A’s Prospects Shine in Double-Header Sweep Against Dodgers and Angels

The Oakland Athletics turned the tide on a tough weekend, securing victories in both games of their spring training split-squad double-header. After a challenging outing the previous day, the A’s showcased their resilience, rallying from a seven-run deficit to defeat the Los Angeles Dodgers 11-7, while also claiming a 7-4 win against the Los Angeles Angels in Las Vegas.

Making his first start of the spring, left-hander Jacob Lopez faced a tough challenge. Despite not being at his best, Lopez’s performance was expected as he worked to shake off early-season rust. The Dodgers struck first, with center fielder Andy Pages hitting a two-out solo home run in the first inning. Lopez then allowed back-to-back RBI doubles from Nick Senzel and Ryan Ward in the following inning, putting the A’s in a deep hole.

As the game progressed, the Dodgers extended their lead, scoring three more runs in the fourth inning off pitchers Matt Krook and Kenya Huggins. With a commanding 7-0 advantage, it appeared the Dodgers were on their way to another Cactus League victory. However, A’s top prospect Leo De Vries had other plans. The 19-year-old shortstop, acquired from the San Diego Padres in the Mason Miller trade, ignited the A’s comeback against the defending champions, albeit against Dodgers minor league pitchers.

De Vries made his presence felt in the fourth inning, hitting his first home run in an A’s uniform—a two-run shot to right field. Just an inning later, with the bases loaded and two outs, he delivered a grand slam over the right field fence, slicing the A’s deficit to just one run.

It’s hard to fathom that the Padres traded away such a promising talent for a reliever, potentially leaving them without a successor for aging shortstop Xander Bogaerts. De Vries’s explosive performance energized the A’s, setting the stage for his teammates to step up. Third baseman Andy Ibàñez tied the game in the sixth inning with an RBI double, and the A’s erupted for four runs in the eighth to take their first lead of the game. Minor league outfielder Clark Elliot’s single brought home the go-ahead run, while Colby Thomas capped the scoring with a two-run double. Ibàñez finished the game with an impressive 4-for-5 performance, including two doubles and two RBIs.

On the pitching side, A’s prospects Zane Taylor and Steven Echavarria delivered a strong performance, shutting down the Dodgers for the final three innings. While much attention has been given to lefties Gage Jump and Jamie Arnold, Taylor and Echavarria are also poised to make an impact in the A’s minor leagues this season.

In their second game of the day, offseason acquisition Aaron Civale took the mound for the A’s, showcasing a solid outing with four strikeouts over 3 2/3 innings. Civale’s only misstep came when Angels catcher Logan O’Hoppe hit a two-run home run in the fourth inning, erasing the A’s early 1-0 lead established by third base prospect Tommy White’s second home run of the spring.

Angels starter Jack Kochanowicz performed well, allowing only White’s home run during his four innings. However, once the Angels turned to their bullpen, the A’s capitalized. They tied the game in the fifth inning thanks to doubles from Henry Bolte and Joshua Kuroda-Grauer. Bolte, who finished the game with four hits in four at-bats, delivered another crucial hit with a two-run home run in the seventh inning, giving the A’s a lead they would not relinquish.

White added to his stellar day with his third hit and second home run of the game an inning later, extending the A’s lead to three runs heading into the ninth. Relievers Wander Suero and Nick Hernandez effectively protected the A’s late-game advantage, allowing only one run over the final three innings. While they are likely to begin the season in Triple-A, at least one of them could join the MLB club this season, given the A’s current lack of experienced bullpen arms.

The A’s impressive double-header sweep, achieved with limited contributions from their core offensive starters, bodes well for the team as they look ahead. Tomorrow, the squad will reunite as they travel to Goodyear, AZ, to face the Cincinnati Reds. This matchup will feature promising young right-handed pitchers, with Jack Perkins starting for the A’s against Rhett Lowder for the Reds. Will the A’s extend their winning streak to three games, or will they stumble to start the week? Tune in tomorrow to find out.

Note: This recap is an independently written summary based on publicly available reporting.