Athletics vs. Brewers Series Preview: Pitchers & Players To Watch

This season, the Athletics as a team are hitting .244 (12th in MLB), a figure that has slowly declined over the last few series. At one point, the Athletics were ranked in the top five. The A's are also ranked eighth in the league in on-base percentage, with .324. However, the Athletics are ranked 22nd in runs, indicating how inconsistent their offense can be.

Pitching-wise, the Athletics have struggled. Not only are they without two starting pitchers, Aaron Civale and Luis Severino, due to injury, but they also have two rookies, Gage Jump and Kade Morris, in the rotation. This season, they rank 23rd in ERA with 4.54 and 24th in WHIP with 1.41. The Athletics pitching has also allowed a .254 batting average to opposing batters (26th in MLB).

Projected Starters

In Game 1 of the series, the Athletics will utilize Jeffrey Springs, who has struggled to find his footing lately. In his last start vs. the Cubs on June 3, he would pitch 3.2 innings and allow seven hits and four runs. Even though the Athletics would win that game 5-4, a start like this simply cannot happen vs. the Brewers.

If things do not go well for the A's in Game 1, there is a very good chance the Athletics turn things around. In Game 2, J.T. Ginn will take the mound, a player widely considered the Athletics' ace. In his last outing on June 4, he would pitch 6.0 innings and allow just two hits and one run, and record eight strikeouts in 88 pitches.

In what could be the series decider, the Athletics will send out Jack Perkins. Keep in mind that Perkins is still learning his new role, as he was a reliever before mounting injuries. In his first start of the season, he would struggle vs. the Astros, pitching 4.0 innings, allowing five hits and five runs. While this might not be promising, we should see great improvement from start to start.

Players To Watch

The Athletics' lineup has been very up and down throughout the last few games. But right now, the Athletics' hottest hitter is Tyler Soderstrom, who is hitting .372, with three home runs and 16 hits in the last 15 days. His offensive output has been on a different level, and could easily be a deciding factor in the series.

Besides Soderstrom, Nick Kurtz has been excellent. In the past 15 days, he has been hitting .239, with 10 walks, four home runs, and eight RBIs. Earlier this season, he was able to reach base in 48 games in a row. Kurtz also leads the MLB in on-base percentage, with .431. Keep an eye out for Kurtz.

A player who has snuck under the radar is Zack Gelof, who is currently on a 12-game hitting streak. In the last 15 days, he has been hitting .327 with four RBIs and 16 hits. He is a player who will provide the top of the lineup ample opportunity to create runs, something the Athletics will need vs. the Brewers.

With the Athletics returning to Las Vegas for the first time since 1996, the stakes of this series could not be higher. The Brewers are a top team in the National League, and if the A's are able to win the series, it will not only leave a good taste in the Vegas locals' mouths but also raise the stock of the A's significantly.