The Athletics are back on the road this week, beginning a three-game series against the San Francisco Giants tonight. This past weekend, the A’s lost the final two games of a four-game series against the Los Angeles Angels, ending their seven-game West Sacramento homestand with a 3-4 record. Their most recent game on Father’s Day was especially brutal, as the A’s bullpen gave up a game-tying home run in the eighth and then the game-winning blast the next inning.
The Giants, led by rookie manager Tony
Vitello, have been one of the most disappointing teams in baseball as their 31-46 record is amongst the league’s worst. Veteran stars Matt Chapman, Willy Adames and Rafael Devers are not living up to their massive contracts, while the team recently faced extensive backlash over the actions of several pitchers during the organization’s Pride Night game.
Having lost two of three when these teams met in California’s capital city earlier this season, the A’s will be looking for revenge. Handing the Giants their fourth straight loss this evening would be a great start to this best-of-three road series.
Athletics’ right-hander Aaron Civale will make his 13th start of the season today. The 31-year-old enters this outing with a 5-3 record, a 4.91 ERA, a 1.59 WHIP and 41 strikeouts across 58 2/3 innings. Civale got off to a good start in his first year with the A’s.
However, his ERA has ballooned over his last seven starts, reflecting a noticeable decline in performance. After missing a couple of weeks with shoulder tendonitis, the A’s activated Civale to start last Wednesday’s final game against the Pittsburgh Pirates. It did not go well. The veteran gave up six runs on nine hits in only three innings of work, ruining any chance his team had of winning that series rubber game.
In his second start since returning from injury, Civale will look to be more efficient and work deeper into the game. He should benefit from the pitcher-friendly environment at Oracle Park, after making his last two appearances in a rehab outing at Las Vegas Ballpark and a start at hitter-friendly Sutter Health Park.
Here’s the A’s lineup for this matchup:
The Athletics are deploying a right-handed-heavy starting nine, with first baseman Nick Kurtz and left fielder Tyler Soderstrom the only left-handed hitters in the lineup. Second baseman Zack Gelof will look to extend his league-leading hitting streak, with his speed and contact ability making him an ideal leadoff option —capable of getting on base, stealing second, and scoring on a single from Kurtz or Shea Langeliers.
Colby Thomas, fresh off a spectacular catch in right field on Sunday, will start there again. Designated hitter Joey Meneses is also back in the lineup for a second straight game, aiming to extend the hot streak that earned him Pacific Coast Player of the Week honors.
The A’s offense will face Giants left-hander Robbie Ray, who enters his 15th start with a 5-6 record, a 4.07 ERA, a 1.33 WHIP and 74 strikeouts across 79 2/3 innings. The 34-year-old earned the win in his last outing, tossing 6 1/3 scoreless innings with eight strikeouts against the Atlanta Braves. In the start prior, he allowed five runs in 5 2/3 innings, reflecting the up and down nature of Ray’s season to date.
The A’s will hope to see the vulnerable version of Ray this evening. If he is on, the southpaw with over 1800 career strikeouts could make it a long night for A’s hitters. Ray often struggles with command, so the Athletics will need to work counts, stay patient and capitalize when he leaves pitches over the plate.
And the Giants’ lineup for the series-opener:
Entering the season, no one expected Luis Arraez to become a dramatically improved defender at second base or Casey Schmitt to be arguably the Giants’ best hitter. Yet both have happened, serving as two bright spots in what has otherwise been a miserable first half of the 2026 season for San Francisco.
Additionally, the team’s top prospect, Bryce Eldridge, is finally getting everyday playing time and taking full advantage of the opportunity. Civale cannot afford to leave a pitch over the plate to Eldridge, whose prodigious power can send it quickly into McCovey Cove.
The A’s look to snap a two-game losing streak tonight against the Giants. Let’s go A’s!
