits on Monday, two of them by Jonah Heim, including an RBI single in the sixth. Texas only had one baserunner from over the final three innings.
de Grom faced the Athletics on Thursday in his most recent outing. He worked 5 1/3 innings and allowed two runs on six hits and no walks while striking out six in a game Texas dropped in the ninth in walk-off fashion.
“I feel close,” deGrom said. “There’s still work to do, but I’ll probably say that between every start. I’m constantly trying to perfect things. Against the Athletics, the main thing was I wasn’t able to make a pitch when I needed to.”
That showing was a second consecutive solid performance for deGrom. On April 18, he hurled a season-high seven innings, struck out seven and allowed just one run on three hits and a walk in a 3-0 loss to the visiting Los Angeles Dodgers.
deGrom is 1-1 in three career starts against the Athletics, surrendering 15 hits, walking four and striking out 22 in 15 1/3 innings.
J.T. Ginn had been filling the spot in the Athletics’ rotation after Sears, but Ginn was placed on the 15-day injured list on Saturday due to right elbow inflammation.
Lopez was recalled from Triple-A Las Vegas to take Ginn’s spot in the roster. Lopez has made three major league appearances this season, all in relief, including a scoreless, 1 2/3 inning-stint against Texas on April 22. That was the first time he faced the Rangers in his three major league seasons. He made a total of eight appearances and two starts for the Tampa Bay Rays in 2023 and ’24.
“Lopez has some big-league experience so we will get what we can out of him and try to piece together the rest,” Kotsay said after the Monday game while announcing Lopez as the Tuesday starter.
Lopez was 2-0 with a 2.45 ERA in three games (two starts) for Las Vegas this season.
–Field Level Media
