Basement dwellers are playing a mile above sea level this weekend, beginning on Friday night. The MLB-worst Oakland Athletics (28-76) will take on the NL-worst Colorado Rockies (40-62) in an interleague clash. With the trade deadline around the corner, both rosters may look different by the time the first pitch arrives. Regardless of who is and isn't suiting up, both teams will look for an elusive win. Coors Field will welcome all guests, beginning at 8:40 p.m. EDT to get Friday night started.
After getting swept in the Bay Bridge series, Oakland ventures to the Rocky Mountains for this weekend set. Nobody has been worse than Oakland, beginning with their offense that scores the fewest runs league-wide. The A's are last in batting average and slugging percentage also. Their strikeout rate is 27th, OBP is 27th, and the Oakland home run tally is 25. Esteury Ruiz's 43 steals lead the way for their 101 swipes in 122 tries. Looking for excellence outside of stealing bases is a futile exercise though.
Things have been just as ugly on the mound, with Oakland allowing the most runs per game (even with a pitcher-friendly home park). Of everyone, between an ineffective rotation and a horrid bullpen, JP Sears has probably been the most dependable. Still, the Athletics are only 5-15 in his starts this season. Sears' 2023 has already logged a career-high in innings, with a 1.048 WHIP. His 5.3% home run rate needs work, especially after allowing five during his last two outings, but Sears has shown the tools to have a decent MLB career as a southpaw.