A's in position to sweep visiting White Sox

Two teams sorting out bullpen options that might impact their activity at the upcoming trade deadline go head-to-head Sunday afternoon when the host Oakland Athletics go for a series sweep against the Chicago White Sox.

The A's have opened the three-game set with 5-1 and 13-2 wins, the latter turning into a blowout in which both teams could examine the current status of key relievers.

Both White Sox runs in the game came against former A's closer Blake Treinen, who has struggled to get back up to speed after a recent stint on the injured list caused by a sore right shoulder.

Treinen has returned in a low-impact capacity, which included getting called into Saturday's game with the A's leading 12-0 in the seventh inning.

It did not go well, with the White Sox parlaying a walk, a wild pitch and two hits into their two runs.

Treinen has now pitched three times since his return on July 3, allowing three runs, three hits and three walks in 2 1/3 innings. Just one of the seven outs he's recorded was via a strikeout.

The A's, who have vaulted into the thick of the playoff race with nine wins in their last 11 games, have been rumored to be looking for bullpen help.

One name mentioned has been White Sox closer Alex Colome, who perhaps not coincidentally also was used in an otherwise meaningless role Saturday, entering in the eighth inning of a 12-2 game at the time.

As with Treinen, things could have gone better for the right-hander. He gave up Oakland's 13th run after the second batter he faced, Mark Canha, smacked a triple and scored on a sacrifice fly.

It's unlikely the hiccup affected any interest the A's might have in Colome, with whom Oakland already was quite familiar. He pitched 47 games with a 5-0 record and 2.53 ERA last season for the Seattle Mariners, who chased the A's most of the season in the American League wild-card race.

Asked over the break if his club would have any interest in dealing someone like Colome, White Sox general manager Rick Hahn was noncommittal.

"We're in a little different spot right now than we've been in the past," he explained to reporters. "First, because we're arguably closer to where we're in a position to make some noise and maybe win something next year. Second, because we have fewer expiring guys.

"But it's going to come down to market value and balancing it against their potential value going forward."

The A's surely aren't in the market for hitters. That said, Oakland manager Bob Melvin is expecting even more from an offense that put up seven runs in the first inning Saturday.

That's because Khris Davis, like Treinen, has yet to return to the top of his game after dealing with hip and oblique issues.

"It would be really nice (if he got hot)," Melvin noted to reporters. "The way (Matt) Olson and (Matt) Chapman are swinging the bat, (Ramon) Laureano, (Marcus) Semien ... now all of a sudden you put our top power hitter in the mix, too, it would be pretty good."

Davis has contributed two hits, two RBI, two runs and two walks to the pair of wins to open the series.

Sunday's pitching matchup pits White Sox right-hander Reynaldo Lopez (4-8, 6.34), who has faced Oakland just once in his career (0-1 with a 3.00 ERA), against A's lefty Brett Anderson (9-5, 3.86), who has a career record of 1-1 with a 4.55 ERA against Chicago in five starts.

--Field Level Media