New York @ Oakland preview

Last Meeting ( Apr 21, 2016 ) Oakland 7, NY Yankees 3

New York Yankees owner Hal Steinbrenner is disappointed in the club's performance and took aim at highly paid first baseman Mark Teixeira in a stinging critique of the struggling team. Teixeira is batting just .203 and is mired in a 30-game homerless drought as New York opens a four-game series Thursday against the host Oakland Athletics.

Teixeira, who is making $22.5 million this season, is hitless in nine at-bats with six strikeouts over his past two games. "The first five weeks were disappointing, frustrating, particularly looking at the offense," Steinbrenner told reporters. "Clearly not living up to their potential. ... When you look at a guy like Mark Teixeira, clearly, he's not playing to his potential with the bat." Oakland left fielder Khris Davis had four homers and eight RBIs in a three-game sweep of the Texas Rangers and he leads the majors in homers (nine) and RBIs (20) in May. "He's been amazing," third baseman Danny Valencia told reporters after going 3-for-4 with two RBIs in Wednesday's 8-1 victory. "We know how hard this is and he's making it look easy. It's pretty special."

TV: 10:05 p.m. ET, YES (New York), CSN California (Oakland)

PITCHING MATCHUP: Yankees RH Ivan Nova (2-1, 3.70 ERA) vs. Athletics RH Kendall Graveman (1-5, 5.84)

Nova is making his third start since replacing injured CC Sabathia in the starting rotation. He defeated the Chicago White Sox in his last turn when he gave up one run and four hits in 5 2/3 innings. Nova is 1-0 with a 4.24 ERA in four career appearances (three starts) against Oakland and has struggled to retire Billy Butler (5-for-10).

Graveman has lost four straight starts after opening the season by allowing just four runs over his first three outings. He has compiled a 9.31 ERA during his skid while serving up eight homers in 19 1/3 innings during the stretch. Graveman is 1-0 with a 3.00 ERA in two career starts against the Yankees and has experienced difficulties with Brian McCann (3-for-5, one homer) while shutting down Carlos Beltran (0-for-6).

WALK-OFFS

1. Yankees SS Alex Rodriguez (hamstring) won't be activated from the 15-day disabled list as planned on Thursday but hopes to return later in the series.

2. Valencia is 15-for-33 with six homers and 12 RBIs in nine games since returning from a hamstring injury.

3. New York is just 5-12 on the road — Wednesday's 4-2 win at Arizona was just its second win in the last 11 away contests.

PREDICTION: Athletics 7, Yankees 5