We’re down to our final two games of Athletics baseball this year! After the first couple months of the season, it seemed like the A’s had the ability to remain competitive in the American League (AL) West. However, injuries coupled with a league-worst pitching staff resulted in the team’s second consecutive midseason collapse and fifth straight losing season.
The A’s have embraced the role of spoiler over the past few weeks. They will have two more opportunities to do so against a Houston Astros
club fighting for the division title and a playoff berth. Depending on the results tonight and tomorrow, either the Astros or Texas Rangers will make history as the first team to reach the playoffs without a winning record.
Athletics right-hander Jack Perkins will make his final start of 2026. The 26-year-old enters his 37th appearance and 17th start of the season with a 3-12 record, a 5.90 ERA, a 1.45 WHIP and 131 strikeouts over 116 innings.
Perkins started the season in the bullpen before moving into the rotation in June. The right-hander looks to be ending the season on a high note. He has gone 1-3 with a 2.62 ERA in his last seven games, pitching at least six innings while allowing just one run in each of his last two starts.
The talented right-hander, making his third appearance against the Astros this season, will look to end his campaign on a strong note and position himself for a spot in next year’s rotation. Will Perkins make it three straight quality starts, or will his inconsistency resurface and force the Athletics to turn to their bullpen earlier than expected?
Here’s the A’s Saturday night lineup:
The Athletics are rolling with the same starting lineup that scored six runs last night. Center fielder Henry Bolte will look to serve as the spark plug once again, setting the table for Lawrence Butler, Shea Langeliers and Zack Gelof.
These final two games are important for Tommy White, whose aggressive swing-at-everything approach has held him back in his first taste of MLB action. With injured sluggers Nick Kurtz and Brent Rooker set to return next year, White could fall out of the team’s plans unless he improves his approach or unlocks the power he displayed in college baseball. Meanwhile, looming free-agent catcher Jonah Heim needs to put together a strong finish to the season if he hopes to attract suitors on the open market.
The A’s offense will face Astros right-hander Hayden Wesneski this evening. The 28-year-old, who returned from Tommy John surgery in late July, enters his 11th and final start of the season with a 5-2 record, a 3.50 ERA, a 1.15 WHIP and 41 strikeouts over 54 innings.
Wesneski aims to continue his dominance against the Green and Gold tonight. He is 2-0 with a 0.75 ERA and 11 strikeouts in two career appearances against the Athletics. Nearly a month ago, the right-hander earned the win after allowing just one hit over five scoreless innings when these teams met in Houston.
And the Astros’ starting nine shapes up like this:
All the Astros regulars are playing, including Thursday’s unlikely hero, rookie Lucas Spence. The A’s have mostly kept AL MVP front-runner Yordan Alvarez and star second baseman Jose Altuve quiet this series, something that will have to continue if the hosts want a second straight win today. Left fielder Taylor Trammell is the only newcomer in the visitors’ lineup as he makes his first start of the series.
Time to hand Houston’s division-winning hopes a crushing blow and secure at least a split of this season-ending series. Let’s go, A’s!
Follow the Game:
Watch:
Athletics – NBCSCA
Listen:
Athletics – Talk 650 KSTE, KVMX 92.1/105.5, A’s Cast
