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The Athletics have an opportunity to earn a three-game sweep for the first time since last July when they visit the Chicago White Sox on Thursday afternoon.

The Athletics have taken the first two games in Chicago, including Wednesday’s 3-1 victory. A third consecutive win would mark the club’s first sweep since the A’s took all three contests against the Los Angeles Angels from July 2-4, 2024.

The franchise hasn’t swept an opponent on the road since June 9-11, 2023, when it won three games against the Milwaukee Brewers.

Perhaps one of the biggest surprises in baseball is the team’s 23-year-old first baseman, Tyler Soderstrom, who has a majors-best eight home runs. Soderstrom, who went deep in Tuesday’s 12-3 rout of the White sox, had just nine home runs in 61 games last season.

“It’s pretty surreal,” Soderstrom said. “Growing up as a kid, I’d be pretty proud of myself right now. I’m just glad to be in this position. I’m super grateful for this opportunity, and I’m just trying to have a good time and take it day by day.”

Soderstrom’s 22 hits are tied with Jacob Wilson for the team lead.

A’s left-hander JP Sears (1-2, 4.24 ERA) will make his fourth start of the season on Thursday. Sears, 29, allowed three runs on six hits over four innings in a 7-6 loss to the New York Mets last Friday. He is 1-3 with a 7.29 ERA in four career starts against the White Sox.

Chicago has picked up where it left off after a historically dreadful 2024 campaign. Chicago, which set the modern-era record with 121 losses last year, already leads the American League with 13 defeats this season.

The White Sox dropped their third game in a row on Wednesday, mustering just one run — on Brooks Baldwin’s solo homer in the third inning.

Chicago is seeking to add a jolt to the lineup by calling up catching prospect Edgar Quero, who will make his major league debut on Thursday.

Quero, 22, is labeled as MLB’s No. 62 overall prospect and was batting .333 with Triple-A Charlotte in 15 games this year.

“Every moment when I go to bed, I think of that moment,” Quero said of making his debut. “To hear my name and number being called and to take my first at bat in the big leagues, that’s what I dream of every night.”

Quero’s batterymate in his debut will be right-hander Davis Martin (1-1, 4.24 ERA), who’s coming off a dazzling start last Friday.

Martin threw six innings of one-run, six-hit ball in an 11-1 victory over the Boston Red Sox.

In two career appearances (one start) against the Athletics, Martin sports a 1.93 ERA without a decision. He tossed six shutout innings in a no-decision last August.

–Field Level Media