Brewers to visit Oakland for final time as Crew wraps up short road trip
Coming off a disappointing series loss to the Cardinals, the Brewers are hoping to bounce back this weekend as they wrap up their short six-game road trip in Oakland against the Athletics.
The A’s have been near the bottom of the league for a few years now, as they currently sit with the fourth-worst record in baseball, ahead of only the Rockies, Marlins, and White Sox entering play on Thursday. They’ve been decent in August, with a 9-8 record heading into their series finale with the Rays.
On the injury front, the A’s are missing several pitchers, including former Brewer Trevor Gott, who underwent Tommy John surgery in April. Alex Wood, Ken Waldichuk, and Luis Medina are also out for the season, while right-hander Austin Adams and left-hander Scott Alexander are both expected to be out until September. Offensively, top prospect Jacob Wilson (son of former Pirate Jack Wilson) is nearing a return after suffering an injury in his debut, while William Contreras’ trade partner Esteury Ruiz is out with a left wrist strain that has shut him down from all baseball activities for the last month.
Brent Rooker leads the Oakland offense with a strong .286/.362/.562 line with 29 homers, 84 RBIs, 61 runs, and seven steals. Catcher Shea Langeliers is second on the team with 22 homers, while second baseman Zack Gelof has 15 homers and 16 steals. Lawrence Butler has played near league-average most of the season, hitting .244/.306/.452 with 13 homers, 41 RBIs, 41 runs, and 11 steals in 94 games. JJ Bleday leads the team with 125 games played, hitting 17 homers and driving in 48 this year. As a team, the A’s rank eighth in homers (156), 20th in OPS (.696), and 25th in runs scored (510).
On the mound, T.J. McFarland leads the team with 59 appearances, striking out 31 with a 3.86 ERA over 44 1⁄3 innings. Mason Miller has been lights out all year, with a 1.89 ERA and 79 strikeouts in 47 2⁄3 innings, going 19-for-21 in save opportunities. Tyler Ferguson, Osvaldo Bido, Dany Jiménez, Grant Holman, J.T. Ginn, and Michael Otañez also work out of the ‘pen for the A’s. As a team, the A’s rank 22nd in team ERA (4.22), including a 4.70 starter ERA (25th) and a 3.57 bullpen ERA (sixth). They also rank 27th in strikeouts from their pitchers, with 984 over 1,125 1⁄3 innings.
Probable Pitching Matchups
Friday, August 23 @ 8:40 p.m: Aaron Civale (4-8, 4.78 ERA, 4.77 FIP) vs. JP Sears (10-8, 4.15 ERA, 4.42 FIP)
Civale has now made seven starts with the Brewers, pitching to a 4.10 ERA (4.96 FIP) with 33 strikeouts over 37 1⁄3 innings. He went six scoreless in his last start against the Guardians, allowing just four hits and a walk with four strikeouts in a win. In two career starts against the A’s, he’s 0-0 with a 6.75 ERA and nine strikeouts over 10 2⁄3 innings.
Sears, now in his second full season with the A’s after being traded by the Yankees during the 2022 season (in exchange for Frankie Montas!), is the ace of this staff, making 25 starts this season and striking out 110 batters, both of which lead the team. He’s been really good as of late, going at least seven innings in each of his last four starts while allowing five runs (1.57 ERA) and striking out 27 in that time. He’s made one start against Milwaukee, picking up the win as he allowed two runs and struck out five over five innings.
Saturday, August 24 @ 3:07 p.m: Colin Rea (11-4, 3.52 ERA, 4.44 FIP) vs. Joe Boyle (3-5, 6.21 ERA, 4.49 FIP)
Colin Rea has been consistent all season, bouncing back from a rough outing with a strong seven-scoreless innings against the Guardians last weekend. He allowed just two hits and two hit batters in that game, striking out five. This is his first career appearance against the A’s.
Boyle, a rookie, has made nine starts this season after making three late-season starts a year ago. He hasn’t been great, allowing 27 runs (26 earned) across 37 2⁄3 innings with 41 strikeouts, but he’s coming off his best start of the year. He went six scoreless innings against the Rays in a win on Monday, striking out six and allowing just two hits and three walks. This is his first career appearance against the Brewers.
Sunday, August 25 @ 3:07 p.m: Frankie Montas (6-8, 4.57 ERA, 4.67 FIP) vs. Joey Estes (5-6, 4.44 ERA, 4.46 FIP)
Montas spent the bulk of his career with the A’s, pitching for Oakland from 2017 to 2022 when he was traded in the Sears deal. In 23 starts between Milwaukee and Cincinnati this year, he has a 4.57 ERA and 99 strikeouts over 114 1⁄3 innings. He’s made four starts for the Crew thus far, spanning 21 innings in which he’s allowed nine runs (six earned) for a 2.57 ERA with 21 strikeouts. He’s made just one appearance against his former team (which came back in his rookie season with the White Sox), a two-inning relief outing where he allowed no runs with two strikeouts and a walk.
Estes, another rookie, has made 18 appearances (17 starts) for the A’s this season. While his season ERA stands at 4.44, he’s been much better as of late, allowing three or fewer runs in each of his last seven outings for a 2.82 ERA with 27 strikeouts across 32 1⁄3 innings. His last start was a tough-luck loss to the Rays in which he allowed just one run and struck out five across 7 2⁄3 innings. This is his first career appearance against the Brewers.
Prediction
I expect the Brewers to leave St. Louis with a fire under their asses as they look to bounce back and inch closer to clinching the division. I’ll take them to win at least two of three in their last series at the Oakland Coliseum.