Following yesterday’s break from Cactus League action to play an exhibition against Team Brazil, the Athletics return to traditional spring training action this afternoon against the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Left-hander Jeffrey Springs will be making the start for the A’s today. He is looking for an improved performance this afternoon after giving up for runs in nearly two innings in his spring debut last Friday. Last year, Springs was reliable and available, finishing the season with a 4.11 ERA compiled
over 30 starts. Entering his second season with this team, the A’s need him to continue taking the ball every fifth day and pitching to the best of his capabilities in order for the team to reach its lofty goals.
The A’s lineup this afternoon shakes out like this:
The starting nine the A’s are jotting out today is full of regulars. In fact, the team’s lineup card they submit to the umpires on Opening Day in Toronto may look the exact same, at least the first seven batters. The final two batters, minor leaguers Henry Bolte and Junior Perez, are getting the start due to players still recovering from injury (Lawrence Butler) and with their World Baseball Classic (WBC) teams (Denzel Clarke and Carlos Cortes). After a slow start, Bolte has been playing better the past few days, showing off his all-around skillset that makes him the team’s top outfield prospect.
Diamondbacks right-handed pitcher Brandon Pfaadt will be making his 2026 spring training debut. He will likely not pitch more than an inning or two. Here is how Arizona lines up behind him:
The Diamondbacks lineup is largely devoid of regulars, aside from the team’s starting catcher, Gabriel Moreno, who will be their designated hitter this afternoon. This is because Arizona has had multiple starters leave camp to join their respective countries for the WBC. As a result, there is no excuse for Springs to not perform better in his second spring outing as he continues preparing for the start of the regular season.Can the A’s make it three wins in three days? Let’s go A’s!
