Athletics' Jed Lowrie: Goes deep Friday

Lowrie went 2-for-5 with a solo home run and an additional run scored Friday in a victory over Houston.Lowrie plated the game's first run with a solo shot to right field in the fourth inning and also crossed the plate following Matt Olson's homer in the eighth. The long ball was Lowrie's first of the campaign, and he is slashing .276/.364/.448 through 33 plate appearances.

Athletics' Jed Lowrie: Not in Thursday's lineup

Lowrie isn't in the lineup for Thursday's game against the Astros, Matt Kawahara of the San Francisco Chronicle reports.Lowrie had started each of the past four games, going 3-for-16 with two doubles, an RBI and two runs during that time. Tony Kemp will take over at second base Thursday, batting ninth.

Athletics' Jed Lowrie: Bat starting to come around

Lowrie, who went 0-for-8 with a walk in his first four Cactus League games, is 3-for-6 with two doubles, a solo home run and three runs overall in his last two exhibitions.The veteran left the yard Tuesday against Madison Bumgarner in the loss to the Diamondbacks. which Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports marked the first hit of any kind for Lowrie in a major-league game since September 29, 2018. Manager Bob Melvin had consistently praised the balance of the switch-hitting Lowrie's swings from either side of the plate all spring, and the last two games, the ball is starting to fall in. Gallegos adds that Lowrie's latest surge is not only helping him secure a roster spot as a likely platoon mate of Tony Kemp's at second base, but it's also strengthening his candidacy to hit No. 2 in the order.