OAKLAND, Calif. (AP) — The Oakland Athletics are dropping and throwing away the ball at a staggering rate.
The A’s committed five errors in the first three innings against the Boston Red Sox on Monday night to become the first team in 29 years with at least 13 fielding miscues in the first five games of the season.
The mistakes came early with catcher Shea Langeliers throwing a ball into center field on a stolen base attempt by Jarren Duran two batters into the game.
Two more errors came in the second inning with center fielder JJ Bleday dropping Emmanuel Valdez’s drive to the warning track for a two-base errors and right fielder Lawrence Butler throwing the ball away on a sacrifice fly, allowing a second run to score.
Two more miscues followed in the third with first baseman Ryan Noda throwing the ball away on an infield hit by Valdez and starter Joe Boyle making a wild throw on a pickoff attempt at second base.
The A’s have made at least one error in every game with the 13 the most in the first five games of a season since the Chicago White Sox had 18 in 1995. It’s also the most errors in the first five games of a season for the franchise since the Philadelphia had 16 in 1923.
Manager Mark Kotsay said before the game that he talked to the team about the defensive struggles.
“Errors are going to happen,” he said. “I don’t think it’s for a lack of effort by any measure. To a certain extent, I think it’s a lack of not wanting to make a mistake. These guys are out there, they know that they’ve been given this opportunity and they don’t want to fail. But at the same time, when you have that feeling and you play that way, you’re going to fail.”
Oakland also became the first team in seven years to commit at least five errors in the first three innings of a game with Seattle the last to do it on Aug, 27, 2017, against the New York Yankees.
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