Game of the Week: August 29: OAK @ SEA

[Commissioner Erick]

Oakland Athletics (68-57) @ Seattle Mariners (59-65)


OAK: Jose Berrios (9-7, 5.80)
SEA: Roniel Raudes (2-8, 4.75)


The Oakland Athletics continue to try to ascend to the top of the AL West. After a terrible July, they're 16-9 in August and have surged past Texas to the top of the AL West. Seattle stands in their way right now, as they still have plans for their second ever season with a winning record.


Players to Watch


Oakland:


RP—Reyes Moronta:

With Kevin Gowdy and Carlos Navas struggling, Oakland called up Reyes Moronta August 8th, and he's worked 6.1 scoreless innings, striking out eight and allowing just two hits. After Moronta worked to a solid 3.55 ERA last year, and carried a 2.50 ERA in Nashville this year, it was a wonder why he had spent so much time in the minors this season. He had options which gave Oakland an incentive to demote him, but after a fruitless rookie year in Kansas City in 2020, he's been excellent. Moronta throws in the upper 90's and has a wipeout slider, meaning right-handed hitters should especially worry when Moronta is on the mound.


1B—Ryan Healy:

Healy's been reduced to being a part-time player, each of the past five years, despite hitting well in four of those years. Perhaps it's because of the fact that he's often platooned heavily to face only left-handed pitching that he does well? Healy only has a career .716 OPS against righties for example, compared to a .907 mark against lefties. The power will show up against righties, but the ability to get on base wont. He's hitting .345 against righties this year, and with all the injuries to Oakland's outfield, players that would normally DH are now playing the field. That's opened up a spot for Healy to play full time, and he's taken advantage with a .343 average and six homers in August. Seattle should be starting a fly-ball oriented righty, so it will be interesting to see if the trends in Healy's favor continue.


CL—Bobby Wahl:

Wahl was terrible for the middle part of the season, but has settled in as the weather has warmed, getting his ERA down to 4.06. The run environment across baseball is more pitcher-friendly than it's been in some time, so even though Wahl's underlying indicators are similar this year to last, his WAR has gone down. Wahl has to continue to keep the ball in the park, something he's done a better job of this second half, yielding just one home run after the All-Star break. Should Wahl face Seattle slugger Francisco DeJesus, that will be a test for Wahl. Keep DeJesus from hitting a home run, and the closer has done his job.


Seattle:


LF—Taylor Trammel:

Acquired in a trade for Aaron Sanchez, Trammel had performed well in small tours of the PBA in 2020 and 2021, getting a regular opportunity here in 2022. He hasn't set the world on fire, but he's displayed at least a baseline competence at the plate, hitting .254 with a .307 on-base percentage, and 17 home runs. Because he gets on base just enough, he's had the opportunity to steal 32 bases, third in the AL. His wSB mark is second in the AL. Trammel has also played strong left field defense. WAR doesn't love the fact that he doesn't walk too frequently and strikes out a bit much. However, his offensive competence, terrific baserunning, and strong defense have made him a quality starter. With Seattle still building, they can pencil Trammel in as a cheap, solid starting outfielder.


SP—Roniel Raudes:

Raudes was banished from the rotation earlier in the season as he was one of the worst starters in the game. He's allowed 23 home runs this year in just 91 innings as he pounds the zone and doesn't have the stuff to get hitters defensive or chasing. Raudes was put back into the rotation last week in Texas, a home-run hitting team in a home-run hitting park, and it turned out terribly with Raudes giving up five runs and three bombs in 4.2 innings. He's been much better at home, and Oakland is middle of the pack in home runs. If any place is a place Raudes can succeed, it will be here.


SP—Eric Skoglund:

Skoglund has had his best season in his first year as a Mariner, but part of that is because he hasn't spent the full year as a starter. Spending some time as a reliever, Skoglund has increased his strikeout rate and reduced his walk rate, things that usually happen when pitchers transfer to relief roles. As a starter, Skoglund has an ERA of 5.07, while his relief ERA is 2.89. Skoglund should start later in the week against Oakland, where his ability to succeed as a starter will be put to the test.


TRIVIA: Francisco DeJesus has 36 home runs already this season. Who has the most home runs all-time in Seattle history.

[Commissioner Erick]

Athletics 3 - Mariners 1


WP: J. Berrios (10-7)
LP: R. Raudes (2-9)
SV: B. Wahl (30)


Oakland got tremendous pitching from Jose Berrios to stay 1.5 games ahead of Texas in the AL West. Berrios went 6 strong innings, allowing just one run, walking nobody, and striking out eight Mariners. For a pitcher having an up-and-down year, it was huge to see him come through with a dominant performance. Oakland's bullpen picked up where Berrios left off and went 3 hitless innings, striking out six. The offense was still a work in progress, but dominant pitching can carry Oakalnd to the finish line.


How They Played:


Oakland:


RP—Reyes Moronta: 1 IP, 0 R, 1 B, 2 K

Moonto pitched the seventh inning of the Game of the Week, and continued his scoreless stretch. He struck out lefty Ryan Boldt, before getting righty Isaac Paredes to lunge at a slider and lift it to short right field for an out. Taylor Trammel walked, but Moronta struck out Francisco DeJesus dramatically to end the inning.

Moronta came in the next day to get two outs, striking out lefty Aramis Adelman in the process. He didn't pitch again until Sunday when he worked 1.2 innings and allowed his first run of the year. He gave up two hits and a walk in the seventh inning, all to left-handed hitters, leading to run. Nonetheless, Moronta's body of work has been exceptional this year as he's learned to get left-handers out at a terrific clip. His BABIP against is .190, so he's not this good, but still an excellent addition to the Oakland pen.


1B—Ryan Healy: 0-4, 2 K

Healy did not fare well against Seattle's right-handers. He hit one well to deep right-center in the second, but Ryan Boldt ran it down. He then flew out with two men on and one out in the fourth. He struck out looking in the sixth, and against Ryan Dull, struck out swinging in the ninth. Defensively, he couldn't charge quick enough to make a play on a perfectly executed bunt hit by Lucius Fox to begin the game. He caught a jam-shot liner by Yeyson Yrizarri in the fourth, and a couple of balls went for doubles down the line, but those were plays that were incredibly difficult to make.

Healy had a pretty quiet week, going just .167 without a walk, and hitting a home run and a double. Considering some of the pitchers he faced, it was disappointing Healy couldn’t do more damage. The righties tended to be fly-ball pitchers he could have taken over the fence, and there were a pair of lefties. Healy still had a strong August, but a lack of production last week resulted in Oakland going 2-4.


CL—Bobby Wahl: 1 IP, 0 R, 2 K (S)

Wahl came in to preserve Oakland's 3-1 lead and was absolutely dominant. He didn't throw a single ball in the nine-pitch inning, striking out Hudson Potts, getting Yrizarri to ground out, then blowing away Boldt on three pitches. It was Wahl's 30th save of the year as he continues his fine second half.

Wahl didn't pitch again until Saturday when he was dominant against Arizona. That time, he left no unfinished business, striking out all three batters he faced on the way to his 31st save. Wahl's allowed a hit in just one of his last eight outings now, as has been one of the most dominant pitchers in the league since his ERA peaked at 5.40 in late June. It's not below 4.00 and dropping fast.


Seattle:


LF—Taylor Trammel: 1-3, 1 BB, 1 K, 1 SB

Trammel showed off his versatility again, in a very nice day. Hitting second, he struck out against Jose Berrios with Lucius Fox on first in the opening inning. He dumped a single into center with one out in the third though, stole second, and advanced to third on an Aramis Adelman single to center. The ball was hit so hard, and Blake Rutherford was playing shallow, so Trammell was held at third. That conservative approach may have been the wrong idea though as Tomoya Mori's fly ball was reeled in stranding Trammel at third. Trammel flew out with a man on second in the fifth inning, a disappointing at bat. In the seventh, he worked a two-out walk, but was stranded when Francisco DeJesus struck out. Defensively, Trammel wasn't too busy. He ranged to his left to lead off the third to track down an Anthony Santander fly, and ranged to his right to end the third to track down a Travis Blankenhorn fly. Santander dumped a ball in front of him in the third for an RBI single.

Trammel continued his strong game into the week with four consecutive multi-hit games. He batted .321, had a .406 OBP, homered, had a pair of doubles, stole three bases, and continues to look like a player who makes things happen. He'll have to rework his mindset as a run producer, as he only hits .239 with men on scoring position, but as a setup hitter, he continues to impress.


SP—Roniel Raudes: 7 IP, 3 R, 8 H, 0 BB, 9 K (L)

Raudes was surprisingly strong, and the loss can't be pinned on him. His trademark control showed through with zero walks allowed, but his nine strikeouts came out of nowhere and were a season high. He only allowed one extra base hit, which was huge, and didn't allow too many hits with all the weak fly outs he generated. It was his first quality stat against a winning team since April against the Dodgers, so this was truly a surprise performance, and one that deserved a win.

Raudes' next start was just as strong. He went 7 innings in Oakland, allowing just two runs, on three hits. This time he didn't strike out as many, five, and walked four hitters. The five strikeouts are respectable at least, and it's understandable that he'd pitch carefully against a terrifying lineup. Also, Seattle has good outfield defenders to run down what Raudes allows up. He's finally showing signs that he can be a serviceable major league starter, which is a big win for the Mariners


SP—Eric Skoglund: DNP

It wasn't Skoglund's turn to pitch, so he waited until Wednesday to take the mound.

On Wednesday, Skoglund walked a tightrope, allowing nine hits and two walks in 5 innings, but only giving up two runs, as Oakland went 2-9 with men in scoring position. The results were successful, but it has to be counted to Skoglund being more lucky than good. He still didn't show that he could succeed as a major league starter, and is running out of time to show he should be in Seattle's plans next year.


TRIVIA: Which three A's have over 30 career wins with the team?

[Commissioner Erick]

TRIVIA 1: Wil Meyers

TRIVIA 2: Frankie Montas, A.J. Puk, Liam Hendriks