Expect a Batting Crown! Average Rises!
MESA, AZ - MARCH 10: Shea Langeliers #23 of the Athletics rounds the bases after hitting a solo home run in the fourth inning during the game between the Chicago White Sox and the Athletics at Hohokam Stadium on Tuesday, March 10, 2026 in Mesa, Arizona. (Photo by Jacob Soriano/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Images The morning was good enough: I was able to sit down with catcher Shea Langeliers, OFer Henry Bolte, and pitching coach Scott Emerson for interviews I will post in the coming days. There is also a chance I might be able to catch up with Jacob Lopez and/or Denzel Clarke on Monday.
Then came the afternoon as the A’s managed 15 of the game’s 17 hits, 12 of its 13 runs, and scored in 6 of the 8 innings in which they batted. Langeliers has batted 3 times since our interview and he has yet to hit anything but a HR. I take only partial credit.
But perhaps more encouraging was some of the individual contributions. Here’s what the Eyeball Scout saw… Jacob Lopez Lopez got ahead 0-2 to the game’s first batter and then walked him. But then he found his mojo and for 4 hitless innings he was every bit the Jacob Lopez we saw last season.
His breaking pitches were moving a ton and his fastball, sitting mostly at 90-91 MPH, got the usual high number of swings and misses. A healthy Lopez makes the A’s rotation so much better and based on today he appears to be just fine. Leo De Vries I get it: the hyperbole and optimism gets old.
He is a talented young man and not some Norse god. But De Vries had 2 at bats today and both were impressive — and led to a 2-2 day with 2 RBI. His first PA he spit on a tough 2-2 off speed pitch just barely below the knees (it was so close I thought the Royals might challenge it) and then muscled a single into CF.
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