The Athletics opened their final road trip of the season Friday night with three games against the Cleveland Guardians, a series that carries much different stakes for the two teams. Cleveland entered at 78-75 and still in a fierce battle with the Chicago White Sox for the American League Central title, while the Athletics were trying to finish a difficult season with enough wins to avoid a 100-loss campaign.
The matchup also came after a week that showed both sides of Oakland's season. The Athletics scored 25 runs and won both series during a six-game homestand, then were swept in three games by the Tampa Bay Rays for the second time in as many months before heading to Cleveland. With nine games left in the season, the Athletics needed at least two wins to stay clear of 100 losses.
What the series means
For the Athletics, this weekend offered one more chance to play spoiler after failing to do so in Tampa Bay. That has been a recurring theme for a club that has spent much of the season looking ahead to bigger offseason needs, especially pitching and defense. If the Athletics can carry over the offense they showed at home, they can at least make life a little harder for a contender.
That is the backdrop for a series that also includes a familiar face on the Cleveland side. Stephen Vogt, now managing the Guardians, was preparing to face his former club. He was part of the backdrop to a matchup that had more meaning than a typical late-season series between teams with very different goals.
Pitching matchup for Friday
Mason Barnett was scheduled to start for the Athletics, while Daniel Espino was scheduled to open for Cleveland. That gave both clubs a chance to lean on arms that could help shape the tone of the weekend.
For the Athletics, the hope is simple: finish strong, steal a few wins, and leave the final nine games with something positive to build on. For the Guardians, the priority is far bigger, and every game matters in a tight AL Central race.
Even late in the year, a series like this can still matter. The Guardians are fighting for the division. The Athletics are fighting the numbers on the standings page. That makes Athletics vs Guardians a fitting late-September matchup, with one team chasing October and the other trying to avoid an unwanted milestone.
