BREAKING: A’s Top Star blasted as Athletics get shut out by Red Sox

The Oakland Athletics were shut out for the second time in 5 games

The Oakland Athletics experienced another shutout loss, this time against the Boston Red Sox, marking their second scoreless game in five outings and dropping their season record to 1-4. Joe Boyle endured a challenging outing, lasting only 2.2 innings and conceding 8 runs on 8 hits with 4 walks and 4 strikeouts before exiting the game prematurely.

A’s have committed five errors in three innings. That’s 13 errors in five games. Just brutal. Red Sox lead 8-0.

— Martín Gallegos (@MartinJGallegos) April 2, 2024

The A’s defense faltered, committing 5 errors in the initial three innings, prompting Manager Mark Kotsay to acknowledge the need for improvement. Despite multiple defensive lapses, only one of the runs surrendered by Boyle was unearned.

With a total of 13 errors in their first five games, the Athletics set an unfortunate record for the most errors in their opening five games in Oakland’s history.

In addition to defensive woes, the Athletics’ offense struggled, as Red Sox pitcher Tanner Houck dominated over 6 innings, allowing just 3 hits and striking out 10 batters. Chase Anderson pitched the final three innings for the Red Sox, continuing the A’s offensive shutdown with just one hit allowed and 3 strikeouts.

A’s shortstop Darell Hernaiz struggled at the plate, striking out three times and remaining hitless for the season, while also contributing to the team’s defensive struggles with one error.

Similarly, infielder Abraham Toro failed to register his first hit in an A’s uniform, striking out twice and tallying only one walk in his first 8 plate appearances.

Final. pic.twitter.com/v2MRPAHS0h

— Oakland A's (@Athletics) April 2, 2024

Despite the disappointing performance, relief pitcher Kyle Muller provided a silver lining by delivering a solid performance in relief of Boyle, pitching 5.1 innings, allowing just one hit, and striking out six. Muller’s promising outings in relief suggest the potential for a return to the starting rotation in the near future, given his strong performance during spring training.

Last year posed immense challenges for supporters of the Athletics due to the team’s historically poor performance at the outset. The current outlook for the start of 2024 suggests we might be facing similar difficulties once again.

We’re relying on Kotsay to uplift the team spirit as the A’s brace themselves for another demanding match on Tuesday. The Red Sox are set to deploy their Opening Day pitcher, Brayan Bello, who showcased impressive skills in his debut season in 2023, leading to a substantial $55 million contract extension this winter.

Opposing Bello will be left-handed pitcher Alex Wood for the Athletics. Wood struggled in his initial outing against the Guardians, making it imperative for him to bounce back. The A’s are counting on him to regain his form.