Athletics’ Youthful Offense Could Present Yankees Bullpen with Its Toughest Test Yet
The New York Yankees are set to take on the Oakland Athletics this weekend in what has unexpectedly become a much more evenly matched series than many anticipated.
Oakland has surprised the baseball world with a strong 20-18 start, thanks in large part to a dynamic group of young hitters fueling their offense.
Leading the charge is 23-year-old shortstop Jacob Wilson, a frontrunner for American League Rookie of the Year. Wilson is hitting an impressive .357 — second-best in MLB — and gives manager Mark Kotsay exactly what he needs from the leadoff spot.
First baseman Tyler Soderstrom and outfielder Lawrence Butler are also having breakout seasons. Soderstrom, 23, comes into the Yankees series with a .290/.350/.517 slash line and nine home runs, while the 24-year-old Butler has added six homers of his own with a .240 average and a .411 slugging percentage.
Add in designated hitter Brent Rooker’s power and outfielder Miguel Andujar’s surprising .320 average, and Oakland suddenly boasts one of the most well-rounded lineups in the league — a true top-to-bottom threat.
Statistically, the A’s offense ranks fifth in batting average, 10th in OPS, and eighth in home runs per nine innings, per FanGraphs.
That poses a serious challenge for a Yankees bullpen that’s struggled with control, currently ranking 25th in walks per nine innings. Against a team like Oakland that thrives on contact and can punish mistakes, a few free passes could quickly snowball into big innings.
Even though the Yankees have done well at limiting home runs — the best in MLB in that category — the Athletics may not need to go deep to do damage. Their ability to string together hits and work counts could produce long, grinding innings that wear down New York’s relievers and expose the bullpen’s depth issues.
Right-hander Will Warren, who’s struggled to go deep into games, will get the start Friday night for manager Aaron Boone. It’s shaping up to be a major early test — and possibly a rough start to the series in West Sacramento.
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