Athletics Look to Bounce Back Against Braves

After being swept by the Blue Jays, Oakland seeks first win of the season in Atlanta

Mar. 30, 2026 at 10:22am

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A fractured, multi-perspective painting depicting a baseball game between the Oakland Athletics and Atlanta Braves, with the players and field broken down into sharp, overlapping geometric shapes and planes in a vibrant color palette.A cubist interpretation of the upcoming interleague matchup between the Athletics and Braves, capturing the dynamic energy of the game through a fragmented, geometric lens.West Sacramento Today

The Oakland Athletics will be looking to earn their first win of the 2026 season when they open a three-game interleague series against the Atlanta Braves on Monday. The A's were swept in their opening series against the Toronto Blue Jays, while the Braves won two of three games against the Kansas City Royals to start the year.

Why it matters

The Athletics are hoping to rebound after a tough opening series against the defending World Series champions, the Blue Jays. Meanwhile, the Braves will look to continue their strong start to the season against an Oakland team that struggled mightily at the plate in their first three games.

The details

The pitching matchup for the series opener features A's left-hander Jacob Lopez against Atlanta right-hander Bryce Elder. Lopez is returning from a flexor strain that sidelined him late last season, while Elder is looking to regain the form he showed as an All-Star in 2023. The A's lineup has been led by catcher Shea Langeliers, who was once a top prospect in the Braves' system, but the team struck out a combined 50 times in the opening series.

  • The series begins on Monday, March 30, 2026.
  • The Athletics were swept in a three-game series against the Blue Jays to open the season.

The players

Mark Kotsay

The manager of the Oakland Athletics, who is confident his team is on the right path despite the opening series sweep.

Jacob Lopez

The A's left-handed starting pitcher, who is returning from a flexor strain that sidelined him late last season.

Bryce Elder

The Braves' right-handed starting pitcher, who was an All-Star in 2023 but has struggled with consistency since then.

Shea Langeliers

The A's catcher, who was once a top prospect in the Braves' system and has been the team's offensive leader so far this season.

Mike Yastrzemski

The Braves' outfielder, who has been batting .500 to start the season but will likely sit out against the left-handed Lopez.

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What they’re saying

“That's a real tough series to open up against the World Series team. We were competitive in all three games. (Monday) is a new series against Atlanta, so we'll go to Atlanta and get this done.”

— Mark Kotsay, Manager, Oakland Athletics

“Getting hurt at that time of the year, close to finishing the season, I had really good momentum. The injury really (stunk). It was really frustrating. It took me a few days to wash it, but I learned from it.”

— Jacob Lopez, Starting Pitcher, Oakland Athletics

“I like the makeup. He's been through a lot already at a young age. His skin has gotten pretty thick, I'm sure, up and down and all that stuff that he's had to deal with. His demeanor never changes. Been very durable and there's a lot of value in that.”

— Walt Weiss, Manager, Atlanta Braves

What’s next

The Athletics will look to bounce back and earn their first win of the season in the series opener against the Braves on Monday.

The takeaway

This series represents an opportunity for the Athletics to rebound after a tough opening series against the defending World Series champions. The team's ability to compete against a strong Braves squad could set the tone for the rest of their season.