With three games left in the regular season, the Athletics are staring at a year that started with hope and ended in familiar frustration. Injuries piled up, the pitching cratered, and a season that once looked like it might mean something turned into another collapse.
The bigger sting is that the 2026 American League West turned out to be the weakest division in MLB history. Either the Houston Astros or Texas Rangers will take the division and reach the playoffs even though they’ll finish with, at best, a .500 record. For the A’s, that means a missed chance to get into a real postseason fight, something the franchise still hasn’t done under Mark Kotsay.
The pitching staff was the biggest reason the season went off the rails, and the numbers back that up. The A’s finished with the league’s second-worst ERA, gave up the second-most runs in baseball behind only the Colorado Rockies, allowed the most home runs, and posted the league’s second-worst WHIP.
Luis Severino was supposed to be a major piece after earning $22 million, but he made only 12 starts before a shoulder injury ended his season. Jeffrey Springs also struggled badly, surrendering more home runs than any other pitcher.
There were at least a couple of encouraging signs in the rotation, though, with J.T. Ginn and Gage Jump both showing enough flashes to count as building blocks.
Luis Morales, meanwhile, needs a reset after a steep drop-off this year, and whoever takes over as the new pitching coach will have that assignment waiting.
The bullpen was just as rough. It finished last in the league and leaned on a lot of waiver-wire arms that simply couldn’t get the job done consistently.
The mess got so deep that outfielder Carlos Cortes ended up pitching in nine blowout losses. Outside of Hogan Harris and Luis Medina, the A’s still need relievers they can actually trust, which is why the new general manager has to make bullpen help a priority this winter, along with at least one starter.
Not everything was bleak. The offense held up better, and if the injury bug stays away, it should be in decent shape. Some of the season’s best moments came from that side of the roster, whether it was dramatic comebacks, breakout stretches, or unexpected contributors stepping up.
Henry Bolte looks like the answer in center field and at the top of the lineup. Zack Gelof shook off injuries and put together a resurgent, career-best season. Lawrence Butler remains the frustrating wild card - talented enough to matter, but still too often saving his best for when the A’s are already out of the race.
That leaves a team with plenty to sort through heading into the winter, and a few big questions hanging over what comes next. What was the best moment from 2026? Who met expectations, who fell short, and will the Athletics get one more season in Sacramento - or will the lockout wipe out the 2027 campaign?
In Other News...
Athletics Spoiler Win Put One Oakland Roster Debate Back In Focus
The Athletics spoiler win in Game 2 had more than just AL West ripple effects. It also put a familiar Oakland roster question back in view, with Jonah Heim in the middle of it after a two-hit, RBI effort in a game that otherwise felt like a showcase for the pitching side of the conversation.
Heims production has been hard to separate from the larger debate around his role going forward, especially after a rough stretch that has left his standing less certain heading into next season. On the mound, Jacob Lopez helped his case with another solid outing, while Hogan Harris kept the pressure on late in a high-leverage relief spot, giving Oakland a few more reasons to look closely at how this group fits together. [Read more 🡒]
Athletics Face Two Costly Roster Decisions This Offseason
The Athletics are already looking ahead to the offseason after another difficult year, and two familiar names are sitting at the center of their roster math. Jeff McNeil has been productive since the break, but keeping him at second base would come with a hefty price tag, while Jonah Heims season has followed a far more uneven path after an encouraging start.
McNeils value on the field is obvious enough, yet Oakland has reason to weigh cheaper options if it wants to spread its resources around more efficiently. Heim, meanwhile, offered a glimpse of stability early before his production tailed off, and the As do have alternatives lined up if they decide to move in a different direction behind the plate. [Read more 🡒]
Jacob Lopez Just Gave The Athletics A Real 2027 Reason For Hope
Jacob Lopez ended his 2026 season on a note the Athletics can actually build on, delivering six innings of one-run ball in a win over the Astros. It was the kind of finish that mattered beyond one game, especially for a pitcher who had been recalled from Triple-A in July and looked much more settled after rejoining the big league staff.
Lopezs season still came with the usual growing pains of a young arm, as his year finished with a 5.47 ERA over 27 games after a strong first stretch back. Even so, both Lopez and Mark Kotsay sounded encouraged by where he stands heading into the winter, and the next step may depend as much on his offseason work as on anything he did on the mound in 2026. [Read more 🡒]