Jordan Hicks vs. JP Sears.
It’s time for the first gamethread of the year. With the San Francisco Giants set to visit the Oakland A’s for the penultimate preseason game — and things finally televised — it seemed like we should have a place to talk about the action.
During the regular season, I usually use this space to talk a tiny bit about the pitching matchup, but today there are two other things to talk about instead. First, it’s of note that Marco Luciano is in the lineup, starting at shortstop. We’re at the point in the season where the games really are going to feature players who figure to be integral parts of the team — save for a likely goodbye to Pablo Sandoval on Tuesday — so Luciano’s inclusion is of note. While the roster does feature some weaksides of platoons, Luciano is the only name on the starting card who isn’t an absolute lock for the Opening Day lineup (health permitting).
It’s also, to my memory, the first time since Nick Ahmed’s signing that Luciano has started with the A-team. Does that mean that the Giants are considering — or even shifting towards — having Luciano make the Opening Day roster, as I argued for a few days ago? Or is it just staggering things so that Ahmed doesn’t get overworked in the final week before the games matter? I suppose we’ll find out.
The other topic is heavier. This might be the last preseason game that the Giants play in Oakland! Enjoy it, folks.
Also of note: Austin Slater is getting the start in right field, a few days after Bob Melvin suggested that Slater was unlikely to be healthy enough to make the Opening Day roster. Not sure if this is a sign that he’s healthy, or a test run.
Lineups
All stats from Spring Training.
Giants
- Jung Hoo Lee (L) — CF — 1.071 OPS
- Austin Slater (R) — RF — .396 OPS
- Wilmer Flores (R) — 1B — 1.063 OPS
- Jorge Soler (R) — DH — .817 OPS
- Matt Chapman (R) — 3B — .960 OPS
- Tom Murphy (R) — C — .900 OPS
- Michael Conforto (L) — LF — .733 OPS
- Thairo Estrada (R) — 2B — .951 OPS
- Marco Luciano (R) — SS — .835 OPS
P. Jordan Hicks — RHP — 3.75 ERA
A’s
- Ryan Noda (L) — 1B — .755 OPS
- Zack Gelof (R) — 2B — .934 OPS
- JJ Bleday (L) — CF — 1.077 OPS
- Brent Rooker (R) — DH — .758 OPS
- Seth Brown (L) — LF — .969 OPS
- J.D. Davis (R) — 3B — .907 OPS
- Shea Langeliers (R) — C — .976 OPS
- Lawrence Butler (L) — RF — .880 OPS
- Nick Allen (R) — SS — 1.076 OPS
P. JP Sears — LHP — 2.08 ERA
Preseason Game No. Something
Who: San Francisco Giants (14-11) vs. Oakland A’s (13-13)
Where: Oakland Coliseum, Oakland, California
When: 6:40 p.m. PT
Regional broadcast: NBC Sports Bay Area (available on fuboTV)
National broadcast: N/A
Radio: KNBR 680 AM/104.5 FM, KSFN 1510 AM