The Athletics need Jacob Lopez to steady himself one more time, and they need it against the Astros.
Lopez has been one of the club’s best arms in the second half, putting together a 2.48 ERA across five starts in August. But the recent version of Lopez has looked nothing like that pitcher. Over his last four outings, he has posted a 10.31 ERA, a stretch that has raised real concern heading into his next start.
The most alarming night came against the Guardians, when Lopez lasted only 2.2 innings and gave up 10 hits and 10 earned runs. That kind of outing is not what the Athletics can afford now, especially with the second game of the series looming.
Even during his better run, there was always a sense that Lopez was living on the edge, scraping through innings by the skin of his teeth. Now, hitters are cashing in when he slips, and the Athletics need to see more swing-and-miss from him.
In his last three starts, he has a 13.86 ERA, and the strikeout production has cratered to 1.66 per game. To be fair, he has pitched 3.2 innings or fewer in his last two outings, so the raw strikeout totals have been limited by volume.
Still, the trend is impossible to ignore.
What the Athletics want now is an aggressive Lopez who attacks the Astros early. If he can open the game with four strikeouts through the first two innings, the odds of a solid night rise sharply. If not, it could get ugly in what is described as the most hitter-friendly park in the country.
There is more at stake here than just one bad start or one good one. A rough outing could push his chances of cracking next season’s rotation close to zero.
A quality start and a win would swing the conversation in the other direction. The danger, though, is that one encouraging night could also create false hope about where his game really stands.
For Lopez, confidence has mattered more than pitch location, pure and simple. Earlier this season, when he sent himself down to Triple-A, it helped him reset and return to the version of himself the Athletics had seen before. A strong finish here could do the same thing heading into the offseason.
And that matters because the A’s still don’t have a clear picture of what their rotation will look like next year. Gage Jump and JT Ginn are the only obvious constants, and even that isn’t fully settled given Jump’s outings before his injury. Lopez was supposed to be part of the answer, but this recent slide has thrown that into doubt.
If he can’t deliver in his season finale, the Athletics may be left scrambling to piece together a workable rotation this offseason. If he answers the bell, he could give himself the kind of confidence boost that lasts well beyond the 2027 season.
In Other News...
Athletics Spoiler Win Put One Oakland Roster Debate Back In Focus
The Athletics spoiler win in Game 2 had more than just AL West ripple effects. It also put a familiar Oakland roster question back in view, with Jonah Heim in the middle of it after a two-hit, RBI effort in a game that otherwise felt like a showcase for the pitching side of the conversation.
Heims production has been hard to separate from the larger debate around his role going forward, especially after a rough stretch that has left his standing less certain heading into next season. On the mound, Jacob Lopez helped his case with another solid outing, while Hogan Harris kept the pressure on late in a high-leverage relief spot, giving Oakland a few more reasons to look closely at how this group fits together. [Read more 🡒]
Athletics Face Two Costly Roster Decisions This Offseason
The Athletics are already looking ahead to the offseason after another difficult year, and two familiar names are sitting at the center of their roster math. Jeff McNeil has been productive since the break, but keeping him at second base would come with a hefty price tag, while Jonah Heims season has followed a far more uneven path after an encouraging start.
McNeils value on the field is obvious enough, yet Oakland has reason to weigh cheaper options if it wants to spread its resources around more efficiently. Heim, meanwhile, offered a glimpse of stability early before his production tailed off, and the As do have alternatives lined up if they decide to move in a different direction behind the plate. [Read more 🡒]
Jacob Lopez Just Gave The Athletics A Real 2027 Reason For Hope
Jacob Lopez ended his 2026 season on a note the Athletics can actually build on, delivering six innings of one-run ball in a win over the Astros. It was the kind of finish that mattered beyond one game, especially for a pitcher who had been recalled from Triple-A in July and looked much more settled after rejoining the big league staff.
Lopezs season still came with the usual growing pains of a young arm, as his year finished with a 5.47 ERA over 27 games after a strong first stretch back. Even so, both Lopez and Mark Kotsay sounded encouraged by where he stands heading into the winter, and the next step may depend as much on his offseason work as on anything he did on the mound in 2026. [Read more 🡒]