The Athletics did a lot right on Monday and still ended up staring at a loss that turned ugly fast. The offense put up six runs, Jacob Lopez gave them seven complete innings, and for most of the night the A’s looked like they had the game in hand.
Then the eighth inning happened, and the bullpen gave up eight runs. That kind of collapse changes the whole tone of a series.
Now the focus shifts to Mason Barnett, and the assignment is pretty clear. In his last start, he worked just 4.1 innings, gave up five hits, five runs and three home runs.
The A’s need more length than that. The most important thing for Barnett is simply getting past the fifth inning, because if he can do that, the A’s should give themselves a real shot.
Barnett doesn’t need to be perfect to help this team. He came close on July 30 against the Red Sox, when he threw 5.0 innings and allowed four hits and three runs.
That wasn’t a clean outing, but it was enough to keep the game manageable. If he can deliver something like that again, the offense ought to do its part, and the bullpen won’t be asked to carry quite as much of the load.
The A’s also have gotten some surprising help on the bases over the past two games. It’s been aggressive, a little chaotic, and at times flat-out fortunate.
Against the Rays on Monday, Jeff McNeil stole a base and later scored from first on a double, even though he sits in the 19th percentile in sprint speed. Carlos Cortes also got a bad jump early, but that sequence still helped set up a throwing error with two outs and allowed Tyler Soderstrom to score from third.
That kind of running can swing a series, and maybe more than that. The A’s have gotten enough weird breaks on the bases lately that it feels like one of the few areas where they can force the issue.
The bullpen situation is still the biggest concern. The A’s used three relievers over just 2.0 innings, and that puts real pressure on the rest of the series.
They did use four relievers in Game 1 of the last series against the Red Sox and managed just fine to finish that one, but this stretch is still a challenge. Barnett and Jack Perkins are lined up to handle the rest of the Rays series, which means the bullpen will likely be called on more than usual.
For Game 2, the A’s will probably turn to Brady Basso, Luis Medina or Hogan Harris. On paper, that group looks strong.
In practice, it could go sideways in a hurry. Monday showed exactly how dangerous that can be: once the Rays get rolling, they tend to stay rolling.
That means Kotsay needs arms ready the moment there’s a runner on first.
In Other News...
Mason Barnett Faces A Bigger As Test Than It Might Seem
The Athletics are handing Mason Barnett a start against the Rays, and it comes at an interesting point in his young big league path. The right-hander has bounced between Triple-A and the majors, and after spending time in relief for Oakland, he is now moving back into a starting role. For a club still trying to sort out pieces for the long term, these kinds of looks matter as much for evaluation as they do for the scoreboard.
Barnett was once ranked fourth in the As system by MLB.com, which helps explain why the organization keeps finding ways to get him on the mound in meaningful spots. Oakland is treating this as more than just a spot assignment, using the opportunity to see whether he can grow into a future starter and become part of the rotation picture down the line. [Read more 🡒]
Brewers Bullpen Shuffle Just Cost Them Another Lefty Arm
The Athletics added another arm to their pitching mix this week, claiming left-hander Drew Rom off waivers from the Brewers and giving him a spot on the 40-man roster without having to make a corresponding move. Rom has bounced between starting and relieving before, which gives Oakland some flexibility as it keeps looking for ways to shore up a bullpen that can use as much left-handed depth as it can get.
Roms path through Milwaukee was a moving target for much of the season, with repeated recalls and option assignments before the Brewers designated him for assignment. Oakland is betting that the 24-year-old can settle in after all that shuffle and provide useful innings, even if his role is still being sorted out. For now, the move is another low-cost look at a pitcher with some versatility and a chance to carve out a place on a staff that is always in need of fresh options. [Read more 🡒]