A's top prospect one-ups father with triple at Wrigley

CHICAGO -- A’s shortstop Jacob Wilson was well aware of the numbers that Shota Imanaga has recorded this season, as well as the lefty’s arsenal that has given hitters trouble time and time again.

So when Wilson stepped into the batter’s box to leadoff Monday’s series opener at Wrigley Field, the 22-year-old was ready to hit.

“With him with two strikes, you don't really want to get to that point when he has that splitter-slider-changeup combo,” Wilson said after the A’s 9-2 loss. “So you're like, ‘All right, [I’ll] go up there, look for a strike and hit it hard somewhere.’”

So Wilson -- Oakland’s No. 1 prospect -- hit a leadoff triple off of Imanaga on the first pitch of the game, driving a 91 mph four-seamer into the right-field corner.

It was part of a strong night for Wilson at the plate, and that it came out of the leadoff spot was an added layer of encouragement.

Wilson finished 2-for-4 and reached base three times. He walked in a seven-pitch plate appearance against Imanaga in the third inning, which immediately preceded a two-run homer by Brent Rooker, and added a single in the ninth inning of the loss.

“Great at-bats by Jacob tonight,” manager Mark Kotsay said. “That's what we're looking for from this kid. We want to see his approach. We want to see the aggressiveness. But then … battling in a seven-pitch at-bat and taking a walk is something that's really rewarding and great to watch.”

Wilson is no stranger to hitting leadoff, where he slotted in for 42 games across three levels in the Minor Leagues this season, recording a .426/.463/.682 slash line with seven homers, 32 RBIs, 11 walks and just 13 strikeouts.

Monday was Wilson’s second start in the leadoff spot since his July 19 promotion to the Majors.

• 'I cried a little bit': A's top prospect Wilson's debut makes Dad proud

Of course, it was also only his 17th career start and 18th appearance overall; his season was shortened immediately after his callup by a strained left hamstring and a trip to the 10-day injured list.

Wilson came off of the IL on Aug. 27, and the final month of the season is an opportunity for the A’s to evaluate him heading into the winter while he gains valuable experience.

“The kid has a knack for the baseball,” Kotsay said pregame. “In the Minor Leagues, he didn't have a ton of strikeouts. We want to obviously get an assessment of him as much as we can. He was up early and was injured in his first game, so he's missed some time. I think it's important for us to see him as much as possible, really, so we can get him assessed and prepared for next season.”

In his second plate appearance against Imanaga on Monday, Wilson took a 3-0 four-seamer for a strike. He said he tends to take on 3-0 to make sure the pitcher gets back in the strike zone. After then fouling off back-to-back heaters, Wilson took Imanaga’s seventh offering, a four-seamer up, for ball four.

Rooker went deep two pitches later. It was his 38th blast this season, and it extended his on-base streak to 26 games, the longest active streak in the Majors.

“Obviously, the goal as a leadoff hitter is to get on base for that guy, because he's been doing his thing all year,” Wilson said. “It's pretty impressive to watch. You get on base for him, you're looking good for your team.”

Of his first 16 starts in the Majors, Wilson hit in the No. 9 hole 11 times. So for as much as he is comfortable leading off, his mentality carries across any spot in the order.

“You have to have the same at-bats in every spot in the lineup,” Wilson said. “So for me, it was just go out there, have competitive bats, and [I] obviously got on base for Rook. That's how we put up runs in the third inning. It was a pretty cool night for sure.”

Making it even cooler for Wilson is that his dad, Jack, was in the stands. Jack is no stranger to Wrigley, having played 51 games there across his 12 seasons in the Majors.

Jack hit 34 triples during his career, including a National League-leading 12 in 2004. But he never tallied one at the Friendly Confines.

“That’s a bragging moment right there, for sure,” Jacob Wilson said with a smile. “I’ll for sure run it by him. … We try to be competitive as much as we can. To know that I have that edge on him, it’s pretty cool.”