SEATTLE -- The Athletics do not shy away from the fact that they rely heavily on the long ball. Entering Saturday, they had scored an MLB-high 49.2 percent of their runs via the home run dating back to the start of the 2024 season.
"We have a lot of power in this lineup,¡± manager Mark Kotsay said. ¡°They showed that last year, and they started off again this year showing that ability to drive the ball out of the ballpark. ¡ We¡¯re not necessarily the fastest team, so the home runs help.¡±
Their identity as a home run team is one the A¡¯s have embraced. They certainly have the boppers required, particularly at the top of the order with a foursome in Lawrence Butler, Brent Rooker, JJ Bleday and Shea Langeliers that combined for 110 homers in 2024.
To achieve their goal of a playoff-contending 2025, however, the A¡¯s will need to prove they can score in a variety of ways more consistently, much like they did in Saturday night¡¯s 4-2 victory over the Mariners at T-Mobile Park. Yes, Langeliers provided the slugging by launching his first big fly of the year -- a two-run blast to left off Bryce Miller in the fourth -- but this victory required much more than power.
It took the little things that playoff-contending clubs do on the regular, like timely hitting, which was provided in the sixth with a two-out RBI single by Miguel Andujar and again one inning later when Brent Rooker hustled out an infield single to bring home A¡¯s No. 1 prospect Jacob Wilson for another important insurance run.
Heads-up baserunning was also needed, which Wilson showed preceding that infield single by going from home to second on a dropped popup near home plate by Mariners reliever Collin Snider, then moving to third on a groundout by Lawrence Butler.
"That¡¯s what winning teams do,¡± Langeliers said. ¡°They find ways to score runs. You can¡¯t always just rely on the home run. In these low-scoring games, you have to figure out a way to push them across home plate. ¡ As a lineup, we¡¯re more confident and comfortable compared to last year.¡±
Stellar defense was also required, which A¡¯s No. 7 prospect Max Muncy flashed in the first with a tremendous leaping grab on a 105.8 mph rocket hit by Randy Arozarena to turn an unassisted double play with the bases loaded.
Muncy¡¯s gem provided a boost for starter Osvaldo Bido, who escaped that first-inning jam unscathed and grinded through five-plus innings and allowed two runs (one earned) on three hits and four walks with four strikeouts.
¡°If Muncy doesn¡¯t make that play, it might be a different ballgame,¡± Kotsay said. ¡°That¡¯s the reason he¡¯s out there. He¡¯s athletic. It was a great play to get us two outs.¡±
The rookie theme carried over to the mound, as Rule 5 pick Noah Murdock was summoned in the sixth inning for his Major League debut.
It was no soft landing spot.
Taking over for Hogan Harris and holding a one-run lead with two runners on and one out, Murdock quickly settled in and retired his first two batters faced to end the sixth, punctuating the frame with a strikeout of J.P. Crawford on a sweeper that froze the shortstop. Murdock stayed on for one more inning and notched a scoreless seventh, finishing with two punchouts in 1 2/3 scoreless innings.
"Great performance,¡± Kotsay said of Murdock. ¡°That was the key inning in the game. For him to come into that big situation and get two outs to get out of that inning, then go back out for us, really big performance.¡±
Perhaps above all else, the A¡¯s will need quality pitching, and this has been the case for most of these first three games. Starters Luis Severino, Jeffrey Springs and Bido combined for just one earned run on nine hits (eight singles) with 19 strikeouts across 17 innings. Aside from a snag by Jos¨¦ Leclerc, who blew a late lead on Opening Day, the bullpen has also held up strong.
Saturday night featured the 2025 debut of their All-Star closer in Mason Miller, who maxed out at 102.2 mph, fired five fastballs of at least 100.2 mph and showed off a wicked slider as he shut down the Mariners with three strikeouts in a scoreless ninth to put the A¡¯s on the brink of a series victory.
"The slider was really effective tonight,¡± Kotsay said of Miller. ¡°That¡¯s a pitch you¡¯re going to see a little bit more of this year. The league knows he relied heavily on his fastball last year. Tonight, you saw the slider as a weapon.¡±