The Nationals’ 23-4 rout of the Athletics on Friday didn’t just count as a bad night. It dragged the A’s further into a hole that now looks almost impossible to ignore.
At home, the Athletics were blown out by 19 runs, and the damage showed up everywhere. Their run differential fell to -125, which is the worst in MLB by 21 runs. That kind of gap doesn’t happen by accident, and it doesn’t get erased quickly.
The timing made it sting even more. A couple months ago, the picture looked a little brighter.
After the All-Star break, the Athletics had brought up a wave of players from the minors and moved on from some of the weaker pieces. For a moment, that seemed to give the roster a cleaner look.
Then Friday happened.
The pitching staff took the brunt of it. Gage Jump lasted just 3.2 innings, allowing four hits and three runs.
After that, the bullpen unraveled and gave up 14 more runs, or 19 if Carlos Cortes’ pitching outing is included. That’s the kind of collapse that leaves no part of the staff looking safe.
The A’s also used Yunior Tur and Brady Basso in the game after calling both up. Tur worked 2.0 innings and gave up seven hits and six runs.
Basso threw one scoreless inning. Basso at least held steady, but the larger point is hard to miss: if these are the answers, the Athletics are still searching for a lot more.
It also comes against the backdrop of a recent coaching change. The Athletics fired pitching coach Scott Emerson, who oversaw a staff that posted a 5.21 ERA, 29th in the league. Whether that move fixes anything remains to be seen, and the numbers so far raise the question of whether Emerson was really the issue or just the easiest one to point to.
There is still a path, at least in theory, for the Athletics to put together a run and stay in the playoff picture. But with the league’s worst run differential and a pitching situation that looks years away from being sorted out, this team has given very little reason to believe that kind of surge is coming anytime soon.
In Other News...
A's Suddenly Face A Tough Trade Question In The Outfield
The Athletics suddenly have a familiar deadline problem on their hands: teams are calling about their outfielders, and the asking price is pitching. Jon Morosi of MLB Network reported that several clubs have checked in on Oaklands active-roster outfield group, which puts a spotlight on a position that has become one of the more interesting parts of the roster as the As try to sort out what they have and what they might be willing to move.
Carlos Cortes looks like the clearest name to watch if Oakland decides to turn a bat into arms, while Henry Bolte carries the kind of long-term upside that usually makes front offices pause before dealing. Tyler Soderstrom, Lawrence Butler, Denzel Clarke, Colby Thomas and even the outfield reps from Zack Gelof and Jeff McNeil all add layers to the decision, but the bigger question is whether the As see this as a chance to cash in on depth or as a group worth protecting while the rest of the roster keeps taking shape. [Read more 🡒]
Jacob Lopez Just Gave The A's Rotation A Reason To Hope
Jacob Lopezs first Major League start since May gave the Athletics a little something to work with, even in a 5-2 loss to the Nationals. After being optioned to Triple-A Las Vegas earlier in the season, the left-hander returned with a sharper look, working 4 1/3 innings and showing better execution under a limited pitch count.
Lopez finished with six strikeouts and did enough to keep Oakland in the game before the bullpen took over. Manager Mark Kotsay came away encouraged by the adjustments Lopez made after his time in the minors, and the outing hinted that the As may have found another rotation option worth watching as the season moves on. [Read more 🡒]
A's Just Made Another Roster Move That Could Signal More Coming
The Athletics finally had something to smile about Sunday, but the roster churn around them kept moving anyway. After a 15-1 win over the Nationals snapped a 10-game losing streak, the club followed with another notable transaction, a sign that the front office is still sorting through the edges of a roster that has been under pressure for much of the summer.
Oakland has already been willing to make changes in search of answers, and the latest move adds to that sense of flux. With the pitching staff and bench both in motion, the As are clearly not treating one big win as a reason to stand pat, and there could be more maneuvering ahead as they try to stabilize things around a team that just took a small step forward. [Read more 🡒]