When the A’s dealt Yonder Alonso away last month, their plan was to make Matt Olson the primary first baseman - and unlike Alonso, Oakland’s 2017 All-Star, Olson isn’t even platooning much.
Olson started Sunday against Astros left-hander Dallas Keuchel, and the rookie entered Sunday’s finale against Houston with a .250 average and .464 on-base percentage against lefties.
"That’s an easy one right now," manager Bob Melvin said of playing Olson every day. "He’s taken (Zach) Britton deep, it seems like he gets good swings against all lefties. The defense is sensational. … It’s tough to take him out of the lineup right now.