When he signed a one-year contract worth $4.5 million last winter Bryan Holaday Jersey , Fernando Rodney was expecting to close the door on playoff-race victories at Target Field.He’ll get the chance to do that this week but it won’t be with the Minnesota Twins. Instead, he’ll be doing it for an Oakland Athletics squad that has surged back into the thick of the American League West Division and wild-card races.He hopes to get an opportunity to pitch Friday when Oakland continues its four-game series versus Minnesota.Article continues below ...Rodney has been outstanding since joining his new squad. He has yet to allow a run and has not walked a batter through his first six appearances with the A’s, who have lost two in a row but have won eight of their last 12 games. They are 1 1/2 games back of Houston in the AL West but four ahead of Seattle for the second and final AL wild-card spot.“He’s been absolutely terrific,” Oakland manager Bob Melvin said of Rodney. “For a guy that’s used to pitching the ninth inning, we’ve asked him to do some different things here and he’s had absolutely no problem with it. Pitching a down game (Wednesday).“So he just wants to come in and contribute however he can. He’s got a really good personality to him and fits in really well with the guys. Obviously, he’s been a significant factor for us.”Rodney was the last of six veterans dealt away by Minnesota after the team failed to take a step forward after a surprise run to the wild-card game a year ago. He had posted a 3.09 ERA and converted 25 of 31 save opportunities before the Twins shipped him to Oakland for minor league right-hander Dakota Chalmers.There he joined a bullpen that also added Jeurys Familia and Shawn Kelley to a group that included Blake Treinen and Lou Trivino.“I think we were very blessed to have men that have come from other teams in Familia, Kelley and Rodney,” Treinen said Brad Ziegler Jersey , “that are willing to buy into what we have going already. Whatever role they end up putting us in, I think we’re all OK with it. I wanna continue to do my best because I know there are two All-Star closers behind me who could easily do my job.”After dropping consecutive games for the first time since they were swept by Colorado from July 27-29, the A’s will try to get back to their winnings ways Friday night behind left-hander Sean Manaea (11-9, 3.70 ERA).He, too, is looking to bounce back after a rough showing his last time out. Manaea lasted only four innings after allowing six runs on nine hits in a loss to the Astros.Manaea is 1-1 with a 5.73 ERA in two career starts versus the Twins but none this season.The Twins send right-hander Jake Odorizzi (5-7, 4.55) to the mound Friday. He, too http://www.twinsfanproshop.com/authentic-rod-carew-jersey , scuffled in his last start, allowing four runs over five innings in the Twins’ 5-4 victory over the Tigers.“It was the same command issues that were kind of haunting me all day,” Odorizzi said. “I was behind a lot of counts, even in the middle innings when I was going good. I just need to execute a little bit better.”It will mark Odorizzi’s first start against Oakland since July 17 of last season, when he held them to one hit over seven scoreless innings while with Tampa Bay. He is 1-2 with a 3.34 ERA in five career starts versus the Athletics. A look at what’s happening around the majors today:NO WORD YETThe Dodgers are still waiting for definitive word on how long closer Kenley Jansen might be out because of an irregular heartbeat. He was put on the 10-day disabled list Friday and manager Dave Roberts wasn’t sure if his absence would be 10 days or possibly even closer to a month — like it was when the right-hander went on the DL for the same thing seven years ago.“I’m hoping as soon as I can to get something, just for my peace of mind, the guys on the field — our peace of mind,” Roberts said. “His health is most important. Whatever they have to do Brian Dozier Jersey , the doctors have to do, to protect him.”The 30-year-old Jansen was tied for the NL lead with 32 saves. In his absence, Roberts will use a closer-by-committee approach.ARENADO AILINGThe Rockies will see how star third baseman Nolan Arenado is feeling, a day after his early exit during a 5-4 win over the Dodgers at Coors Field. The Gold Glover has been bothered by a sore shoulder for a week and tweaked it while turning a double play in the third inning. He was covering second base on a play that was scored 3-5-3.“After it, I had trouble throwing,” he said. “It hurt too much to let it fly after that.”HOW MANY?J.D. Martinez has become the first major leaguer this season to top the century mark in RBIs — the Boston bopper is at 101 after driving in two more Friday night at Baltimore.Martinez set a career high with 104 RBIs last year while playing for Detroit and Arizona. The AL East-leading Red Sox have 45 games left for him to keep piling up the total.SEATTLE SURGEAfter beating Astros aces Justin Verlander and Gerrit Cole on consecutive nights, the Seattle Mariners try to keep up their run at Minute Maid Park. Next, they’ll face Charlie Morton (12-2 http://www.twinsfanproshop.com/authentic-justin-morneau-jersey , 2.81 ERA). Wade LeBlanc (6-2, 3.81) starts for Seattle, which trails Houston by six games in the AL West.DOING DAMAGERonald Guzman has been a one-man wrecking crew against the Yankees this season. The Texas rookie has hit six home runs in 15 at-bats vs. New York — and only six more in 263 at-bats against everyone else. The 23-year-old Guzman homered three times Friday night in the Bronx, making him the first rookie to hit three in a game against the Yankees.NICE STARTCedric Mullins became the first Baltimore player to get three hits in his major league debut, also scoring three runs and driving in a pair during a 19-12 loss Friday night to Boston. The 23-year-old Mullins doubled twice while batting ninth and playing center field.All-Star Adam Jones has played center field since his arrival at Camden Yards in 2008. But the 33-year-old will finish the season in right field as the last-place Orioles look to next season and beyond. “This is about the future going forward,” manager Buck Showalter said.KEEP TRYINGBlue Jays right-hander Sam Gaviglio is 0-4 in 13 starts since winning in late May at Philadelphia. He hopes to end that skid when he pitches at home against Tampa Bay.