Luis Severino, New York Look To Rebound As They Take On Oakland

Two of baseball's hottest young pitchers will square off in Oakland on Friday night, with Yankees right-hander Luis Severino facing A's left-hander Sean Manaea. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/236668968/severino-manaea-to-duel-riding-hot-streaks/?topicId=26688836

Manaea has won his last five starts, throwing 32 innings and allowing just eight runs on 22 hits in that span. He's struck out 32 and walked seven, carrying a 1.97 ERA during the winning streak. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/236668968/severino-manaea-to-duel-riding-hot-streaks/?topicId=26688836

One of the wins came against the Yankees in New York on May 26. Manaea threw seven shutout innings, striking out eight while allowing just four hits and one walk. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/236668968/severino-manaea-to-duel-riding-hot-streaks/?topicId=26688836

Meanwhile, Severino hasn't lost a start in more than a month and has won three of his last four starts. In that stretch, he's thrown 28 1/3 innings, striking out 30 and giving up just four runs on 19 hits and five walks. Yankees manager Joe Girardi said some key improvements have contributed to his success this season. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/236668968/severino-manaea-to-duel-riding-hot-streaks/?topicId=26688836

"Better fastball command, as he's able to get the fastball down in the zone on a more consistent basis now, so when he does go up, it's a different look for him," Girardi said. "I think his slider has had more depth consistently, and he's used his changeup more. And I think he's slowed down. At times, he would work too fast. None of us complain about pitchers working fast, but there's a fine line there." "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/236668968/severino-manaea-to-duel-riding-hot-streaks/?topicId=26688836

New York won the season series against Oakland in 2016, the first time they had done so since '11. They took two of three from the A's earlier this year. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/236668968/severino-manaea-to-duel-riding-hot-streaks/?topicId=26688836

 Luis Severino has faced the A's once in his young career, allowing two runs in six innings on April 21, 2016, in New York. He has never pitched in Oakland. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/236668968/severino-manaea-to-duel-riding-hot-streaks/?topicId=26688836

Sean Manaea has also been excellent at getting batters to swing and miss, especially out of the zone. When it comes to out-of-zone pitches, Statcast differentiates between those on the edges and those beyond them. Focusing only on those further from the zone, Manaea's 24 percent chase rate is third highest in MLB (minimum 300 pitches), and his 15.9 percent swinging-strike rate is second behind Arizona's Zack Greinke. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/236668968/severino-manaea-to-duel-riding-hot-streaks/?topicId=26688836

As for New York's last game, they dropped the opener to Oakland.

New York who had the lead in the opener in Oakland in the tenth let the series opener against Oakland get away by a score of 8-7 after dropping the series to Los Angeles the night before so I guess you could say that being on the west coast isn't  going well so far for New York who is leading the American League East by two games over their  American League East rival Boston.

CC Sabathia was put on the 15-day disabled list with a grade two hamstring strain after that start in the finale against  Los Angeles. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/236724646/yankees-cc-sabathia-placed-on-disabled-list/

A monster night at the plate for Yankees sensation Gary Sanchez ended with a scare Thursday night in Oakland. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/236803990/gary-sanchez-exits-3-hit-game-with-injury/?topicId=27118390

Gary Sanchez reached base all five times for the Yankees, going 3-for-3 with two walks, two singles, a double, a stolen base and 2 RBIs. Both his double in the seventh and his single in the ninth scored the second baseman Starlin Castro to tie the game for the Yankees, who fell to the the A's, 8-7, in 10 innings." according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/236803990/gary-sanchez-exits-3-hit-game-with-injury/?topicId=27118390

But on the stolen base in the ninth, Sanchez felt tightness in one of his abductor muscles around the groin. After waiting for a batter, Sanchez called third-base coach Joe Espada out and took himself out of the game as a precaution. Yankees manager Joe Girardi said he's day to day. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/236803990/gary-sanchez-exits-3-hit-game-with-injury/?topicId=27118390

As for the game which was a  back-and-forth affair at the Coliseum went in favor of the A's, who staved off the Yankees with a walk-off, two-run single from Khris Davis in the 10th inning to claim an 8-7 series-opening victory on Thursday night. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/236764946/khris-davis-gives-as-walk-off-win-over-yanks/

The rally against Yankees right-hander Giovanny Gallegos began with two outs when Rajai Davis singled and Chad Pinder followed with a double. New York elected to intentionally walkJed Lowrie, who stepped to the plate a double shy of hitting for the cycle and instead faced Khris Davis, who sent a flare over second baseman Starlin Castro for the game-winning hit. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/236764946/khris-davis-gives-as-walk-off-win-over-yanks/

This, after the Yankees had erased four A's leads, with Gary Sanchez and Chris Carter each recording a pair of game-tying hits, and Castro hitting a go-ahead sacrifice fly against Liam Hendriks in the 10th. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/236764946/khris-davis-gives-as-walk-off-win-over-yanks/

Meanwhile, Oakland carried a 3-0 lead against Yankees starter Jordan Montgomery after five innings, but New York proceeded to tie the game in the sixth, seventh, eighth and ninth innings. The trend began opposite A's starter Sonny Gray, who allowed three runs in the sixth on back-to-back RBI hits to Chase Headley and Carter, prompting his exit with just one out." according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/236764946/khris-davis-gives-as-walk-off-win-over-yanks/

Yonder Alonso notched his 17th home run in the bottom half of the frame to put the A's ahead, 4-3, but the Yankees got a game-tying double from Sanchez against Ryan Madson in the seventh. Pinder put the A's back on top in the bottom half of the inning courtesy of a RBI base hit, before Carter was at it again, homering off of John Axford. "according to yankees.mlb.com/news/article/236764946/khris-davis-gives-as-walk-off-win-over-yanks/

Yonder Alonso scored another run in the eighth for a 6-5 lead, but Sanchez bit again in the ninth with a single against A's closer Santiago Casilla that plated Castro, who reached on a one-out double. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/236764946/khris-davis-gives-as-walk-off-win-over-yanks/

New York manager Joe Girardi had this to say about the game. 

We kept fighting back. We got behind then we tied it up, got behind, tied it up," Yankees manager Joe Girardi said. "We did it a bunch of times. It hurts because it's a matter of a couple inches that you lose that game by and it's frustrating." according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/236764946/khris-davis-gives-as-walk-off-win-over-yanks/

Oakland  left the bases loaded in the ninth against Dellin Betances and were one out away from doing so again in the 10th before Khris Davis delivered his third career game-ending hit. "according to http://m.yankees.mlb.com/news/article/236764946/khris-davis-gives-as-walk-off-win-over-yanks/

New York drops to 38-26 while Oakland improves to 28-38 on the season. 

New York and Oakland will play game two of their four-game series Friday. Right-hander Luis Severino will be on the mound for New York. He has a record of 5-2 with a 2.75 earn run average. It's been a nice bounce-back season for the 24-year old after last year's 3-8 with a 5.83 earn run average and he was dropped from the rotation into the bullpen. His earn run average is more than 50 percent lower at 2.75. His WHIPis 1.02 and his K/9 ratio is 10. He will go up against Oakland left  -hander Sean Manaea who has a record of 6-3 with a 3.67 earn run average. A winner in each of his last five starts Manaea lowered his earn run average from a season-high 5.52 on May 15th to his current 3.67, a season low. He was 3-1 with a 2.63 earn run average in May and so far in June is 2-0 with a 2.77 earn run average. "according to  https://www.mlb.com/gameday/yankees-vs-athletics/2017/06/16/491108#game_state=preview,game_tab=,game=491108

Will New York be able to rebound from their series opener loss to Oakland? Will they be able to back Luis Severino's start?  Will the offense be able to get runs off Sean Manaea? Will New York be able to keep the lead if they do get it? Will Oakland be able to get runs off New York starter Luis Severino? 

First pitch is set for 9:35 pm. The game will be televised on the Major League Baseball Network and Yes. "according to https://www.mlb.com/gameday/yankees-vs-athletics/2017/06/16/491108#game_state=preview,game_tab=,game=491108