Brent Rooker of the Athletics was the breakout performer at the All-Star Game in Atlanta, belting a three-run homer in the seventh inning and clearing the fence twice in the game-deciding swing-off.
The 30-year-old designated hitter returns to the field Friday, when the A’s begin a three-game road series against the Cleveland Guardians.
Left-hander JP Sears (7-7, 4.79 ERA) starts for the visitors against Guardians right-hander Slade Cecconi (4-4, 3.44) as both squads seek to maintain the momentum they had prior to the break.
“It was an incredible two days. I had a blast,” Rooker said of his second All-Star experience. “It was truly an honor to be with those guys. The conversations you’re able to have — with pitchers and hitters — are invaluable.”
Rooker also was part of the most controversial moment in the Home Run Derby one day earlier, when he was denied a berth in the final after tying Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh with 17 shots in the first round.
Contest officials declared that Rooker’s longest homer traveled 0.96 inches less than Raleigh’s top blast. Ironically, that moment contributed to him becoming an overnight sensation in his sixth season in the majors the next evening.
“I don’t know what the viewing experience was like, but on the field it was electric,” said Rooker, who needs one home run to reach 100 in his regular-season career.
The Athletics have played solid baseball over the last six weeks, winning 18 of their 35 games with Rooker, fellow All-Star Jacob Wilson and rookie Nick Kurtz leading the way. They went 1-20 immediately before that stretch, dooming their season.
Sears has an 0-3 record and 5.48 ERA in five career appearances (four starts) against the Guardians, but has been the staff’s top arm since June 28, going 2-0 with a 1.62 ERA in three starts.
“We should be looking at this second half as an opportunity to keep growing, keep building and keep winning series,” A’s manager Mark Kotsay said. “We’ll come out of the break with a commitment to really continuing our progress.”
The Guardians are on the periphery of the postseason race after going 6-1 on a road trip against the Houston Astros and Chicago White Sox. Cleveland is 12th in the American League, 4 1/2 games out of the final wild-card position.
Cecconi, who was acquired from the Arizona Diamondbacks in exchange for Josh Naylor in the offseason, is 3-1 with a 2.73 ERA in his last five starts. He hasn’t allowed more than three runs in a game in that stretch.
Guardians manager Stephen Vogt opted to start him in the opener, instead of Tanner Bibee or Gavin Williams, based on his recent success. In two career outings against the Athletics, Cecconi is 1-0 with a 2.45 ERA.
“We played great baseball on the trip and it was fun to see the guys turn it around,” Vogt said. “The 10 (losses) in a row hurt, obviously, but there is a lot of season left to make it up.”
Cleveland third baseman Jose Ramirez was chosen as an All-Star starter, but did not attend the festivities to tend to his multiple minor injuries.
Left fielder Steven Kwan came up clutch in his second straight All-Star appearance, singling home Bobby Witt Jr. with two outs and two strikes in the ninth inning to force the swing-off.
“Kwan, he’s the best,” Guardians first baseman Kyle Manzardo said. “I don’t think anybody has shown me more what it means to be a professional than Steve has.”
–Field Level Media
