Elephant Rumblings: A’s-Red Sox Series Preview

SACRAMENTO, CA - JULY 31: Mark Kotsay #7 of the Athletics talks with the media prior to the game between the Detroit Tigers and the Athletics at Sutter Health Park on Friday, July 31, 2026 in Sacramento, California. (Photo by Darren Yamashita/MLB Photos via Getty Images) | MLB Photos via Getty Image

What is the story about?

Good morning A’s fans. Happy Friday!

This week has not been kind to the Athletics, as going on the road did little to cure the team’s inability to win. They kicked off this road trip by dropping all three games against the Cincinnati Reds. Now, the deflated and demoralized squad begins a three-game weekend series against the Boston Red Sox tonight, a matchup between two teams heading in completely opposite directions.

On June 19, the A’s were 38-38. Since then, they’ve gone 7-32. That’s 6 games worse

than anyone else in MLB during that stretch. Manager Mark Kotsay’s squad has also lost 12 straight series for the first time in 110 years, un unfathomable yet not unsurprising feat given the losing culture that has permeated this franchise since Kotsay took the helm. It is hard to determine if the baseball gods are real, but one has to wonder if all this losing is some sort of curse or punishment for the A’s leaving their devoted, passionate Oakland fanbase behind.

Nevada politician Steve Yeager notably said that “Vegas doesn’t tolerate losers” while discussing the Athletics’ relocation to that city. Well, unless something changes before 2028, Las Vegas may be getting exactly that when the A’s bring their brand of baseball to Southern Nevada.

Given this extended stretch of losing, it seems unlikely that Kotsay will be managing the A’s when they open their brand-new stadium. Heck, he should not make it beyond this season, as this will mark his fifth straight losing campaign.

The best thing the A’s can do right now is play spoiler against teams still in the playoff race. That begins this weekend. Right-handers Jack Perkins and J.T. Ginn will start the series opener and finale at Fenway Park, with left-hander Gage Jump in between. The Red Sox will counter with left-handers Payton Tolle and Jake Bennett, followed by a bullpen game in the series finale.

Will the Athletics snap out of this extended funk and bring the Red Sox back down to Earth, or will they suffer a 13th straight series loss? What are you hoping to see from the Green and Gold for the remainder of this season?