Aaron Civale (5-4, 4.88 ERA) takes the mound for the Athletics at 12:15 PM PT, drawing rookie left-hander Sam Aldegheri (2-3, 5.47 ERA) in response for Los Angeles. Civale recently returned from shoulder tendinitis, and while his season ERA looks rough, his road numbers are a different story — he's posted a 3.34 ERA away from home this year. Aldegheri is a 24-year-old Italian-born lefty who landed in the Angels rotation only because Jack Kochanowicz needed Tommy John surgery, and before his promotion he was running a 7.24 ERA at Triple-A.
The series context matters here. Oakland won game 1 on Friday by a blowout 9-3, then gave back that momentum with a 2-5 loss Saturday that evened things up heading into today. The A's are shorthanded in a real way: Zack Gelof (hand, 10-Day IL) and Brent Rooker (knee, 10-Day IL) are both out, removing 2 of their better run-producers from the lineup. Shortstop Jacob Wilson (shoulder) sat Saturday but was listed as available and could return to the starting lineup for the rubber match. The Angels are without Mike Trout — he's been taking swings and running at 50 percent in his hamstring rehab, but he's nowhere close to game action.
Civale's June 23 start against San Francisco ended at 4 innings and 84 pitches, giving up 6 hits and 2 runs before the Athletics pulled him. That was his second start back from the IL, and it wasn't a confidence-builder. Aldegheri's last turn — June 22 against Baltimore — went 4.2 innings with 5 earned runs on 5 hits before he was pulled at 91 pitches. Neither pitcher has shown an ability to work deep into games, which means both bullpens get stress-tested early. The Angels' relief situation is further complicated by Ben Joyce and Robert Stephenson sitting on the 60-day IL, so there's no dominant late-inning option to bail Aldegheri out if he gets knocked around before the 5th.
- Day-To-DayJacob Wilson SS — Wilson (shoulder) isn't starting against the Angels on Saturday, but he's available off the bench and could be back in the starting lineup Sunday, Michael Huntley of the Orange County Register reports.
- 10-Day-ILZack Gelof 3B — The Athletics placed Gelof on the 10-day injured list Thursday with a right hand contusion.
- 10-Day-ILBrent Rooker DH — Rooker (knee) is still not participating in any baseball activities as of Tuesday, MLB.com reports.
- 15-Day-ILMark Leiter Jr. RP — Leiter (hip) began a throwing progression Monday, MLB.com reports.
- 60-Day-ILDenzel Clarke CF — Clarke (hamstring) has started to play catch and has also begun a swinging progression, Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports.
- 60-Day-ILLuis Severino SP — The Athletics transferred Severino (shoulder) from the 15-day injured list to the 60-day IL on Sunday.
- 60-Day-ILBrooks Kriske RP — Kriske (shoulder) began a throwing progression Thursday, MLB.com reports.
- 60-Day-ILGunnar Hoglund SP — Hoglund (knee/back) will be sidelined for the rest of the 2026 season after undergoing surgery on his left hip Monday.
- Day-To-DayNiko Kavadas 1B — The Angels reassigned Kavadas to minor-league camp Wednesday.
- 10-Day-ILMike Trout CF — Trout (hamstring) took 30 swings and ran at about 50 percent Saturday, Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register reports.
- 10-Day-ILAdam Frazier 2B — Frazier (elbow) resumed throwing Wednesday, per MLB.com.
- 10-Day-ILSebastian Rivero C — Rivero was removed from Tuesday's game against the Astros with an apparent left hand injury, Rhett Bollinger of MLB.com reports.
- 10-Day-ILGustavo Campero C — The Angels selected Campero's contract from Double-A Rocket City and placed him on the 10-day injured list Saturday due to a fractured hand.
- 15-Day-ILGrayson Rodriguez SP — Rodriguez (back) will make a rehab start Sunday, Jeff Fletcher of The Orange County Register reports.
- 60-Day-ILJack Kochanowicz SP — Kochanowicz's Tommy John surgery on his right elbow was deemed "successful," per MLB.com.
- 60-Day-ILYusei Kikuchi SP — Kikuchi (shoulder) has begun a throwing program, per MLB.com.
The Angels' rotation as a whole is a patchwork — Yusei Kikuchi (shoulder) and Kochanowicz are both on the 60-day, and Grayson Rodriguez (back) made a rehab start this weekend rather than pitching in this series. Aldegheri is essentially a placeholder, and the Angels know it. What works in their favor is that Oakland's lineup is running on a shorter roster and pitching is Civale's department now, for better or worse. At 35-49, the Angels don't have much of a season to protect — but they do have home field and a crowd for the finale.