3 Athletics Who Must Answer Call During Rangers Series

With All-Star catcher Shea Langeliers out for the rest of the season, Jonah Heim, by default, had a very big pair of shoes to fill. And while at times he has played the part, it is clear that he is due for a massive series vs. his former team. Since the break, Heim is batting .195 with a .559 OPS, along with two home runs and 10 RBIs.

Clearly, there is some room for improvement. With him primarily used as the cleanup guy, batting in slots four to six, he needs to consistently create runs for this Athletics offense. Knowing what he is capable of, this should not be very hard for him to do.

Luis Medina | RP

If one thing was brutally obvious from the Rays series, it was that the Athletics' bullpen did the team no favors. The good news, however, is that the A's did not use Luis Medina or Hogan Harris throughout the series, meaning they will be 100% fresh and could see multiple appearances.

Medina has been a little bumpy since the break, posting a 4.50 ERA and 1.60 WHIP. In contrast to his efforts in the first half, he has taken a step back. If he can figure things out vs. the Rangers, the Athletics and Mark Kotsay will have a level of comfort with what has been a terrible bullpen.

Lawrence Butler | OF

Lawrence Butler has played an interesting role for the Athletics recently. Not only has he emerged as a clubhouse leader, but in a handful of series, he has looked like the best player overall for the A's. For example, in the series vs. the Rays, he would bat .333 with two home runs.

If Butler can remain on this trajectory, something he has struggled to do when he gets hot, the Athletics could be in for a very productive series. The only problem is that feeling of unreliability, which has added to the Athletics' struggles this season. For that reason, we are rooting for Butler to turn things around completely. And when he does, the A's will be in business.