Happy Wednesday A’s fans!
The Athletics remain stirred in mediocrity at the big-league level. The “Green and Gold” have been unable to establish a foothold above .500 and take control of a division whose expected pace-setter, the Seattle Mariners, have fallen short of preseason expectations.
The situation is unlikely to improve unless the team receives more consistent pitching performances from both its starters and relievers to complement its potent lineup. At the moment, starting pitchers J.T. Ginn
and Gage Jump are the only two starters the A’s can reliably count on every time they take the mound.
Meanwhile, the A’s bullpen comprises several talented relievers, but no true shutdown guy has emerged since the franchise traded Mason Miller last July. Left-hander Hogan Harris is solid, yet he is overworked and finds himself in trouble more often than not. On Father’s Day, he could not protect his team’s lead, giving up a game-tying three-run home run in the eighth inning.
Dominican right-handers Luis Medina and Elvis Alvarado have the flame throwing stuff to become lockdown arms at the end of games. Both pitchers have flashed their potential at times this season, but remain inconsistent, as evidenced by Alvarado surrendering the Angels’ game-winning home run in the ninth inning of Sunday’s series and homestand finale. Last but not least, Mason Barnett, whom the A’s recalled earlier this month, has been a pleasant surprise, pitching well over his last five relief appearances.
The A’s finally designated veteran right-hander Scott Barlow for assignment rather than waiting for him to blow the lead in another game. The team did not do a good enough job to address its bullpen weakness this offseason, as Barlow did not even last till the All-Star Break and fellow offseason signing Mark Leiter Jr. recently landed on the injured list with a hip injury.
Down on the farm, the options are scarce. A few days ago, the A’s promoted Geoff Hartlieb and Matt Krook, giving these two journeymen relievers another chance to compete in the major leagues.
Yunior Tur, a 26-year-old Cuban right-hander holding his own at Triple-A, could receive his first MLB promotion soon as the A’s continue trying to put together the right mix of bullpen arms. On the other hand, pitchers such as Jacob Lopez, Luis Morales and Michael Kelly performed so poorly for the Athletics earlier this season that they are now trying to rediscover their form in the minors.
Will the team’s bullpen continue to struggle, or can the group turn things around? What is your goal for the Athletics as the end of June nears?
A’s Coverage:
- Robbie Ray Stymies A’s as Giants Take Game No. 1
A’s Squander Chances, Fall to Pirates in Series Equalizer - As a ballpark rises in Las Vegas, owner John Fisher is pitching his A’s — and himself
- What’s next for the Oakland Coliseum? The future is ‘not bright’
- Alvarado’s return so dominant, he’s inviting a lofty comparison
- Why Front Office And Manager Should Be Embarrassed By Today’s Game
- Some Easy Fixes Rocket Science Aren’t
- Athletics’ Devin Taylor Emerges As All-Around Talent
- From celebratory pool dip to the A’s, Meneses’ journey back to Majors a memorable one
- Athletics Could Deal Hottest Triple-A Bat This Summer
- Status Report: Uncertainty Persists In 5 Places On The Diamond
- Why A’s Williams Deserves Spot Past Jacob Wilson’s Return
- 7 wild facts from a Vegas show for the ages
- A’s $2 Billion Las Vegas Ballpark Shows Progress With First Roof Truss in Place
- A’s interested in Kris Bubic
- Korach reflects on A’s history in Las Vegas, upcoming move
- Three Things To Watch For The Athletics In June
- Las Vegas is ‘dying for a baseball team.’ Will its locals adopt the A’s?
- The A’s Inability To Play Well At Home Is Embarrassing
- Arnold and Jump are both slinging … anyone else reminded of another A’s duo?
- Three Dark Horse Trade Candidates for Athletics This Summer
- Two Draft Candidates Who Could Transform Athletics This Summer
- Athletics Early MLB Draft Preview
MLB News and Interest:
- What if MLB built its Draft system from scratch?
- Passan’s unique 2026 MLB midseason awards
- Biggest strengths for top current 2026 MLB playoff contenders
- On cusp of season’s halfway point, here’s what we’ve learned
- Newcomb’s 2 2/3 hitless frames lock down White Sox spot atop AL Central
- Royals’ Cole Ragans likely to have surgery on left elbow
- Sonny Gray “Open” To Discussing No-Trade Clause If Red Sox Sell
- Boomer Sooner! Oklahoma wins 1st MCWS title since ‘94
- Manfred: Giants’ communication to players over Pride caps ‘not clear’
- ‘Unrealistic’ to expect Steele starting for Cubs in 2026, Hoyer says
- Mauricio Dubón Open To Extension Talks With Braves
- Brewers’ Brandon Woodruff gets 900th K in return from IL
- Brewers release former starting third baseman Luis Rengifo
- Rangers Sign Marco Gonzales To Minor League Deal
- Angels Designate Nick Madrigal For Assignment
- Reds Designate Chris Paddack For Assignment
- 5 takeaways from the latest All-Star voting results
- Today in Baseball History
Best of X:
Keep voting for Nick Kurtz. Given the season he is having, he deserves to represent the Athletics at the All-Star Game in the state where he grew up.
Well-deserved honor for A’s outfielder Colby Thomas.
This past weekend, the A’s Triple-A affiliate Las Vegas Aviators clinched the first half Pacific Coast League championship. They will host the second half champion in the best-of-three LCS beginning on Tuesday, September 22.
This is an interesting breakdown of how Tyler Soderstrom has snapped out of his early-season slump to become a consistent contributor in the middle of the A’s lineup.
