Worth noting

• Following Tuesday's scheduled day off, Coco Crisp is expected to start Wednesday's series finale against Seattle right-hander Hisashi Iwakuma, allowing him to bat left-handed. It's from the right side Crisp still experiences some soreness in his left wrist, though with an off-day Thursday, Melvin said, "After that, hopefully we're past this."

• Entering Tuesday, the A's had committed 17 errors in their last 18 games, leading to 13 unearned runs. They made 61 errors over their first 106 games, which resulted in 23 unearned runs.

• Former A's hurler Travis Blackley made his Rangers debut as a starter against the Astros on Tuesday, prompting Melvin to smile and say, "I hope he pitches well and gets beat."

Houston, meanwhile, recalled catcher Max Stassi who went to the Astros alongside Chris Carter and Brad Peacock in February's Jed Lowrie trade. Stassi was selected by the A's in the fourth round of the 2009 Draft.

With Stassi now at the big league level, three of the A's first six picks in that Draft class are in the Majors, yet none are with Oakland. First-round pick Grant Green is with the Angels, and Ian Krol, Oakland's sixth overall selection, pitches for the Nationals.