The A’s are trying something new at the top of the order, and this time the look belongs to Joshua Kuroda-Grauer.
After a stretch of uneven offense, Oakland is turning to its recently promoted rookie as a leadoff option heading into Thursday’s game in Detroit. Kuroda-Grauer, or JKG, has been scorching since getting the call, hitting .500 in 30 at-bats. The club is hoping that production carries over into the first spot in the lineup.
That move pushes Henry Bolte back down after his run in the leadoff role. Bolte has been one of the more intriguing breakout stories in his rookie season, thanks to his 100th percentile speed and his knack for putting the ball on the ground. But he didn’t thrive enough at the top, and the A’s want to see more fastballs his way in a different spot.
Zack Gelof has also spent plenty of time leading off lately and has been solid since returning from injury, but Oakland still hasn’t settled on a true permanent answer there. The lineup has been in flux, and the A’s are clearly looking for a better fit.
The middle of the order, though, is not the problem. Nick Kurtz and Shea Langeliers, the team’s two All-Star starters, are locked into the two and three spots, with Tyler Soderstrom following behind them. That part of the lineup has a clear shape, and the A’s want to keep it that way.
Kuroda-Grauer’s appeal is simple: he gets on base. He may not have the same speed as Bolte or Gelof, but if he can keep reaching in front of Kurtz and Langeliers, the A’s can create more chances for their biggest bats.
There’s also a history here. The A’s have already tried Kurtz and Langeliers at leadoff plenty of times, including last season and even a bit this year, but that setup isn’t ideal when you’d rather have traffic on the bases for them. Lawrence Butler is another option if Oakland wants to revisit the 2024 version of the lineup, especially with his confidence at the plate back where it belongs.
For now, though, the experiment is JKG. If he keeps hitting and keeps getting on base, the A’s may have found a cleaner way to line up their offense.
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The opening in Oakland came after Jacob Wilson was hurt, and Kuroda-Grauer has done more than just hold the spot down. He was already batting .352 in Triple-A before the call-up, and the early returns suggest the As may have found a player who can make immediate use of every chance he gets, even as the bigger question is how long this kind of start can last. [Read more 🡒]