A’s fall short in 2-1 loss to Mariners

Off to Sacramento

The Athletics dropped the series finale against the Mariners on Sunday afternoon,

It was a pitcher’s duel from start to finish today. Athletics left-hander JP Sears took the bump for today’s start, his first appearance of the 2025 season. He was sharp out of the gate, allowing just two singles to the rival Mariners over the game’s first five innings. The Athletics’ offense wasn’t any better against M’s starter Bryan Woo, who also made his season debut this afternoon.

The Athletics got the scoring started in this one. Facing the right-handed Woo, first baseman Tyler Soderstrom went to the plate in the fourth inning and put the A’s on the board with his third home run of the young season:

That was his third long ball of the year and he is easily the team’s hottest hitter from the first series of the season. How is he going to hit when he shifts from the pitcher’s ballpark that is Safeco to the hitter’s heaven in Sacramento?

The small lead wasn’t one that would last for long. Facing superstar Julio Rodriguez with a runner on, Sears made a mistake, hanging a slider down the middle to one of the younger stars in the game. Rodriguez took advantage, depositing the mistake pitch over the left field wall for a 2-run, game-changing home run. That would be the only mistake that the left-hander would make today, but it was enough of a mistake to cost he club the win.

• JP Sears: 6 ²⁄₃ IP, 5 H, 2 ER, 0 BB, 7 K, 91 pitches

A pretty great start to the season, all things considered. No walks and he racked up the strikeouts at an impressive rate today. Sears spoke after the game about how he felt during his first start of the ‘25 season:

Unfortunately the Athletics bats would waste Sears’ tremendous day on the mound. After the Soderstrom homer the team was inept at even beginning a rally as the club wouldn’t even get a hit until the top of the ninth inning. They brought the go-ahead run to the plate in the form of Gio Urshela but the third baseman would strike out to end the game, sending the A’s on the road on a losing note.

Well all things considered, the team looked solid in their season-opening series against the Mariners. The club split the four-game series with the division rival and could have swept the entire series if things break a little better for the A’s here and there. Sears looked awesome today and could be a prime candidate for a breakout, and Tyler Soderstrom continued his early season power binge with his third long ball. Tough loss but good things to hang our hats on. The team outscored the M’s 14 to 8 during the series and look primed to keep it up when they head home tomorrow.

Speaking of tomorrow, the club will take the field for the first time at Sutter Health Park as the Athletics begin the Sacramento era against the Chicago Cubs. Young right-hander Joey Estes will take the ball for the club in their debut at their temporary gigs in Sacramento, while Chicago will send their own young righty in Ben Brown for the start tomorrow evening.