Happy Wednesday A’s Fans!
Entering the third full month of the 2026 MLB season, the Athletics will hope to play better after languishing through their fifth straight losing May.
The team’s pitching depth will be tested this month as four of the five members of the Opening-Day starting rotation are no-longer on the active roster. Right-handers Luis Severino and Aaron Civale are on the injured list with shoulder injuries while right-hander Luis Morales and left-hander Jacob Lopez struggled to get big-league
hitters out and are now trying to re-gain form in Triple-A. Lopez was demoted after giving up the first half of the Yankees 13-run inning this past Sunday. That leaves left-hander Jeffrey Springs as the lone veteran holdover.
Springs will be joined by breakout right-hander J.T. Ginn, who moved from the bullpen to the rotation earlier this season and has not looked back. Ginn has become one of the A’s most consistent pitchers, finding success against both right and left-handed hitters.
The other three spots will likely be awarded to more unproven options. The A’s top pitching prospect, left-hander Gage Jump, has a firm grip on one, especially after his extremely impressive seven innings of one-run ball in his second career MLB start against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. Right-handed pitchers Kade Morris and Mason Barnett have joined Jump in the big-leagues because the A’s need healthy arms. The A’s have not listed a starting pitcher for Thursday’s series-finale against the Cubs. All signs are pointing towards Morris making his first MLB start that day, unless he is summoned out of the bullpen tomorrow.
The A’s starting pitching uncertainty is worrisome as it has a strong chance to force the team’s shaky bullpen to cover more innings, resulting in more opportunities for the likes of Mark Leiter Jr.., Scott Barlow and other relievers to blow late leads in winnable games.
This month is the most consequential of the Athletics’ season. The way the team performs over the next couple of weeks will determine the direction the A’s take at the trade deadline and how the rest of the campaign unfolds. Entering action tonight with a 29-31 record that has the team in third place in the American League West, the A’s need its pitching staff to support its offense if the team wants to remain in contention in a wide-open division.
A’s Coverage:
- Jump Dominant As Athletics Beat Cubs 2-1
- Three Things To Watch For The Athletics In June
- The A’s Inability To Play Well At Home Is Embarrassing
- A’s Unravel in Series and Homestand Finale
- A’s call up pitching prospect Kade Morris
- Road, sweet road? A’s ready for reset after rough homestand
- Ginn’s glow-up: A’s hurler coming into his own at right time
- Three Dark Horse Trade Candidates for Athletics This Summer
- June update: 2026 top 10 prospect rankings for all 30 MLB teams
- Athletics Early MLB Draft Preview
- The A’s may have finally found their new leadoff hitter
- A’s drop the game and Series to the Mariners, fall into second place
- Wilson takes swings in next step toward return from IL
MLB News and Interest:
- 10 big questions as Trade Deadline season approaches
- MLB 2026: May winners and losers — and what we’re watching in June
- Diamondbacks To Reinstate Pavin Smith From 60-Day IL
- More to celebrate! deGrom earns 100th career win on son’s 3rd birthday
- Astros activate Hader from IL for season debut
- Rangers Place Chris Martin On IL With Shoulder Impingement
- Draft industry poll: Top 10 prospects? Who will go No. 1?
- Carlos Carrasco Elects Free Agency
- Angels on unfortunate end of odd defensive play reminiscent of Canseco
- Giants hire Gary Pettis, who coached Astros’ WS teams, as new 3B coach
- Red Sox great Ortiz says owner John Henry ‘worried’ about team
- MLBPA negotiator sees clear distance between 2 sides of CBA
- Pirates Trade Justin Lawrence To Twins
- Mariners’ Josh Naylor exits with back spasms after hitting HR
- Today in Baseball History
Best of X:
A’s injuries update:
A’s Las Vegas ballpark construction progress report:
Kade Morris pitched well in this year’s Spring Breakout showcase. Can the A’s 12th ranked prospect translate his minor-league success to MLB like Jump has done or will he experience some initial struggles against big-league hitters?
If Jump keeps pitching as well as he did last night, the A’s may have the homegrown stud pitcher they have been seeking.
