Elephant Rumblings: A’s build momentum with third straight win
MLB news roundup
Happy Wednesday, Athletics Nation!
What happens when you add a bit of offense to your excellent defense? You start winning games in bunches. The A’s put up a second straight five spot against the Pirates last night to win their third straight game. The A’s are now 13-11 since getting off to an awful start this season with a 1-6 homestand.
The A’s bullpen, buoyed by rising stars Mason Miller and Lucas Erceg, has been turning heads throughout April, and Jason Burke at SI.com rightly points to the A’s relief corps as the team’s biggest strength.
The A's red-hot bullpen is showing flashes of the past pic.twitter.com/597HI4FpSI
— A's on NBCS (@NBCSAthletics) May 1, 2024
But the A’s offense, currently ranked 29th in runs scored, appears to be gaining steam with the emergence of Tyler Nevin as a top bat in the lineup as well as a recent resurgence among more established Athletics such as Brent Rooker, JJ Bleday, and Shea Langeliers. Martin Gallegos at MLB.com credited Nevin along with the bullpen and a defense leading the AL in double plays for the A’s recent success as the team inches toward a .500 record.
The future is looking a bit brighter for some of the team’s top prospects, too. Last year’s first round pick, Jacob Wilson, is positively mashing in Midland and flashing more power than some had expected. Check out the latest prospects update from AN’s Garrett Spain for more leading indicators from the organization’s future hopefuls.
The A’s are looking to sweep the Pirates in today’s day game at the Coli, while starting pitcher Ross Stripling looks for his first win on the mound since 2022. Let’s go, Oakland!
A’s Coverage:
- A’s win 5-2 behind Bleday heroics and shutdown bullpen effort
- Athletics Prospects: Jacob Wilson stays hot for Midland
- Nevin, the ‘pen, double plays: Keys to recent success
- Oakland A’s Bullpen the Team’s Biggest Strength
- Butler’s latest hit: A freestyle recorded in an historic NYC studio
MLB News & Interest:
- Mike Trout To Undergo Knee Surgery
- Astros To Option José Abreu
- MLB Power Rankings: Our top 10 sees some shuffling; Who is your team’s early MVP? ($)
- After Nike plans uniform changes, MLB players pleased, but wary ($)
- Giants have yet to commit to Jefferies as Wednesday starter in Boston ($)
- Dodgers hitters go full game without striking out for first time in 18 years ($)
- Angels Sign Kevin Pillar
- Seven Veterans With Opt-Out Opportunities Tomorrow
- Five MLB hitters with big jumps in barrel rate: Are breakout seasons ahead for them? ($)
- Today in Baseball History
Best of X:
Roster moves.
A’S RECENT MOVES: RHP Luis Morales off LAN IL, LHP Will Johnston to LAN, RHP Jose Dicochea & LHP Eduardo Rivera to STK, RHP Nathan Dettmer to STK IL, RHP Steven Echavarria to STK, RHP Drew Conover to ACL A’s, OF Nelson Beltran off STK IL…https://t.co/joKXkyUAPy
— Athletics Farm (@AthleticsFarm) April 30, 2024
A legend pays respects to Miller and Erceg.
Dennis Eckersley is here at the Coliseum tonight and he tells me he went to introduce himself to Mason Miller. He’s super impressed with Miller and Lucas Erceg.
— Susan Slusser (@susanslusser) May 1, 2024
Rotational stability.
In the AL, only the A’s and Mariners have exclusively used 5 starters…by April 28th last year, Oak already was at 9 (Muller-Fujinami-Waldichuk-Kaprielian-Sears-Oller-Miller-Medina-Rucinski)—as of now, only Sears is left..Oak used 24 starters last year
— Vince Cotroneo (@CotroneoVince) April 30, 2024
Wilson stock rising.
The Jacob Wilson hype is real.
— Uprooted (@uprootedoakland) May 1, 2024
The No. 1 Prospect in Oakland’s system has thirteen hits in his last six games, and he just notched his third home run of the year.
Look out, MLB.#Athletics pic.twitter.com/J5E16B88be
A fine debut for Morales.
In his season debut for @LansingLugnuts today, 21 y.o. Cuban RHP Luis Morales allowed 1 ER thru his first 4 IP, then gave up a run in the 5th & left with 1 out & 1 man on, who later came around to score. Final line: 4.1 IP/6 H/3 ER/2 BB/4 K - 70 pitches, 43 strikes, up to 98 mph.
— Athletics Farm (@AthleticsFarm) May 1, 2024
Our counter-Naylor strategy is testing well in the lab.
Hey @CleGuardians, we've got a Naylor who can hit homers too
— Minor League Baseball (@MiLB) May 1, 2024
No. 8 @Athletics prospect Myles Naylor -- younger brother of Josh and Bo -- drills a three-run shot for the @stocktonports. pic.twitter.com/NQVeTiVYjE
A big day for Kots.
This Date in Coliseum History: On April 30, 2005 current A’s manager Mark Kotsay ties an Oakland record with five hits, including the game winning RBI single in the bottom of the 10th inning of the A’s 6-5 win over Seattle.
— Mike Selleck (@MikeSelleck) April 30, 2024
Ballers secure a home.
City Council just finalized approval for our $1.6M dollar plan to reactivate Raimondi Park as our new home.
— Oakland Ballers (@OaklandBallers) April 30, 2024
We're honored to be playing at such a historic ballpark & are eternally grateful to the City, residents and fans who helped to get us here.
New renderings dropping…