Cincinnati Reds at Oakland Athletics 3/4/23

The Oakland Athletics and Cincinnati Reds are playing in Las Vegas on Saturday as part of "Big League Weekend" at Las Vegas Ballpark. First pitch is set for 4:05 p.m. EST. Hunter Greene is scheduled to start for Cincinnati, while Oakland has Drew Rucinski at its starter.

Oakland had the worst record in the American League last season. The A’s 60 wins were five more than the National League’s worst team, Washington. They missed the playoffs by 26 games. Cincinnati finished tied for last with Pittsburgh in the National League Central at 62-100. The Reds fell 24 games short of a playoff spot.  

Oakland lost to the Royals, 6-4, on Friday. The A’s lineup included just one expected starter with Christian Pache batting seventh in the order. Pache went 1-for-3 with two runs batted in. Brent Rooker, who started in left and hit fifth, had two hits in two at bats and scored twice.

Cincinnati lost to the White Sox, also 6-4, on Friday. Chicago scored five times off of Luke Weaver in the bottom of the second inning. The Reds plated three in the top of the third inning, but the White Sox added their sixth run in the bottom half o the inning.   

Cincinnati is 2-3 in the Cactus League so far this season and is in 11th place. They’ve gone 1-1 at home and 1-2 on the road. The Reds have scored 37 and given up 44. Oakland, at 2-4, has one fewer loss than last-place Arizona. The A’s have scored 50 runs and allowed 55. They are 1-3 at home and 1-1 on the road. With word of Oakland’s likely move to Las Vegas last week, expected the A’s to put on a show. Final Score Prediction: Oakland Athletics win 9-5.