Oakland A’s clinch postseason spot with win over Giants, Mariners loss
"I think we have a lot bigger goals. Playoffs is huge, but I think this team is extremely hungry for a lot bigger things than the playoffs. It's awesome, but we acted like we won a game and that’s it."
OAKLAND — There would be no popped bottles of champagne, no beer showers or boozy celebrations upon the Oakland A’s clinching their third consecutive postseason berth Friday night with a 6-0 win over the San Francisco Giants — officially sealed with the Seattle Mariners’ loss to the San Diego Padres.
The A’s magic number to clinch the American League West is down to 2, which can be achieved with a Houston Astros loss and A’s win as soon as Saturday.
“We talked at the beginning of the year about the division, that’s still what we’re looking to do,” manager Bob Melvin said after the game.
The A’s past two postseason clinch nights were spent in the visitor’s clubhouse in Seattle. Finally able to clinch one at home, the A’s had no raucous fans to share it with — save for the cardboard cutouts that have held the same expression all season long.
There wasn’t much of a celebration after the game save for a round of applause from the Oakland Coliseum grounds crew when the Padres officially beat the Mariners — as shown on the park’s big board a few minutes after the A’s won the game. No t-shirts, no big cheers from the home clubhouse. For now, the final steps toward loftier goals are just coming into focus.
“I think we have a lot bigger goals,” Chris Bassitt said. “Playoffs is huge, but I think this team is extremely hungry for a lot bigger things than the playoffs. It’s awesome, but we acted like we won a game and that’s it.”
It was only appropriate that Bassitt was on the hill for the A’s clincher. He went from possible swingman back in June to the team’s quasi-ace. With a talented rotation in constant flux — with injuries and slower progress amplified by a short season — Bassitt has been the only constant. Not only that, he’s been an anchor.
With a 6 2/3 scoreless outing Friday, Bassitt whittled his ERA down to 2.57, which ranks as the fifth-lowest in the American League behind Cleveland’s Shane Bieber (1.74), Chicago’s Dallas Keuchel (2.19), Texas’ Lance Lynn (2.40) and Minnesota’s Kenta Maeda (2.52).
His ERA at the Coliseum dwindled down to an eye-popping .89 with 25 strikeouts in five starts this year.
“He’s a guy who got off to the latest start in spring training, but deserves everything he’s getting,” Melvin said. “He had to work hard to get here, so feels good he’s being rewarded right now as good as he’s pitching.”
Bassitt this year has been consistent with his fastball command in nearly every start, and his curveball is both stunning and whiff-able. Bassitt’s been hard on himself at times — his low points came when he was caught up, unprepared in the stop-and-start nature of the season. But, through it all, he deflected praise to his catcher.
“I’ve been blessed this year and every year with catchers that know me physically and mentally,” Bassitt said. “Murph (Sean Murphy) and I are on the same page. I don’t like to think on the mound. I owe a lot of my success on Murphy. I don’t like to go out there thinking about how many fastball, curveballs, cutters I’m throwing.
“He does his homework better than anyone I’ve ever played with. I think Murphy is just unbelievable out there in keeping guys off balance.”
Murphy’s dominance behind the plate is becoming clearer as his reps build up, and not just as a studied game caller advanced beyond his 25 years. A study on Murphy’s defensive catching skills concludes that of Murphy’s five defensive runs saved this season, three are due to his impeccable pitch framing abilities. In other words, he’s getting strike calls that have a low percentage for being called a strike.
The A’s lack of a veteran catching option hasn’t been a problem with rookie Jonah Heim demonstrating strong skills behind the dish, too.
Back to Bassitt. Three of his seven strikeouts came swinging at his looping curveball, the other three on fastballs, mostly up out of the zone. He walked three — two in the seventh inning — with three hits, but held the Giants to one hit through five innings.
The new guys provided a good chunk of the offense — with Matt Olson’s big swing setting the tone.
Olson hit a three-run home run, his 14th homer of the year, in the third inning that created all the separation the A’s would need off Giants right handed starter Logan Webb. Tommy La Stella also contributed an RBI — a single with a pair of runners on in the fourth. Marcus Semien added the A’s sixth run with another RBI.
Jake Lamb provided his third RBI in four games with Oakland, knocking an RBI single at 107 mph off his bat. Hard contact is a good indication of some offensive success, and he’s had plenty in his short time.
He now has six hits in four games with three RBI, including a home run. Lamb says the A’s hitting coaches have given him a couple tips, and he’s already seeing results. But, most of all, he’s felt some extra motivation from a frustrating year.
“The DFA, just how this year went for me is some of the most motivation I’ve ever had,” Lamb said. “To join these guys, and pushing for a World Series, that’s all the motivation you need.”
His teammates are happy to see him produce right away.
“I don’t know how we got him honestly,” Bassitt said. “He’s truly incredible. I’ve heard other guys play with him, play against him, and say if he’s healthy he’s an All-Star. And dang does he look healthy.”