Tyler Bolte spent years growing up with Rickey Henderson as part of the A’s family lore in Palo Alto, and on Monday night he turned that admiration into something that looked a lot like a tribute.
In Oakland’s 6-5 walk-off win over the Blue Jays at Sutter Health Park, Bolte did the kind of damage that only a select few A’s players have ever managed in the same game. He stole three bases in the first three innings, then launched a solo shot to right field off Toronto starter Dylan Cease in the fifth.
The last A’s player to pair a homer with at least three stolen bases in a game? Henderson, who did it on Oct. 5, 1991, with a homer and four steals.
Bolte’s night started immediately after he worked a leadoff walk in the first. He took second base right away, then kept the pressure on in the third by stealing second and third before racing home on a ground ball by Zack Gelof. Bolte finished the play with a head-first slide to avoid Alejandro Kirk’s tag at the plate.
Gelof joined the running game almost as soon as he reached on the fielder’s choice, stealing second and third himself. The A’s stole four bases in that inning, their first time doing that since the sixth inning against the Mariners on Sept. 8, 2010.
As a team, Oakland finished with five stolen bases in the first three innings, the most it had collected in that span of a game since June 12, 1990, against the Rangers.
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As Young Core Is Creating A Tough Long-Term Decision
Young cores can be a blessing and a headache, and the Athletics are getting a dose of both as they sort through the long view on their roster. The same volatility that can make a player look like a breakout one month and a question mark the next is showing up in real time, with names like Lawrence Butler and Zack Gelof sitting at the center of the conversation for Oakland as it tries to map out who belongs in the next wave.
Butlers uneven path has still included signs of real growth, while Gelofs value has come with a different kind of profile as the As evaluate how much flexibility and upside they can count on moving forward. For a team that has to balance patience with certainty, the challenge is less about whether these players can help and more about how much stability they can offer in roles that are still being defined. [Read more 🡒]
Athletics Can Still Make Things Miserable For A Desperate Blue Jays Team
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The opening game sets up as a test of whether Oakland can scratch together enough early offense to avoid falling behind quickly, especially with Jacob Lopez lined up against Dylan Cease. The As do not need to be perfect to matter here, only stubborn enough to keep Toronto uncomfortable and force the Blue Jays into a game they would rather not play. If Oakland can find a way to get a better start than it has in recent series openers, the rest of the matchup starts to look a lot less routine for a team still trying to hold onto its postseason position. [Read more 🡒]
As Lose Another Young Arm As Pitching Depth Gets Tested
The A's keep leaning on their next wave of arms, and the latest shuffle only deepens the pressure on a pitching staff already being asked to absorb plenty. Oakland is also juggling injuries on the offensive side, which has pushed the club further toward younger players and made every roster move feel a little more consequential than the last.
J.T. Ginn is the newest arm to hit the injured list, creating another opening for a team that has had little margin for error on the mound. To cover the spot, Oakland turned back to Triple-A Las Vegas for Jack Perkins and Seth Johnson, another reminder that the organization is still in evaluation mode even as it tries to stay afloat through the injury pileup. [Read more 🡒]