Giants, Athletics adjust players’ roles following roster moves

Jul 31, 2024, 7:35 AM | Updated: 7:35 am

SAN FRANCISCO, CALIFORNIA - JULY 30: Zack Gelof #20 of the Oakland Athletics attempting to steal is...

(Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)

Sactown Sports

The Giants will be looking to solidify a game’s start while the Oakland Athletics focus on the end when the neighbors meet again Wednesday night on the San Francisco side of the bay to complete their two-game series.

The A’s parlayed four homers and strong pitching by JP Sears into a 5-2 victory in the opener of the final edition of the Bay Bridge Series. The rivalry will be separated by 90 miles when the A’s move to Sacramento next year.

Both teams made multiple trades leading into Tuesday’s game, with each focused on acquiring prospects.

“They made me pay for it.”

Robbie Ray laments his poor execution against the A’s red-hot lineup pic.twitter.com/hCWFw3X9RC

— SF Giants on NBCS (@NBCSGiants) July 31, 2024

Giants vs. Athletics preview

When the Giants dealt Jorge Soler to the Atlanta Braves on Monday, it left the team with a hole atop the lineup — where the designated hitter had been slotted in the last 24 games.

San Francisco manager Bob Melvin opted to move hot-hitting Tyler Fitzgerald into the leadoff spot Tuesday, which he had occupied just once previously this season. He went 0-for-4, striking out twice.

On a positive note, Marco Luciano, 22, took over Soler’s DH role and went 1-for-3 with a double. The highly regarded prospect was promoted from Triple-A after the trade was announced.

Luciano, who has batted in six different spots in the lineup in his 11 games with the Giants this season, has the flexibility to slot wherever Melvin needs him most, president of baseball operations Farhan Zaidi noted.

“The (Soler trade) was a lot about creating at-bats for Luciano, who’s really come a long way offensively,” Zaidi said. “We have seen his trajectory over the last few years. Sometimes you lose the zoom-out big picture of how much progress he’s made. We’ve really seen that over the last month.”

The Athletics’ biggest trade loss was set-up man Lucas Erceg, who had transitioned recently into a closer option with All-Star Mason Miller out with a broken finger. Erceg was acquired by the Kansas City Royals on Tuesday.

With his primary eighth- and ninth-inning relievers not available Tuesday, A’s manager Mark Kotsay used Scott Alexander, Austin Adams and Tyler Ferguson to close out the Giants. The results were mixed.

The Giants did all their scoring in the eighth and ninth innings, creating an anxious moment for Kotsay when the potential tying run moved on deck against Ferguson. But the right-hander struck out LaMonte Wade Jr. to allow the A’s to celebrate a rivalry win in which both the pitching and hitting contributed.

“This team is starting to believe in themselves, and that’s powerful when that happens,” Kotsay said after his club’s ninth win in its last 12 games. “It’s really nice to see them having fun and enjoying the success of the hard work.”

Hoping to put Kotsay in a position to show off his new late-game look again in the series finale will be right-hander Ross Stripling (2-9, 6.02 ERA), who pitched 22 games for the Giants last year in an 0-5 campaign. He’s gone 2-3 with a 3.20 ERA in 15 outings, including five starts, against San Francisco in his career.

Seeking to end a personal three-game winless streak, Giants right-hander Logan Webb (7-8, 3.72) has gone head-to-head with the A’s five times in his career, recording a 1-2 record and 5.68 ERA.

–Field Level Media