The Athletics get a chance to do more than just fill out the schedule when they open this series against the Rangers. After being swept hard by the Rays, they’re dealing with a roster full of injuries, a shaky bullpen and a rotation that leans heavily on a few arms. Still, there’s something left to chase here: a strong finish could secure a guaranteed spot in 2027.
That starts with Gage Jump, who gets the opening assignment and a clear vote of confidence from the club. Jump has not looked like the pitcher many expected after the break, carrying a 6.38 ERA and 1.79 WHIP.
But he flashed what he can do against Boston, where he worked 6.0 innings, gave up two runs and punched out a career-high 11 batters. After a rough loss, the Athletics need that version of Jump to show up again.
The Rangers counter with Kumar Rocker, who brings the same season ERA as Jump at 4.46. His most recent outing was a mess: against Baltimore, he lasted just 3.0 innings, surrendered two home runs, allowed seven hits and gave up six runs. If you’re looking only at the last start, the Athletics like their position.
The middle game could swing the series, and it features the Athletics’ most reliable arm in J.T. Ginn.
He’s been the team’s best and most consistent pitcher by a wide margin, and the numbers back that up: an 8-6 record, 3.41 ERA and 1.21 WHIP. Ginn was sharp in his last start against Boston, throwing 6.0 innings, allowing five hits and giving up just one run.
MacKenzie Gore is the opposite-side challenge, and he’s hardly a soft landing. He’s 6-9 with a 4.43 ERA and 1.24 WHIP in 2026.
In his Aug. 10 start, he beat the Angels by tossing 5.1 innings, allowing four hits and one run. That one has the feel of a tight, deliberate matchup.
The series could come down to a duel between two pitchers who have been tough to solve. Jacob Lopez has drawn some mixed opinions since coming back from the minors, but he’s been the Athletics’ best starter in the run since his return, posting a 1-1 record with a team-leading 2.36 ERA and 1.09 WHIP. In the opener against the No. 1-seeded Rays, he delivered 7.0 innings, gave up five hits and two runs, and became the first Athletics pitcher in 43 games to finish the seventh inning of a start.
Cody Bradford is set to oppose him, and while the sample is small, he’s been excellent so far. Through two starts, Bradford is 0-1 with a 2.38 ERA and 1.15 WHIP.
He doesn’t miss bats in bunches, either - in his last start, he threw 7.0 innings and struck out only one. That kind of profile won’t play easily in Sutter Health.
In Other News...
Athletics Season Just Hit An Even More Depressing New Low
The Athletics season already had a bleak look, and now it has landed in a spot no team wants to reach in August: no obvious player standing out as a major award candidate. Joel Reuter of The Athletic noted that Oakland does not appear to have a legitimate case for one of the leagues headline honors this year, a reflection of both the clubs rough overall performance and the way its roster has thinned out as the summer has worn on.
Shea Langeliers had been one of the brighter spots for Oakland before his year was cut short, and Nick Kurtz was giving the club another name to point to before his own setback. With those two unavailable, the Athletics are left without a clear path to recognition in categories like Silver Slugger, Gold Glove, Reliever of the Year, Cy Young or Rookie of the Year, which says plenty about how quickly the season has slipped away from any individual silver lining. [Read more 🡒]
A's Nearing A Jamie Arnold Decision Fans Didn't See Coming
In a season that has already pushed the Athletics to lean on youth, the club has not been shy about giving prospects a look when injuries open the door. Henry Bolte and Tommy White have already reached the majors this year, and now another name is surfacing in the conversation as the organization weighs its next move with left-hander Jamie Arnold.
Arnold has made a strong case at Double-A Midland, where he has handled the level well enough to keep his stock moving in the right direction. The question now is whether Oakland lets him take the traditional next step or accelerates the timeline in a way that would say plenty about where the club sees him right now. [Read more 🡒]