During these COVID-19 times, the media doesn't go into a MLB clubhouses, but one would imagine the scenes at the lockers on the home side of the Coliseum are dismal right now.
The Athletics lost 4-3 to the Texas Rangers on Sunday, dropping two of three in the series to their division foe.
“Any series right now is a tough one to lose,” A’s manager Bob Melvin said after the game. “The way yesterday went, that’s a game that we had in hand, so that’s frustrating, and then losing the series -- I mean, it doesn’t matter who you’re playing at this point, you got to win the series.”
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The AL Wild Card race remains tight with the A's chances slipping away with each loss. The Toronto Blue Jays and Boston Red Sox currently hold the two AL Wild Card spots, with the New Yankees close behind, and the A's and Seattle Mariners both three games behind the leaders.
A’s starter James Kaprielian was pulled in the fourth inning after striking out five in 3 1/3 frames. He allowed four earned runs and eight hits before Daulton Jefferies came in to replace him.
“I’m sure guys are frustrated,” Kaprielian said. “We’re close to getting hot and we’ve done a good job of battling and grinding. I’m extremely frustrated. I haven’t been able, in my opinion, to put up a good start against that team at all. They’ve grinded me and they grinded me today too. I just want to be able to help this team win.”
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Oakland Athletics
The A’s finished the season with a 10-9 record against the Rangers. For a team with legitimate playoff aspirations, that's not good enough against the team in last place in the AL West.
The A's will head to Kansas City to face the Royals in a three-game stint, before finishing the season with five series against AL West rivals. To say these last six series are imperative would be an understatement.