Pittsburgh Pirates vs. Athletics, June 16, 2026, 9:40 p.m. ET
The Pittsburgh Pirates are back in action tonight against the A’s for the second of a three-game set.
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The A’s are giving Jackson Perkins the start tonight. It’s only his third start of the season after appearing as a relief pitcher for the first two months of the season.
Perkins made his first start on June 5 against the Houston Astros, pitching four innings and giving up five runs. He appeared again against the Milwaukee Brewers on June 10, pitching four innings and allowing three runs. His transition from reliever to starter has been dicey, but his improvement from his first to his second start suggests that he could be on an upward trajectory when facing the Pirates.
On the flip side, the Pirates are going with Mitch Keller, who is looking for his first win since May 24. Keller is 0-2 in his June starts and has not seen the end of the 5th inning in any of his last three starts. Keller’s struggles recently have been somewhat concerning, but he will have a chance to bounce back with a winnable game against the A’s.
The Pirates and A’s both find themselves in the heat of the wild card race, so this matchup could turn out to be an important one in the grand scheme of everything.
Location: Sutter Health Park, Sacramento, CA
Broadcast: KDKA AM/FM, Sportsnet Pittsburgh
Pitching Matchup: Mitch Keller (5-4, 5.14 ERA) vs. Jack Perkins (2-3, 6.25 ERA)
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