New faces hold the Rockies to four hits
The Athletics hosted the Colorado Rockies at their spring opener at Hohokam Stadium in Mesa, Arizona. Jeffrey Springs made his debut in an A’s uniform, getting his first start of the season. He was 2-2 last year with the Tampa Bay Rays in just seven starts after recovering from Tommy John surgery.
Springs was sharp today. Despite giving up two hits in the second inning, his first twelve pitches were all strikes. Springs was replaced in the top of the third by lefty reliever Jacob Lopez, who coincidently came over with Springs in the same trade this past December. Lopez tossed two scoreless innings in his team debut.
The A’s had a rally going in the bottom of the fourth after a walk by Brent Rooker and Shea Langeliers first extra-base hit of the spring. After nabbing Rook at the plate, the A’s loaded the bases, but Andujar ended the inning on a strikeout.
José Leclerc, another free agent signing entered the game to pitch the fifth inning. He tossed one inning giving up a hit, a walk and struck out one batter.
The A’s loaded the bases for the second consecutive inning in the bottom of the fifth, this time for Brent Rooker. Rooker hit a sacrifice fly to centerfield to drive home Kurtz and give the A’s a 1-0 lead. Shea Langeliers was hit by a pitch to re-load the bases, and one pitch Seth Brown cleared them with a 3-run, two-out double. After five, the A’s led the Rockies 4-0.
Rookie 26-year-old righty Noah Murdock pitched a scoreless sixth inning for the A’s, walking one and striking out one. Murdock was a Rule-5 Draft selection from the Royals organization in December of 2024.
Another young rookie, 25-year-old righty Jack Perkins entered the game in the top of the seventh for the A’s. He’s been working his way through the Athletics farm system since 2022. Perkins walked one in his two scoreless innings recording two K’s for good measure.
By the bottom of the seventh, all A’s starters had been replaced. In the bottom of the eighth, Kyle McCann walked, and C.J. Alexander got a base hit to right field. But three flyouts ended the threat.
Free-agent acquisition Jason Alexander pitched the ninth. Alexander signed this offseason after some time with Milwaukee and the Red Sox organizations. He struck out two and allowed one hit to preserve the (albeit) spring) shut out.
Tomorrow the A’s will travel to Surprise Stadium in Surprise, Arizona to take on the Kansas City Royals at Noon, PST. Osvaldo Bido will take the mound for the A’s.