The Athletics are staring at a sweep unless they can clean up a few glaring issues in the series finale against the Orioles.
What’s made the last three games so frustrating is how often the A’s have been playing from behind. Dating back to the Twins series, they haven’t been able to score first, and that has forced the pitching staff to carry too much of the load. When a starter makes a mistake, Mark Kotsay has been quick to pull the plug.
That pattern has shown up again in this series. In Game 1, the Athletics gave up two runs in the second inning and didn’t answer until the bottom of the seventh. In the decisive game, Baltimore scored in the third, and the A’s didn’t push back until the bottom of the sixth, by which point they were already trailing 4-0.
If the Athletics are going to avoid getting swept, the offense has to wake up earlier. They can’t keep waiting until the middle or late innings to respond.
The bullpen may also be asked to do plenty of heavy lifting. Seven relievers have already been used in the series, including Luis Medina, who appeared in both losses. That leaves the Athletics in a spot where they may have to recycle arms just to get through the day.
A strong relief outing could be the difference. If one of the A’s pitchers can cover at least 2.0 innings without giving up a hit or a run, that would go a long way toward stabilizing things. But with Jeffrey Springs on the mound, there’s a real chance the bullpen gets involved early, which only adds to the challenge.
Springs himself looms as the other major swing factor. The Athletics need him to hold Baltimore down early and get at least into the sixth inning.
If that happens, they’ve got a solid shot to avoid the sweep. If it doesn’t, and the offense again waits too long to make noise, the odds tilt heavily toward another loss in the series finale.
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As Let Another Winnable Game Slip Away In Baltimore
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Nick Kurtz has been a bright spot in the walk column, but he has not been enough to change the overall shape of the group. The bigger question is whether the organization is getting what it says it wants from its hitters, and whether the coaching staff is truly emphasizing patience and on-base percentage in a way that shows up once players reach Oakland. [Read more 🡒]
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James Click has surfaced as one of the most serious names in the mix. The former Astros general manager has been working as the Blue Jays vice president of baseball strategy since February 2023, and his background also includes stops with the Rays and Astros, two organizations known for building analytically driven front offices. For the As, the appeal is obvious: they need a leader who can manage the baseball side now while also helping steer a franchise through one of the most consequential transitions in its history. [Read more 🡒]