Spring Game Thread #1: A’s vs. Dodgers

Baseball is back!

Baseball is back! The Oakland A’s are playing a game today, against another team, in front of people. It won’t count in any meaningful standings, but it will happen in real life.

Oakland’s opponent for their Cactus League opener is the Los Angeles Dodgers, set at the A’s spring home of Hohokam Stadium in Mesa, Arizona. The Dodgers are the defending World Series champion, which doesn’t mean anything for a casual spring game, but is still neat.

The A’s open their spring slate with Daulton Jefferies on the mound. The right-hander, who ranks No. 5 on our Community Prospect List, made his MLB debut last year and is battling for his spot on the 2021 pitching depth chart. Los Angeles counters with Mike Kickham, who made his MLB debut against Oakland in 2013 as a member of the Giants.

First pitch is 12:05 p.m. PT, and the game is televised on MLB Network at 1 p.m. PT on a one-hour delay. The game will only go seven innings, as will the next three spring games. Click here for all the latest A’s news, and here to meet some of the non-roster invitee pitchers we might see soon.

A’s lineup (home)

1. CF Ramon Laureano (R)
2. SS Elvis Andrus (R)
3. 3B Chad Pinder (R)
4. LF Mark Canha (R)
5. DH Mitch Moreland (L)
6. C Austin Allen (L)
7. RF Buddy Reed (S)
8. 1B Seth Brown (L)
9. 2B Tony Kemp (L)

• RHP Daulton Jefferies

The A’s are starting several regulars, and a couple names off their prospect list, but of course nobody will play the whole game this early in the spring.

Dodgers lineup (away)

1. RF Mookie Betts (R)
2. SS Corey Seager (L)
3. C Austin Barnes (R)
4. LF A.J. Pollock (R)
5. 1B Matt Beaty (L)
6. 3B Edwin Rios (L)
7. DH Matt Davidson (R)
8. 2B Zach McKinstry (L)
9. CF D.J. Peters (R)

• LHP Mike Kickham

Let’s go Oakland!