The Athletics enter their series against the Astros still carrying the sting of a rough set against the Royals, but there’s at least a path forward if they can clean up the details that keep tripping them up.
At 49-79, the A’s aren’t chasing anything meaningful in the standings right now. The focus is more about stacking series, finding some momentum and carrying that into next season. That makes this matchup with Houston matter in a different way, especially with the Astros sitting 15 games ahead of Oakland in the AL West.
The pitching plan gives the A’s a chance to stabilize things. JT Ginn and Jacob Lopez are lined up to start across the series, barring injury or some unexpected change from the club.
If both can deliver solid outings, Oakland should have a real shot to put itself in position to win the series. If they don’t, the whole operation gets shaky fast.
Ginn’s outing in Game 1 carries extra weight. The Athletics already saw what happens when a starter can’t give them length, with Mason Barnett lasting just 2.2 innings in the opener against Kansas City. That kind of early exit changes everything - how the bullpen gets managed, how the rest of the series unfolds, and how much pressure lands on the offense.
There were bright spots against the Royals. Henry Bolte and Jeff McNeil both put together strong series and helped spark the Athletics’ quick offensive starts. That’s the kind of production that can make a team dangerous early in games, especially if Ginn and Lopez do their part on the mound.
But the Royals series also showed how quickly that edge can disappear. The A’s couldn’t keep the momentum rolling later in games, and that’s where the next step has to come from. If other Athletics hitters can answer once the early innings are over, there’s a real chance for this group to bounce back sooner rather than later.
Still, the biggest failures against Kansas City came in the key moments. Mark Kotsay took most of the heat, and for good reason, after poor decisions in Games 2 and 3 that ended in losses. Holding Hogan Harris in too long in Game 2 and pulling Elvis Alvarado too early in Game 3 both loomed large.
Those choices mattered because the Athletics were close enough to make the series more competitive. Better management might have turned that set into a tie, or at least stolen another game. Against Houston, Kotsay will need to follow the model he used against the Rangers: let pitchers stay in until they actually start to struggle, not simply because the matchup flips to a different-handed batter.
In Other News...
Jacob Lopez Gave The As Something They Desperately Needed
Jacob Lopez gave Oakland exactly the kind of start it had been searching for, working six innings and piling up nine strikeouts while keeping the Astros quiet enough for the As to stay within striking distance. The outing helped steady a club that had been slipping, and it came with enough swing-and-miss to suggest there was real life behind the result, not just a good day at the office.
The offense finished the job late, with Donovan Walton and Jonah Heim helping spark a three-run eighth inning that flipped a 3-1 deficit and pushed the As to a 4-3 win. It snapped a five-game losing streak and, more importantly, gave Oakland a reminder that it can still win a tight game when the pitching holds and the lineup finds one decisive burst. [Read more 🡒]
A's Finally Have A Reason For Real Optimism Right Now
For much of the summer, the Athletics have been hunting for signs that a young core and a few emerging arms might finally give the rebuild some traction. Lawrence Butler has supplied one of the most encouraging ones since the break, turning a rough first half into a far more dangerous second act at the plate, while Jacob Lopez has quietly become the most reliable starter in the rotation and Elvis Alvarado has helped steady the back end of the bullpen.
What makes that trio matter is how different the paths have been. Butlers power has started to play again, Lopez has been missing bats at a rate that gives Oakland a chance every time he takes the mound, and Alvarado has given the As another late-inning arm they can trust. The question now is whether those gains are the start of something more lasting, or just the latest brief run of promise in a season that has asked for patience all along. [Read more 🡒]
Athletics Final Month Suddenly Matters For A Few Future Core Pieces
With the final month arriving and a playoff push all but off the table, the Athletics are suddenly in evaluation mode, and a few young pieces are getting a chance to matter beyond the standings. Alika Williams has been part of that shuffle in the infield, while Lawrence Butler has started to show the kind of bounce-back the club wants to see after his injury. For a team sitting at 50-80 with 32 games left, these are the kinds of late-season looks that can shape what the roster starts to resemble next year and into 2027.
The bullpen picture is starting to carry some of the same future-facing stakes, too, with Elvis Alvarado drawing more attention as the season winds down. Oakland is trying to sort out which arms can be trusted to hold down meaningful innings when the games matter again, and Alvarados recent run has put him squarely in that conversation. The last stretch may not change where the Athletics finish, but it could say plenty about which names belong in the core picture when the organization turns the page. [Read more 🡒]