TOKYO — Starting pitching was the only real weakness the A’s were considered to have entering the regular season. One game in, that weakness has been exposed.
Mike Fiers stated his desire to set the tone for the regular season in the days leading up to the first Opening Day start of his career. The A’s will need to change that tone after Wednesday’s 9-7 loss to the Seattle Mariners.
After cruising through two innings with a two-run cushion Fiers suddenly lost his command in the third. The right-hander had already allowed a run but recorded two outs before struggling to throw strikes as he hit Jay Bruce with a pitch and walked Edwin Encarnacion to load the bases.