There will need to be a roster move when Athletics slugger Brent Rooker is activated from the injured list, but it’s safe to say that Carlos Cortes isn’t going anywhere.
Cortes, 28, has been a pleasant surprise for the Athletics, who will continue their three-game series against the Texas Rangers on Saturday evening in Arlington, Texas.
Cortes homered twice and drove in four runs in the Athletics’ 8-1 victory on Friday. He is 10-for-21 with three homers in his last five games and is batting .339 with four homers and 11 RBIs for the season.
Nick Kurtz, Cortes and Tyler Soderstrom each hit solo homers in the first inning to set the tone in Friday’s win. Zack Gelof added a two-run shot in the ninth to help the Athletics win for the third time in their last four games and take over first place in the American League West.
Cortes started at designated hitter on Friday, but he’ll likely move to left field when Rooker rejoins the team — perhaps as soon as this weekend. Rooker has been out since April 10 with a right oblique strain and may not need a rehab assignment.
“It’s a shorter time frame than what we expected, for sure,” A’s manager Mark Kotsay said. “He does feel really good with everything he’s done up to this point. That being said, we’ll determine if he needs to go on a rehab or whether he just comes back. For his role as a DH, it’s not as important that he goes out and builds his legs up, as most guys that play the field would need.”
Saturday’s pitching matchup will feature a pair of left-handers in the Rangers’ MacKenzie Gore (2-2, 4.15 ERA) and the Athletics’ Jeffrey Springs (3-1, 3.34).
Gore, 27, allowed five runs over five innings in a 5-2 road loss to the Seattle Mariners last Sunday. He issued one walk after allowing a career-high six free passes over 4 2/3 innings in a 2-1 loss to the Athletics on April 14.
“I think there’s always stuff to work on,” Texas manager Skip Schumaker said. “I think he didn’t walk many guys (Sunday). From last start to this start, we’ll take that. He’ll continue to make the adjustments. He’s one of our better pitchers. I’m sure he’s looking forward to the next one already.”
Jeff McNeil is 8-for-14 (.571) against Gore, who is 1-2 with a 7.11 ERA in three career starts vs. the Athletics.
The A’s will counter on Saturday with Springs, who allowed a total of four runs over his first four starts before yielding seven runs over five frames in a 7-4 home loss to the Chicago White Sox on Sunday.
“I just didn’t feel like the ball was coming out very good from the get-go,” Springs said. “It just kind of felt like everything was slow, body-wise. It is what it is. Those are going to happen.”
Springs, 33, will face Gore and the Athletics for the second time this month after allowing one run over 6 1/3 innings on April 14.
Texas’ Josh Jung is 4-for-11 (.364) with a home run against Springs, who is 3-1 with a 2.32 ERA in eight career games (five starts) vs. the Rangers.
Jung doubled in a run in Friday’s loss and is batting .379 with three homers and 12 RBIs over his last 19 games.
“I have an understanding of what I’m trying to accomplish in the at-bat,” Jung said, “and what I’m looking for.”
–Field Level Media
