The Oakland Athletics and Texas Rangers will face off in game two of their weekend series at Globe Life Field in Arlington, Texas. Both teams are out of playoff contention, making September a time for experimentation and evaluation. The Athletics enter this match after winning two of three games against the Cincinnati Reds, while the Rangers are riding high after sweeping the struggling Chicago White Sox. The pitching duel on Saturday features A’s right-hander Joey Estes (6-6, 4.37) going against Rangers lefty Cody Bradford (4-2, 3.31). The game is set to commence at 7:05 PM EST.
Athletics Rely on Estes’ Arm
The Oakland Athletics are approaching the conclusion of their tenure in the city of Oakland. The final season has mirrored recent years, characterized by low attendance, an underwhelming record, and a frequently shifting roster. However, the A’s displayed their strength against the Reds, winning two out of three games and launching an impressive 11 home runs in the series. In the opening game against the Rangers, JP Sears delivered a standout performance, pitching seven solid innings while the offense added four home runs, including two from Brent Rooker, leading to a 9-2 victory.
For the second game, the A’s will trust right-hander Joey Estes. This season, Estes has a record of 6-6 over 19 starts, with six of those being quality outings. His ERA stands at 4.37, and he holds a WHIP of 1.12. He has given up 90 hits over 101 innings, allowing 23 walks while striking out 76 batters. Notably, he has surrendered 15 home runs throughout the season. In his last outing against the Brewers, Estes earned a 4-3 victory after pitching 5.2 innings, allowing only two hits and striking out five batters.
Key Injuries: LF Esteury Ruiz, SP Luis Medina, 1B Tyler Soderstrom, SP Alex Wood, and RP Dany Jimenez are sidelined.
Rangers’ Bradford Takes the Mound
The Texas Rangers find themselves on the brink of playoff elimination, signaling that a fresh champion is likely to emerge in 2024. The team has dealt with numerous injuries and inconsistent performances from pivotal players this season, which will probably lead to another sub-.500 record. Before this series, the Rangers were on a roll, sweeping the Chicago White Sox, although they only managed to score nine runs across the three games. In the first game against the A’s, however, the Rangers’ pitching faltered, allowing four home runs and recording only seven hits in a disappointing 9-2 loss.
In the second game, the Rangers will utilize lefty Cody Bradford. Despite spending time on the injured list, Bradford has performed admirably, boasting a 4-2 record with an ERA of 3.31 and a WHIP of 0.94 over just nine games, including five quality starts. He has allowed 38 hits in 49 innings, striking out 44 while walking only eight batters. This season, he has given up six home runs. In his last outing against the Guardians, Bradford pitched six innings, giving up three hits and two runs in a 4-2 loss.
Key Injuries: RP Jacob Latz, 3B Matt Duffy, RP Avery Weems, RP Josh Sborz, SP Max Scherzer, and SP Jacob de Grom are unavailable.
Best Bets: Athletics vs. Rangers Showdown
As the teams head into the series opener, the Rangers hold a slight edge in their season series against the A’s, leading four games to three. The Rangers have struggled offensively in recent contests, averaging just three runs per game against a weak White Sox pitching staff. They will face off against Joey Estes, who is coming off a strong performance against the Brewers, allowing only two runs in 5.2 innings. Additionally, Cody Bradford has lost his last three starts, which could spell trouble against the red-hot Athletics lineup on Saturday.
