Kicking off a new series at Sutter Health Park
Back home after a quick trip to Colorado, the A’s play host to the San Diego Padres to kick off a three-game series and begin an extended home stand for the first time this year. Monday Night Baseball is awesome.
Starting things off for the Green & Gold in tonight’s matchup will be Luis Severino. The right-hander has had one superb start this season and one dud as well so he’ll be looking to show that his Opening Day outing was no fluke. He’s got a 3.75 ERA that he’d like to shrink with a strong outing tonight against a tough opponent at a hitter-friendly ballpark. On the bright side, most of San Diego’s stars are right=handed so he has an advantage there.
The lineup that will begin the series looks like this tonight:
The boys are back in town! pic.twitter.com/mUy0YM9wt9
— Athletics (@Athletics) April 7, 2025
Starting catcher and cleanup hitter Shea Langeliers is back in there after getting a day off yesterday, but that’s not the biggest note from the lineup. For the first time this season, manager Mark Kotsay has inserted first baseman Tyler Soderstrom into the 3-hole, swapping lineup spots with struggling center fielder JJ Bleday. This move makes the most sense as it keeps the overall balance of the lineup the same while putting the hot-hitting Soderstrom in a move favorable part of the lineup. And hopefully being taken out of such a key spot in the lineup helps the struggling Bleday find his groove. He’s hitting just
The rest of the lineup looks about how you’d expect. Lineup regulars Lawrence Butler and Brent Rooker at the top leading things off. Young players Max Muncy and Jacob Wilson handling the middle infield while veterans Gio Urshela and Miguel Andujar are at third base and left field, respectively.
The bats will take on Padres #1 starter Michael King for tonight’s contest. King has also had an up-and-down start to his season, though unlike Severino he’s coming off a strong outing his last time out. He’ll also be aiming for a strong start tonight against the A’s in an unfamiliar and hitter-friendly ballpark. Let’s hope the A’s see Opening Day King instead of last outings’ version of the right-hander.
The San Diego lineup for tonight:
Monday Night Baseball pic.twitter.com/Qf8DSwiiq9
— San Diego Padres (@Padres) April 7, 2025
This isn’t going to be an easy task for Severino. San Diego has dangerous hitters up and down the lineup, but games like tonight are why the A’s game him a massive deal. Let’s hope he shows up with his best stuff tonight.
Let’s go A’s!