OAKLAND – The A’s generally speaking are an offense-by-committee club, needing contributions from up and down the batting order most days to generate runs.
However, the past two games show just how instrumental Billy Burns is to Oakland’s lineup right now, and the impact felt by his absence. With the rookie center fielder sidelined the past two days with a hip flexor injury, the A’s have mustered just eight hits and four runs total in dropping the first two of a three-game series to the Kansas City Royals.
That’s halted the momentum from a season-best five-game winning streak, and after moving into a tie for fourth place in the American League West, the A’s again are the primary tenants of the division cellar.