We made it folks! The final game of the season is upon us. The A’s are set to suit up one final time this season, taking on the Astros to wrap up the year. The A’s stand at 64-97, sitting in fourth place in the AL West and with the second-worst record in the American League. That’s where they’ll sit this offseason but if the team can end the year with a win that’d send us into the offseason on a high note. Let’s finish the year with a 65th win in front of Sacramento.
As for Houston, this isn’t just
any game for them. They still have not clinched a spot in the postseason as they enter today tied with the Texas Rangers at 80-81 atop the AL West. Thanks to them owning the tie breaker the Astros control their own fate: win and they’re win. The Rangers will be watching this game and rooting for our A’s, hoping to keep their playoff hopes alive. They need to pair their own win with an Astros loss to make it to October. In a way it’s up to the A’s which Texas team goes to the postseason. Which would you prefer to allow to stay alive a bit longer? Either is a bad pick.
Taking the ball today in the final to start things off is right-handed reliever Seth Johnson. That means we’re looking at a bullpen game today. Johnson as you may remember was the lone acquisition at the mid-season trade deadline, coming over from Philadelphia in exchange for outfielder Colby Thomas. Johnson has split time between the big league club and the Aviators in the two months since joining the organization, posting a 6.89 ERA in 11 appearances at the big league level. We shouldn’t expect more than an inning or two out of the righty this afternoon, and from there it’ll be all Kotsay mixing and matching.
Here’s the final A’s lineup of the 2026 season:
Not how we thought the last lineup of the season would look but six months of baseball will grind down plenty of teams. It’s been the typical lineup here down the stretch and they’ve been servicable, especially since the return of Langeliers. We’ll also get to see infielder Joshua Kuroda-Grauer one more time this afternoon, and it’s a great sign and he’ll be able to put that nasty injury he suffered fully behind him heading into winter. And another good sign, catcher Brian Serven is back in there after taking a ball of the face earlier in the week.
The Astros meanwhile, with their season on the line, have right-hander Peter Lambert taking the ball this afternoon. Lambert has been a godsend for the Astros this season. An offseason pickup from Colorado, the 29-year-old has broken out with a 3.87 ERA in a team-leading 28 starts, solidifying a shaky Astros rotation. Houston isn’t in contention or anywhere near the top of the division without his emergence, and he’s a likely option for Game Two if the Astros advance to the playoffs.
And Houston’s starting nine:
Time to finish the season. Wrap it up with a win, boys. Let’s go A’s!
Follow the Game:
Watch:
Athletics – NBCSCA
Listen:
Athletics – Talk 650 KSTE, KVMX 92.1/105.5, A’s Cast
