OAKLAND ATHLETICS NOTES:
ABOUT THE A’S: Beat the Brewers yesterday by a score of 2-1 to win their fourth game in a row for the first time this season…have not won four straight since winning the final four games last year and the first game this year…won the three-game series at Pittsburgh and have won three of the last four series after winning just one of the first 17…are 6-5 (.545) over the last 11 games and are 8-24 (.250) over the last 32…are 16-50 (.242) overall… were swept in a three-game series at Miami last weekend and have been swept nine times…have the opportunity to sweep Milwaukee today which would be Oakland’s first sweep of the season.
OFFENSE: The A’s scored two runs on seven hits last night and logged a season-high tying 17 hits on Wednesday at Pittsburgh (also May 5 at Kansas City) and added eight walks for a season-high 25 times on base…have 27 runs and 45 hits over the last four games and are batting .261 (72-for-276) with 37 runs scored in eight games in June after hitting .208 with 87 runs in 29 games in May…overall, have the second lowest OPS (.663), batting average (.224) and slugging percentage (.357) in the majors and the sixth lowest on-base percentage (.306)…rank second in fewest runs (237) and extra base hits (160), are fourth in fewest doubles (91), fifth in most strikeouts (607) and ninth in fewest home runs (62)…lead the majors in hit by pitches (40) and are tied for third in sacrifice hits (12)…have been shut out eight times, which is tied for the most in the majors…A’s pinch hitters lead the majors in hits (15), are tied for the lead in walks (10) and tied for third in plate appearances (67).
PITCHING: The A’s have a 6.40 ERA, which is the highest in the majors…according to the Elias Sports Bureau, the highest ERA by an AL or NL team since the earned run became an official stat is 6.70 by the 1930 Philadelphia Phillies…also have the highest opponents OPS (.845), on-base percentage (.366) and slugging percentage (.479) and the second highest batting average (.276) in the majors this year…lead the majors in most walks (304), home runs (103) and hit batters (43), have the second most wild pitches (33) and the fourth fewest strikeouts (496)…have surrendered six grand slams, which are the most in the majors and tied for fifth most in a season in Athletics history (8 in 1993 and 1999, 7 in 1954 and 1997).
STARTING PITCHING: Paul Blackburp was in line for the win when he exited the game yesterday but it ultimately went to Shintaro Fujinami…starting pitchers picked up the win in two of the last four games, marking just the second time this year they have done that (May 5-6 at Kansas City)…went 2-32 over the first 62 games and are 4-32 with a 6.80 ERA for the season…the ERA is the highest in the majors and no other team has fewer than nine wins from its starters…the fewest wins from a starting rotation in a full season in Major League history is 21 by the Pirates last year…A’s starters have the fewest innings pitched this year (304.1).
THE BULLPEN: The A’s bullpen has earned the save in three straight games, snapping a 29-game streak without a save…that was the second longest single-season streak by an A’s team since the save became an official stat in 1969…it fell one short of the record of 30 (June 1-July 2, 1980)…are the first saves for the A’s first since May 6 at Kansas City and the pen is 7-for-19 (36.8%) in save opportunities for the season…the A’s bullpen has the lowest save percentage and fewest saves in the majors and the 12 blown saves are tied for seventh most…has the highest ERA in the majors (5.95) and the second most innings pitched (273.2)…has allowed 50-of-120 (41.7%) inherited runners to score, which is the fourth highest percentage…have the fourth
most inherited runners.
ON THE BASES: The A’s are 64-for-80 (80.0%) in stolen base attempts…rank fourth in the majors in stolen base attempts and tied for third in stolen bases…opponents are 51-for-71 (71.8%), which is the fifth lowest success rate in the majors…the 18 caught stealings are second most…A’s pitchers are tied for second in the majors in pickoffs (7).
HOME AND AWAY: The A’s have won four straight games and are 4-4 on this nine-game road trip to Miami (0-3), Pittsburgh (2-1) and Milwaukee (2-0)… the win on Tuesday at Pittsburgh snapped a 15-game road losing streak, which matched the longest in Oakland history (May 24-June 23, 1986)…this is the first of two three-city road trips this year…went 0-7 on the last road trip to Houston (0-3) and Seattle (0-4) and are 9-26 (.257) on the road, which is the worst road record in the majors…return home following the game today for a seven-game homestand against Tampa Bay (four games) and Philadelphia (three games)…went 2-4 on the last homestand against Houston (0-3) and Atlanta (2-1) and are 7-24 (.226) at home, which is the lowest home winning percentage in the majors…have compiled a 5.71 ERA at home compared to 7.08 (229 er in 291.0 ip) on the road.
DEFENSIVE DOINGS: The A’s have committed just two errors over the last 12 games and have 37 for the season, which is tied for eighth most in the majors…are tied with the Rangers for the most outfield assists (13).
WINNING LATE: The A’s have scored the winning run in their final at bat in eight of their 16 victories…have five walk-off wins, which is tied for the most in the majors…are 9-46 when tied or trailing after seven innings compared to 7-4 when leading after seven innings…only Atlanta (11) has more wins when tied or trailing after seven and no other team has fewer than 14 wins when leading after seven…are 4-4 (.500) in extra inning games.
RUN DIFFERENTIAL: …are -196 for the season, which is the lowest in the majors…had a run differential of -202 all last year, which was second lowest in Oakland history (-287 in 1979)…are 9-11 (.450) in one-run games)…are 7-39 (.152) in games decided by two or more runs, including 1-14 in games decided by six or more runs.
THIS AND THAT: The A’s are 13-25 (.342) in night games, 3-25 (.107) in day games…are 13-11 when scoring four or more runs, 3-39 when scoring fewer than four runs…have employed 45 players, which is the most in the majors (Brewers, 44)…have used 29 pitchers, which is second most (Rays, 30)…have used 12 rookies and seven players have made their Major League debuts… have used the injured list 15 times, including 11 times for pitchers…currently have seven players on the IL, including six pitchers…have an average time of game of 2:45, which is the longest in the majors…however, have not averaged under 2:53 per game since 2010 (2:43).
A’s IN MAY: The A’s went 6-23 (.207) in May after going 5-23 (.179) in April… both records were the worst in the majors…set an Athletics record for losses in May after matched the A’s total from April this year for second most in any month in Oakland history (24 in June, 1979)…the May winning percentage was second lowest in May in Athletics history (4-17, .190 in 1919)…compiled a 5.54 ERA in May after posting a 7.97 ERA in April, both of which were the highest in the majors…surrendered 49 home runs, which are second most in any month in Oakland history (50 in April, 2023)…batted .208, which was the lowest mark in the majors and second lowest for any month in Athletics history (.207 in Aug. 1906).
THE INJURED LIST: The A’s have used the injured list 13 times, including nine times for pitchers…currently have seven players on the IL, including six pitchers…have added eight players to the IL since the start of the season after beginning the year with five players…used the IL 31 times last year, which broke the Oakland record of 27 set in 2016 and matched in 2021.
A’S VS. BREWERS
- The A’s travel to Milwaukee for the first time since 2016 when they were swept in a two-game series…the only other time the two clubs played in this ballpark was in 2013 when Oakland won two of three.
- Last met in 2019 when the A’s won two of three in Oakland.
- Are 8-5 in four seasons series since the Brewers moved to the National League.
Year Home Road Totals
2023 0-0 0-0 2-0
2019 2-1 0-0 2-1
A’s vs. Brewers: 183-159
at the Coliseum (since 1970): 106-66
at American Family Field: 4-3
A’s vs. Brewers/Pilots: 196-164
TODAY’S TIDBITS
Ramón Laureano has hit safely in each of his last 11 games (13-for-38, .354)…Ryan Noda leads Major League rookies in on-base percentage (.401) and walks (43), ranks fourth in OPS (.849) and tied for fifth in runs (33)… Esteury Ruiz leads the majors in stolen bases (31) and hit by pitches (12), and is third among rookies in hits (67) and tied for fifth in doubles (14).
TODAY’S STARTING PITCHER: JP Sears (0-3, 4.20 ERA)
FOR STARTERS: Is scheduled to make his 13th start of the season…has allowed two runs or fewer in each of his last five starts but has no decisions, a 2.33 ERA (7 er in 27.0 ip) and .609 opponents OPS over that span…went 0-3 with a 5.54 ERA and .748 OPS over his first seven starts.
NO DECISIONS: Does not have a decision in each of his last five starts…the Oakland record for consecutive starts without a decision is six (excluding openers)…it has happended four times, most recently by Jarrod Parker from June 23-July 28, 2013…Liam Hendriks had a streak of nine as an opener from Sept. 4, 2018-May 29, 2019…now has nine no decisions for the season, which are tied for the most in the majors among starters.
OPPONENTS BATTING: Has a .211 (41-for-194) opponents batting average and .743 OPS against right-handed hitters compared to .304 (14-for-46) with a .691 OPS against left-handers…has allowed 22 of his 23 extra base hits to righties for a .469 slugging percentage (.326 vs. lefties)…has yielded 39 of his 43 career extra base hits to righties, including all 21 of his home runs…has a .295 (28-for-95) opponents batting average the first time through the order, .186 (27-for-145) after that…the opponents number eight hitter is 1-for-22 (.045) against him but the seven hitter is 11-for-22 (.500)…opponents are 0-for-24 on an 0-2 count.
THIS AND THAT: Has walked two batters or fewer in 11 of his 12 starts, including three starts with no walks and five with one…has issued 16 free passes in 64.1 innings for the season, an average of 2.24 per nine innings… is 0-0 with a 2.57 ERA (8 er in 28.0 ip) in five starts in Oakland and 0-3 with a 5.45 ERA (22 er in 36.1 ip) in seven starts on the road…has allowed 11 of his 31 runs in the first inning for an 8.25 ERA (11 er in 12.0 ip)…has allowed just one run in the second inning (12.0 ip, 0.75 ERA)…has allowed at least one home run in nine of his 12 starts and has 13 home runs overall, which is tied for 10th most in the majors…has tossed six innings or fewer in all 12 of his starts this year and all 23 in his career…has started the season 0-3 and is now 0-4 with a 4.38 ERA (36 er in 74.0 ip) over his last 14 games dating back to Sept. 25, 2022…went 6-2 with a 3.58 ERA over the first 24 games of his career
2023 DAY-BY-DAY: Allowed a career-high tying eight hits in his first start on April 4 against Cleveland but had a no decision in the A’s 4-3 win…tossed a career-high tying 6.0 innings in the A’s 4-3, 10-inning loss to New York (NL) on April 16…struck out a career-high 11 batters in a career-high tying 6.0 innings on April 21 at Texas but had a no decision in the A’s 5-4 win…allowed a career-high tying six runs in a season-low 4.1 innings in an 8-7 loss at Los Angeles (AL) on April 27…finished April with an 0-2 record, a 6.23 ERA and .846 opponents OPS in five starts…then went 0-1 with a 2.94 ERA and .669 opponents OPS in six starts in May…tossed a career-high tying 6.0 innings and did not allow a run on May 3 against Seattle but had a no decision in the A’s 7-2 10-inning loss…left with 2-0 lead but the pen allowed one run in the seventh and one in the ninth for the blown save…it was the first of two times he left with the lead and was in position to get the win only to have the bullpen blow the save (May 25 at Seattle)…surrendered a career-high tying three home runs in a 7-2 loss at New York (AL) on May 8…allowed two runs in a career-high tying 6.0 innings in a no decision at Houston on May 20… allowed one run in a career-high tying 6.0 innings on May 30 against Atlanta but had a no decision in the A’s 2-1 win.
LAST START: He had his fifth straight no decision in the A’s 5-4 loss at Pittsburgh on Monday…had career highs in walks (5) and pitches (112)…was limited to 4.2 innings but allowed just one run…blanked the Pirates on four walks over the first four innings…had a 3-0 lead entering the fifth and Mathias singled for the first hit…allowed a RBI double to Joe later in the inning and was relived by Erceg with two outs in the fifth and a 3-2 lead.
MILWAUKEE BREWERS NOTES:
Excused Absence
Craig Counsell will not manage the team this afternoon in order to attend the high school graduation of his son, Jack, who is a member of the Whitefish Bay baseball team and will play at the University of Michigan….. bench coach Pat Murphy will manage…..the game will count toward Counsell’s managerial record.
On The Mend
LHP Wade Miley is scheduled to begin a rehab assignment this afternoon with Double-A Biloxi as the team visits Mississippi (Braves)…..Miley has been on the 15-day injured list since May 17 with a left lat strain.
It’s Been A-ges
The Brewers are hosting the Athletics at American Family Field for just the third time (2013, ’16 and ’23)…..the Brewers are 3-4 all-time here against Oakland…..Milwaukee swept a 2-game series from the A’s at home in 2016.
Field of Wiems
Joey Wiemer has reached safely in a career-best 11 consecutive games….. Wiemer is batting .378 (14-for-37) with 3 HR and 9 RBI during the streak.
Thou Shall Not Pass
Joey Wiemer became the first outfielder in franchise history to record 2 assists in the same inning yesterday, nabbing a pair of runners
on the bases in the second inning….. the last Brewers center fielder with 2 assists in the same game was Lorenzo Cain on 5/22/18 vs. Arizona.
First Time For Everything
The Brewers suffered their first extra-innings loss (4-1) of the season yesterday…..it also was Milwaukee’s first loss when leading (28-0) or tied (6-1) after 8 innings (34-1).
Devinly Body
Devin Williams has gone 10-for-10 in save opportunities…..he is unscored upon in 20 of his 21 outings, posting a 0.42 ERA…..opponents are batting just .110 (8-for-73, 1hr) and he has a 0.83 WHIP with 30 K in 21.2 innings….. Williams leads all qualified MLB relievers in ERA (0.42), opponent batting average (.110) and hits allowed per 9 innings (3.32)
TODAY’S GAME: Is game 6 (2-3) of a 6-game homestand against Baltimore (2-1) and Oakland (0-2)…..following this homestand and an off day on Monday, the team takes a 2-game trip to Minnesota…..their next homestand covers 6 games from June 16-21 against Pittsburgh (3g) and Arizona (3g).
IN THE TRAINER’S ROOM: RHP Jason Alexander (right rotator cuff), LHP Aaron Ashby (left labrum), RHP JB Bukauskas (neck), RHP Matt Bush (right rotator cuff), RHP Jake Cousins (right shoulder), LHP Eric Lauer (right shoulder), LHP Wade Miley (left lat), OF Garrett Mitchell (left shoulder), 1B Darin Ruf (right knee), LHP Bennett Sousa (left shoulder), OF Tyrone Taylor (right elbow), LHP Justin Wilson (left elbow), OF Jesse Winker (neck) and RHP Brandon Woodruff (right shoulder) are on the injured list….. Alexander, Ashby, Mitchell, Ruf, Wilson and Woodruff are on the 60-day IL.
SERIES-LY SPEAKING: The Brewers are 10-11-0 in series play, including this series.
Game 1: 9-12, Game 2: 13-8, Game 3: 10-10, Game 4: 2-1
Sweep Wins (3): vs. NYM (3g, 4/3-4/5), at SEA (3g, 4/17-4/19), vs. KC (3g, 5/12-5/14)
Sweep Losses (1): at COL (3g, 5/2-5/4)
AT HOME: The Brewers are 18-15 at home, going 6-5-0 in series play, including this series…..the team went 46-35 at home last season, going 15-8-4 in series play.
ON THE ROAD: The Brewers are 16-16 on the road, going 4-6-0 in series play…..the team went 40-41 on the road last season, going 9-12-5 in series play.
LET’S GO TO THE VIDEO TAPE: The Brewers have made 14 replay challenges this season, going 6-8…..their last challenge (lost) came on 6/10 vs. Oakland as catcher’s interference called on Victor Caratini with Esteury Ruiz batting was confirmed.
