The A’s wrapped up a successful night against the Chicago Cubs with a 6-2 victory, pushing their spring record to 13-15. While the record might not hold much weight, the performance showcased some promising signs as they gear up for the regular season.
Luis Severino took the mound for the Athletics, making his final exhibition start before his Opening Day assignment. Severino looked sharp, despite a first-inning hiccup where Cubs catcher Miguel Amaya launched a fastball over the left-field fence, putting the Cubs up 1-0.
The game settled into a pitchers' duel for the next few innings. Cubs starter Jameson Taillon was dealing, striking out six A’s and allowing only a few singles through four innings.
But things began to shift when Max Muncy stepped up to the plate in the fourth. Muncy, who’s been vying for the starting third base spot, crushed a high fastball over the left-field wall, tying the game at 1-1.
This could be the breakout season everyone’s been hoping for from the former first-round pick.
The A’s offense wasn’t done yet. Andy Ibanez worked a walk, setting the stage for Lawrence Butler.
Butler connected for an opposite-field two-run homer, giving the A’s their first lead of the night. This was Butler’s first homer of the spring, a hopeful sign that his hard work is paying off.
If Butler stays healthy, he could be a key contributor in right field.
Butler’s blast chased Taillon from the game, but the A’s continued to capitalize. Shea Langeliers added to the lead with a solo shot, his seventh of the spring, tying him for the league lead. Langeliers’ power surge is a delightful surprise for the A’s lineup.
With a 4-1 lead, Severino exited after five solid innings, having thrown 79 pitches. His performance bodes well for his Opening Day start against the Blue Jays.
Nick Anderson took over in the sixth, but Amaya struck again with another solo homer, cutting the lead to 4-2. The A’s had a chance to extend the lead in the bottom half with bases loaded and no outs, but they couldn’t capitalize.
Mark Leiter Jr. and Michael Kelly held the line with scoreless innings in the seventh and eighth. The A’s added insurance in the eighth with an RBI single from Ibanez and a fortunate run-scoring error on a Colby Thomas pop-up.
With a 6-2 lead, Kelly returned to close out the ninth. He recorded a couple of strikeouts, navigated some trouble, but ultimately secured the win.
The night was a showcase of the A’s potential: strong starting pitching, power hitting with three homers, and a mostly effective bullpen. Butler’s health and performance were particularly encouraging.
The A’s will continue their spring campaign with a daytime matchup against the Dodgers. Left-hander Jeffrey Springs is expected to start for the A’s, while Emmitt Sheehan will take the mound for the Dodgers. It’s another chance for the A’s to fine-tune before the regular season kicks off.