Athletics Vs Cubs: Mark Kotsay Faces 7 Losses in 9 Games
The Athletics enter athletics vs cubs after losing seven of their past nine games. They were swept at home by the Mariners, dropped two of three to the Yankees, and reached June three games below.500.
Mark Kotsay’s Rotation Shuffle
That slide has forced Mark Kotsay to keep moving pieces. Luis Severino went on the injured list over the weekend, Jacob Lopez was sent to Triple-A after Sunday’s loss to the Yankees, and Aaron Civale has been hit hard in his last two starts.
Jeffrey Springs gave the Athletics their best pitching early in the year, but the rest of the rotation has not held firm. J.T. Ginn has posted a 2.87 ERA overall and a 2.56 ERA in 10 starts since joining the starting rotation, yet the club still arrives in Chicago with uncertainty around its next turns.
Gage Jump Gets the First Shot
Gage Jump will make his second career start in the first game of the series. Kade Morris could make his big league debut on Thursday if the Athletics decide to use him, which would give them another young arm at a time when the staff has been stretched by injuries and movement between levels.
Closer By Committee
The bullpen has been just as unsettled. Kotsay has not used one fixed closer all season, and four different relievers already have three or more saves.
That approach has kept the saves spread around, with Hogan Harris, Mark Leiter Jr., Joel Kuhnel and Jack Perkins among the arms carrying late-inning work. For a team sitting second in the AL West, the combination of injuries, demotions and rotating leverage spots leaves the Cubs series tied directly to how stable the pitching can be this week.
