Kansas City @ Oakland preview
Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum
Last Meeting ( Aug 1, 2014 ) Kansas City 1, Oakland 0
Jon Lester makes his Oakland debut when the Athletics host the Royals in the second contest of a three-game set. The left-hander starter was acquired from the Boston Red Sox prior to Thursday’s trade deadline as part of Oakland’s efforts to load up for a postseason run. Jason Vargas will be on the mound for the Royals for the first time since July 8 after being sidelined three-plus weeks due to an appendectomy.
Kansas City remained four games behind first-place Detroit in the American League Central by winning the opener 1-0 on Raul Ibanez’s homer as four pitchers combined on a five-hit shutout. The Athletics saw their lead slip to one game in the AL West as the offense had just four hits in their first game since shipping outfielder Yoenis Cespedes to Boston for Lester and outfielder Jonny Gomes. “Going from a team that hasn’t done so well to the team with the best record in baseball is exciting,” Lester told reporters.
TV: 4:05 p.m. ET, FSN Kansas City, CSN California (Oakland)
PITCHING MATCHUP: Royals LH Jason Vargas (8-4, 3.31 ERA) vs. Athletics LH Jon Lester (10-7, 2.52)
Vargas allowed two or fewer runs in seven of nine starts prior to the injury. He issued two or fewer walks in each of his last seven outings and didn’t allow a homer in six of those games. Vargas is 6-6 with a 3.28 ERA in 18 career games (16 starts) against Oakland.
Lester is pitching for the first time since July 25 as the Red Sox scratched him from Wednesday’s scheduled start in anticipation of trading him. He tossed eight shutout innings of four-hit ball while beating Kansas City on July 20 to improve to 7-3 with a 1.43 ERA in 11 career starts against the Royals. Lester has a 3.52 ERA in six regular-season starts at O.co Coliseum.
WALK-OFFS
1. Oakland CF Coco Crisp (neck) will miss his sixth straight contest Saturday.
2. X-rays determined that Kansas City 1B Eric Hosmer has a fractured right hand and he will be sidelined at least three weeks.
3. Gomes is 1-for-15 – the hit is a homer – with 11 strikeouts against Vargas.
PREDICTION: Athletics 4, Royals 2