WEST SACRAMENTO - Mark Kotsay had a straightforward answer before Tuesday’s series opener against the Angels at Sutter Health Park when he was asked what a successful final homestand would look like for the Athletics.
“Put up a winning homestand,” Kotsay said. “These next two games against the Angels and then four against Houston are all important to us. We want to go out and show the fans that there’s something to be hopeful about next season.”
The A’s did exactly that in dramatic fashion, turning a six-run hole in the sixth inning into a 9-7 win over the Halos. It was the kind of comeback that can give a club a jolt, and it came with the offense doing its biggest damage late.
After trimming the margin with a three-run seventh to get within one, the A’s finished the job in the eighth with back-to-back two-run homers. Carlos Cortes delivered the first punch, sending a Statcast-projected 386-foot shot to right for a no-doubt go-ahead homer. Zack Gelof followed by adding insurance with a Statcast-projected 411-foot drive to left.
Gelof’s homer was his 20th of the season, a total that looked far less attainable when the year began. After the A’s brought in Jeff McNeil this offseason, Gelof entered Spring Training with a tougher path than he expected. He was coming off a disappointing 2024 and an injury-filled ‘25, and he worked to broaden his versatility in an effort to carve out a bigger role on the big league roster as a utility option.
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Max Muncys season is now over after he landed on the 10-day injured list with a left knee issue, adding another hit to an infield that was already short on stability. To make room, right-hander J.T. Ginn was moved to the 60-day injured list, a reminder of how quickly the As have had to adjust as they try to sort out the rest of the year. [Read more 🡒]
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Cortes is in a similar spot, trying to keep his momentum going while the outfield picture gets a little more crowded. None of these decisions are locked in yet, but that is exactly why the end of the schedule matters here. The Athletics are using these games to see who can carry recent form forward, who can handle a tougher roster conversation, and who might need to spend the winter waiting on a clearer path back. [Read more 🡒]
A's Fringe Contributors Are Making Next Year's Roster Decisions Harder
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Luis Medina has been giving the staff something to think about in recent pitching appearances, while Carlos Cortes added a timely spark at the plate in the same game. For a team still trying to map out who fits where when the roster gets reset, those are the kinds of performances that can turn a straightforward decision into a tougher call. [Read more 🡒]