The Athletics were lifeless from the jump in an 11-0 loss to the Tigers, and the result fit the way this stretch has gone: shaky pitching, a vanished offense, and a club that looked beaten before the game ever settled in.
Gage Jump’s season has gone sideways since the break. He is 1-3 with a 7.50 ERA and a 1.94 WHIP in that span, a brutal turn for a pitcher who came out of the break as the Athletics’ No. 1 starter. After an elite first half, the production that made him so important has disappeared.
There was at least one encouraging sign in his third start after the break, when Jump threw 6.0 innings against the Red Sox and allowed just three hits with no runs. But nothing close to that showed up against Detroit.
Jump lasted only 3.2 innings, gave up six runs and issued six walks. Ugly.
The bullpen had its own issues, and part of the problem is how the innings are being handed out. Hogan Harris entered in the fifth inning, four innings earlier than he would usually be used. He did his part, allowing one hit over 1.0 inning, but that kind of usage only adds to the scramble.
Ben Bowden got the late work and was hit hard, surrendering four runs on two hits while walking two and hitting a batter. The Athletics were already down seven by then, but the bigger issue is the lack of defined roles. That has been a recurring mess, and it showed again.
The lineup sent out for this one also told its own story. With Jacob Wilson and Nick Kurtz left out, the offense looked thin before the first pitch. Even with both players still dealing with injuries, the group never seemed to have much of a chance.
By the end, the mood had clearly shifted. This felt like a team rolling over in the middle of a series loss, not one trying to fight its way out of a slump. The Athletics are now 4-21 in their last 25 games, and what once looked like a promising season is starting to look like something else entirely.
In Other News...
Jack Perkins Is Forcing An Athletics Rotation Question Late This Season
With the season winding down, Mark Kotsay is using these last weeks to take a longer look at young Athletics pitchers, and Jack Perkins has pushed himself into the conversation. The right-hander has shown enough progress to make this stretch matter beyond the standings, because Oakland is still sorting out what its future rotation could look like and who belongs in it.
Perkins added another layer to that case in a recent outing against the Tigers, where he gave up three home runs but also struck out a career-high nine over 5 1/3 innings. The mixed line fits the broader evaluation Kotsay is trying to conduct, and Perkins has made it clear he sees himself as part of the clubs rotation picture down the road, even if the exact timeline still leaves room for questions. [Read more 🡒]
As Rotation Plans May Depend On One Royals Deadline Decision
With Shea Langeliers and Brent Rooker now expected to miss the rest of the season, the Athletics are already looking past the immediate pain and into how they can build a sturdier roster for next year. Pitching is a clear part of that conversation, and the Royals have become a team Oakland has to watch closely as the deadline approaches. Kansas City has already moved Lane Thomas, a sign it may be willing to keep reshaping the roster rather than standing pat.
One path for the A's could open if the Royals decide to push their retooling further, because the market for available arms often shifts quickly once a team starts dealing from the top of its staff. Oakland has shown interest in pitchers such as Kris Bubic and Seth Lugo, which puts it on the lookout for rotation help whenever a seller or a semi-seller gets serious. For a club trying to recover from a brutal stretch of injuries, the next move in Kansas City could end up mattering more than it first appears. [Read more 🡒]