Athletics at Yankees
As long as the Oakland Athletics are playing against teams from the American League East, they seem to find a way to win. The Athletics will try to improve to 5-1 against AL East foes over the last week-plus when they visit the New York Yankees in the second of a three-game series on Saturday.
Oakland took three of four from the Boston Red Sox last weekend and hung around long enough on Friday to finally push some runs across against the New York bullpen and take the series opener 4-1. The Athletics are 12-19 against teams from their own division, the AL West, but are 5-4 against the Central and 4-1 against the East despite dealing with a pitching staff that could send two more to the disabled list with Kendall Graveman (shoulder) and Jesse Hahn (triceps) likely to exit the rotation. Oakland will recall Jharel Cotton to make the start on Saturday opposite veteran left-hander CC Sabathia. The Yankees need to get their bats working after averaging 2.9 runs while going 3-5 over the last eight games.
TV: 1:05 p.m. ET, CSN California (Oakland), YES (New York)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Athletics RH Jharel Cotton (3-4, 5.68 ERA) vs. Yankees LH CC Sabathia (4-2, 4.62)
Cotton began the season in the rotation but was sent back to the minors earlier this month after surrendering seven runs and eight hits in five innings against the Los Angeles Angels on May 9. The Virgin Islands native struck out 35 in 38 innings during his first stint with the club but yielded 42 hits, including six home runs. Cotton earned the win in each of his two starts at Triple-A Nashville, including seven scoreless innings in his last turn on Sunday.
Sabathia is pulling himself out of a rough stretch and earned the win in his last two turns while allowing a total of one earned run in 11 2/3 innings. The veteran California native was reached for a total of 22 runs in 20 2/3 innings over his previous four turns. Sabathia is 10-11 with a 4.61 ERA in 30 career starts against Oakland - the only team besides the Yankees against which he owns a losing record.
WALK-OFFS
1. Athletics 2B Jed Lowrie is 9-for-12 over his last three games and is batting .552 during a seven-game hitting streak.
2. New York 1B Greg Bird (ankle) is expected to begin a rehab assignment soon with Class A Tampa Bay.
3. Oakland RHP Daniel Mengden is the most likely candidate to fill one of the empty rotation slots.