The Athletics’ series-deciding loss on Wednesday turned into a rough one fast, with Arizona rolling to a 15-5 win and exposing just how shaky things have looked coming out of the All-Star break.
That defeat dropped the A’s to 2-4 since the break, a record that isn’t disastrous on paper but still feels like a letdown given the talent on the roster. The bigger issue is hard to miss: this team needs better pitching, and it needs help with the deadline creeping closer.
One of the few bright spots in the lineup has been Shea Langeliers, whose name has been coming up more and more as trade talk builds. Whether he ends up moved is still unclear, but the production is not. Since the All-Star break, Langeliers is hitting .364 with a 1.189 OPS, along with four walks, five RBIs and two home runs.
He kept it going in the loss, finishing 2-for-3 with two singles. That kind of consistency at the plate only adds to his value, both for the Athletics and for any team watching the deadline market. If he keeps this up, he could help the A’s in two ways: by stabilizing the offense and by boosting his trade value.
The more alarming storyline is the slide from Jump. Coming into the second half, he was viewed as the Athletics’ top arm and a possible American League Rookie of the Year candidate. Instead, his first two starts after the break have gone sideways, leaving him 0-2 with a 9.72 ERA and a 2.16 WHIP.
That matters even more with J.T. Ginn now on the injury list.
The rotation already doesn’t offer many dependable answers, even with Jeffrey Springs and Jacob Lopez turning in solid outings. If Jump doesn’t straighten things out quickly, the A’s are going to be stretched thin on the mound.
Jeff McNeil has been carrying plenty of weight in the series, even if Wednesday ended badly for the team. He delivered a game-winning two-run single in a pinch-hit spot during Monday’s win, then came back in the loss to go 2-for-4 with a home run.
Since the All-Star break, McNeil has been the Athletics’ hottest bat by a mile, hitting .500 with a 1.288 OPS. He has driven in five runs and scored five more, and that kind of production matters even more when he’s batting near the bottom of the order. Once the A’s get healthier, McNeil’s bat gives them a real chance to turn things around.
In Other News...
Jacob Lopez Gives Athletics Hope In Shutout Win Over Twins
Jacob Lopez kept giving the Athletics a reason to believe, working five scoreless innings in a 2-0 win over the Twins at Target Field. He allowed just one hit while navigating four walks and striking out four, and the As backed him with enough offense in the middle innings to make the early pitching effort count. Tommy White, Lawrence Butler, Donovan Walton, Tyler Soderstrom and Henry Bolte all had a hand in the scoring, helping Oakland turn a tight game into one it could actually finish.
The Twins tried to push back, but the As kept finding the right pitch, the right play and the right defensive answer when the game started to tighten. Oakland scored in the fifth and sixth, then leaned on a mix of pitching changes and timely defense to keep Minnesota off the board, a formula that has been hard to come by at times this season. For a club still looking for signs that its young pieces can hold up in a close game, this was the kind of shutout win that at least offers a little hope. [Read more 🡒]
A's Big International Bet Is Starting To Feel Very Real
Breyson Guedez already looked like one of the Athletics most intriguing international bets when he signed for a $1.5 million bonus during the 2025 period, but the early returns in his stateside debut have only sharpened the interest. The Venezuelan outfielder has settled in with Single-A Stockton and, after a slow start, has begun to show the kind of bat-to-ball ability and impact contact that can make a young prospect stand out quickly in the California League.
Guedezs production since June has put him on the organizations radar in a much bigger way, especially for a club that is trying to build around upside wherever it can find it. The As have seen enough to believe there is real ceiling here, and his rapid rise through the summer has made the next step in his development feel a lot less theoretical than it did a few months ago. [Read more 🡒]
Athletics Just Turned To A Former Ace For Rotation Help
With injuries thinning out the rotation, the Athletics have taken a low-risk look at a familiar name in Dallas Keuchel, who is trying to work his way back into the majors on a minor league contract. For a club that has been scrambling to patch together innings, the move fits the moment: Oakland needs depth, and Keuchel brings the kind of veteran track record that can at least make him worth a closer look.
The timing matters because the As have been hit by setbacks with J.T. Ginn and Luis Severino, leaving the staff even more vulnerable as it tries to stabilize. Keuchels last MLB action came with the Brewers in 2024, and his recent results have trended the wrong way, so this is very much a comeback bid rather than a sure thing. Still, for a team searching for any reliable rotation help it can find, the door is open. [Read more 🡒]