Oakland Athletics Begin Series Against Cleveland Guardians Amid Hot Streak and Relocation Plans

The Oakland Athletics, who are set to play in Sacramento for the next three years while waiting for their new stadium in Las Vegas, begin a three-game series against the Cleveland Guardians on Friday. The Athletics have been on a hot streak recently, winning seven of their past 11 games.

The series between the Athletics and Guardians is scheduled to start at 7:10 PM ET on Friday at Progressive Field in Cleveland. The Guardians are favored at home with -179 odds, while the underdog Athletics have +148 odds. Cleveland leads the season series 3-1 so far.

The Athletics will start rookie right-hander Joe Boyle, who is 1-2 with a 5.68 ERA this season. Boyle is making his first appearance against the Guardians. The Guardians will counter with Triston McKenzie, who is 1-2 with a 6.23 ERA. McKenzie has struggled with control this season, issuing 12 walks in 13 innings while recording just five strikeouts.

Despite the franchise's uncertain future, the Athletics players are focused on the present and are not letting it affect their on-field performance. "We're showing a lot of energy, a lot of confidence," said Athletics manager Mark Kotsay. The team is currently 4th in the American League West, just two games behind first-place Texas.

The Guardians are leading the AL Central with a 13-6 record and have a.393 slugging percentage, ranking sixth in the AL. They are coming off a 5-4 win over the Boston Red Sox on Thursday. Key players to watch for the Guardians include Steven Kwan, Josh Naylor, and Andres Gimenez, who is hitting.293 with 11 RBIs.

For the Athletics, Shea Langeliers and Esteury Ruiz have been performing well. Ruiz homered in the team's 6-3 victory over the St. Louis Cardinals on Wednesday, while Tyler Nevin recorded a career-high three hits and an RBI in that game.

Why this matters: The Oakland Athletics' strong performance amid relocation plans and the Cleveland Guardians' early-season success make this an intriguing matchup. The series could have implications for both teams' divisional standings and momentum as the season progresses.

The Athletics have been more competitive than expected, with their pitching being a key factor. They have a 2.60 road ERA and a 3.72 overall ERA, ranking ninth-best in baseball. The Guardians, meanwhile, have several players on the injured list but have remained dominant offensively, ranking 12th in MLB with a.712 team OPS and scoring 5.37 runs per game. The upcoming series is expected to be a battle of strong pitching against powerful hitting.

Key Takeaways

• The Oakland Athletics begin a 3-game series against the Cleveland Guardians on Friday.
• The Guardians are favored at home with -179 odds, while the Athletics have +148 odds.
• The Athletics' rookie pitcher Joe Boyle faces the Guardians' Triston McKenzie, who has struggled with control.
• The Athletics are 4th in the AL West, 2 games behind 1st-place Texas, despite relocation plans.
• The series could have implications for both teams' divisional standings and momentum this season.