The Oakland Athletics will aim for a better result on Sunday as they host the Houston Astros in West Sacramento, California. Both teams are looking for their first series win against a divisional opponent in 2026, following a split of the first two games in the series.
Game Recap: Blowout Loss and Response
The first two games of the series have seen a pair of blowouts. The A’s claimed a dominant 11-4 win on Friday night, but the Astros bounced back on Saturday with an 11-0 shutout victory. Athletics manager Mark Kotsay was critical of his team’s performance after the lopsided loss.
“We didn’t do anything well today,” Kotsay said postgame on Saturday. “That game was reflective of past performances that we feel like we have put behind us, and we need to put behind us as a team.”
Pitching Struggles
Kotsay singled out the pitching staff’s struggles, which saw five pitchers combine to allow 18 hits, walk 13 batters, and strike out only five. With the A’s pitching staff currently ranking second in the majors for walks (47), Kotsay emphasized the need for better control, particularly with offspeed pitches.
“You’ve got to be able to keep big-league hitters off-balance,” Kotsay said. “You’ve got to have some type of secondary (pitch) you can throw in the zone for a strike and land it and get ahead.”
Jacob Lopez Looks for Redemption
The Athletics will turn to Jacob Lopez (0-1, 6.75 ERA) for his first home start of the season. Lopez struggled with control in his previous outing against the Atlanta Braves, walking five batters and giving up three runs in four innings during a 4-0 loss.
However, Lopez has been solid in his career appearances against Houston, holding a 0.87 ERA in 10 1/3 innings across two starts.
Lance McCullers Jr. Starts for Astros
For Houston, Lance McCullers Jr. (1-0, 1.29 ERA) will take the mound in the rubber game of the series. McCullers impressed in his season debut on Monday against Boston, striking out nine and allowing just one run over seven innings. In his career against the A’s, McCullers has a 7-3 record with a 3.32 ERA over 15 starts.
“He kept attacking,” Astros manager Joe Espada said after McCullers’ outing against the Red Sox. “He set the tone from the very beginning. He was going to control the at-bats.”
McCullers, who has spent his entire career with the Astros, will look to continue his strong start to the season. However, he has battled injuries over the past few years, missing the 2019, 2023, and 2024 seasons.
McCullers will try to build on the solid performance from Tatsuya Imai, who pitched 5 2/3 scoreless innings and struck out nine in Houston’s win on Saturday.
Looking Ahead
With the series tied 1-1, Sunday’s game will determine the winner. If the A’s manage to win, they will secure their first series victory of the season after a rough start to 2026. Last season, the Athletics won the season series against the Astros 8-5, and they will look to repeat that success.
