Mariners-A's matchup features young pitchers

OAKLAND, Calif. -- Oakland A's right-hander Jharel Cotton and Seattle Mariners left-hander Ariel Miranda, two promising pitchers who made their major-league debuts last season, will meet Saturday in the third game of a four-game series on Saturday at Oakland Coliseum.

The A's have won the first two games in the four-game series, beating Seattle 9-6 on Thursday night and 3-1 on Friday night. They've won a season-high four straight games.

Miranda (1-1) is coming off his best start of the season. He threw seven shutout inning in a 6-1 victory over the Miami Marlins on Monday night, striking out five, walking none and allowing four hits.

"He's a fastball-changeup guy," Mariners catcher Mike Zunino said Friday. "He's got a good loose arm so it plays up a little bit. And for him, when he puts hitters on the defensive and attacks them and fills the strike zone up, that's when you see him really have his success."

Miranda stayed in attack mode throughout his start against the Marlins.

"I was just being a lot more aggressive today," Miranda told MLB.com through an interpreter after his victory. "Obviously a lot of early strikes, so that helped out a lot."

The Mariners acquired Miranda from Baltimore in exchange for left-hander Wade Mile on July 31. He want 5-2 with a 3.54 ERA in 11 games, including 10 starts, for Seattle last season.

The A's acquired Cotton on Aug. 1 from the Dodgers, along with right-handers Frankie Montas and Grant Holmes, for right fielder Josh Reddick and lefty Rich Hill. He was assigned to Triple-A Nashville but finished the season with Oakland, going 2-0 with a 2.15 ERA in five starts for the A's.

This year, Cotton is 1-2 with a 5.40 ERA. He's coming off a rough start Monday in a 7-0 loss to Texas at the Coliseum. Cotton gave up five runs and five hits in 5 1/3 innings. He walked four and struck out three.

After the game, Cotton said he lost his aggressiveness in the fifth inning when Texas scored four times to take a 5-0 lead.

"I think I let off a little bit," Cotton said. "I wasn't attacking like I was doing in the first, second, third or fourth inning. I should have kept attacking their guys but I tried to be too cute with the pitches."

A's catcher Josh Phegley said there's no reason for Cotton to stop attacking, considering his repertoire, which includes a deceptive changeup and a 93 to 94 mph fastball.

"I think his game is deception, front to back, speed wise," Phegley said. "I think he can throw anywhere on the plate with the fastball and changeup. Then you have the cutter, which looks like it's a fastball, and a slow break.

"If he's aggressive in the strike zone and they don't know what pitch he's going to throw, then that makes it tough. but if he falls behind and has to throw fastballs in predictable counts, I think that's where he gets in trouble. For him, nibbling shouldn't be part of his game."

The A's were without starting center fielder Rajai Davis on Friday night because of a left hamstring injury he suffered during Oakland's victory. It's not known whether he'll return for Saturday's game.

The A's recalled first baseman/right fielder Matt Olson from Triple-A Nashville and optioned right-hander Cesar Valdez to Nashville.

Seattle made two moves, too, sending right-handed reliever Dan Altavilla to Triple-A Tacoma and recalling right-hander Chase De Jong.

De Jong started for Tacoma but will work out of the Mariners' bullpen. This marks his second stint with Seattle.