[jksander]

June 10, 2025: Sean Burke (4-6, 3.94 ERA, 59.1 IP, 63 K’s, 1.23 WHIP) faced off against Athletics pitcher Luis Severino (2-5, 5.09 ERA, 61.0 IP, 59 K’s, 1.62 WHIP). We got going in the top of the first with an RBI single by Meidroth and a groundout by Vargas that scored Meidroth from third, giving us a 2-0 lead. We added on three runs in the top of the third, but the Athletics got on the board with a two-run homer by Brent Rooker in the bottom of the inning that cut our lead to 5-2. They then took control in the bottom of the fifth, with a two-RBI double by Jacob Wilson, a sac-fly by Anthony Rizzo that tied it up, and then an RBI double by Gio Urshela that gave them a 6-5 lead. They added on three more in the sixth, two in the seventh and two in the eighth as they completely steamrolled us, winning this one 13-5. That was ugly. Burke only lasted 4.1 innings, allowing five runs (three earned) off seven hits and two walks, striking out four. So Justin Dunn took the loss, falling to 1-1 with a 7.76 ERA, giving us one inning with five hits and four runs (three earned) as the collapse became complete. They outhit us 15-11, with Otto Lopez leading our charge with three hits and a run scored.

June 11, 2025: Yu Darvish and Brady Basso faced off in game two (OOC: I fast-clicked and forgot to take their stats down before I simmed ... still getting used to not actually playing the games out) and we could have wallowed in our disappointment after giving up 13 unanswered runs last night but we came out with a fighting attitude. Vargas batted in Meidroth with a single to get the lead in the top of the first, and Sterling Marte scored off an RBI single by Meidroth in the fourth to extend our lead to 2-0! J.J. Bleday got the Athletics on the board in the bottom of the inning with a solo homer, however, and in the bottom of the seventh they tied us with a homer by Shea Langeliers, sending us into the eighth knotted 2-2. In the top of the inning, Joey Gallo scored when Chase Meidroth walked with the bases loaded, putting us back into the lead, and a wild pitch and a single by Tauchman let two more score before the inning ended, giving us a three-run cushion! Perez and Eisert got us through the rest, and we were able to hold on to win this one 5-2. Darvish was strong as usual, striking out nine through 5.1 innings with just two hits, a walk and an earned run, and though Perez blew his second save, he got the win thanks to our strong eighth inning performance, improving to 4-2 with a 4.86 ERA. Eisert saved his 14th game and got his ERA down to 2.16, and we outhit them 7-3 in the duel, led by Meidroth who had two hits, a walk, a run and two RBIs.

That trade to get Yu Darvish is looking better and better, as he’s quietly turned into our ace at age 38 ... obviously he’s not going to be able to hold that role forever, but if he can stay even remotely close to this level for the next couple years, he’ll be more than worth his salary as we start to turn the tide of our franchise’s luck.

June 12, 2025: Mike Clevinger had his second start of the season, facing A’s pitcher Osvaldo Bido, and the A’s broke the stalemate in the bottom of the second with an RBI double by Anthony Rizzo. But in the top of the sixth Tauchman tied it up with an RBI single, and Meidroth tagged up and scored the go-ahead off a flyout by Kyle Teel! A single by Michael A. Taylor, coupled with an E8 error, let Tauchman score from second, and Austin Slater hit a three-run homer to cap the inning as we humbled the A’s and took a 6-1 lead. Shane Smith took over with an out and a man on in the bottom of the sixth, and the A’s got two back in the seventh off a sac fly by Bleday and an RBI single by Esteury Ruiz. In the bottom of the eighth they closed the gap further, thanks to a runner scoring off a fielder’s choice and an RBI single by Zack Gelof that made it a 6-5 ballgame as we came up to hit in the ninth. With no insurance forthcoming, Brandon Eisert replaced Perez for the bottom of the inning, pitching around a single by Ruiz as we escaped this one with a 6-5 win for another series win! Clevinger got the win, improving to 5-3 with a 2.15 ERA, lasting 5.1 innings with five hits, a walk, a run and five strikeouts. Eisert saved his 15th game, his seventh in a row since blowing the save attempt and taking the loss back on May 13th in Cincinnati, and his ERA is now a stellar 2.04. The Athletics outhit us 11-9, but we perservered, thanks to Meidroth who had three hits, a walk and a run scored, while Tauchman added two hits, a run and an RBI.

We now have a 29-40 record heading into the series against Texas, which will be a real challenge -- the Rangers are 48-21 and have been riding solid pitching through their entire rotation as well as excellent power from Joc Peterson (17 HR, .984 OPS), Corey Seager (15 HR, .798 OPS, Marcus Semien (14 HR, .833 OPS) and even Jake Berger, who has been on and off the bench but still has 10 homers, 10 doubles, a .270 average and .522 slugging. So they’re going to be a hard lineup to shut down no matter how our pitchers do.

The draft combine is now complete, and we’re focused on continuing to scout the draftable players so we’re ready in July to maximize our success.