When you walk into the A's clubhouse, one thing immediately becomes clear: these guys truly like each other.
Whether they're dunking Nerf basketballs, sitting around playing cards, or even just eating their postgame meal, there is a unique chemistry in the air.
"There's something special in this clubhouse,” veteran pitcher Edwin Jackson said earlier this season. "The chemistry is something you can't teach. That has to happen on its own. When I came, I just wanted to gel in and be a part of what's going on."
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Jackson would know. The 35-year-old has played for a record-tying 13 different teams throughout his big league career.
Jonathan Lucroy, 32, is catching for his fourth major league franchise and feels the same way.
"There are no egos in here,” Lucroy told NBC Sports California last month. "Guys are pretty humble and down to earth. There's no one player in here who wants more attention than anybody else. ... It's pretty cool to see and be a part of. I think that's one of the biggest reasons why we're successful."
Lucroy is right. Not even the A's “stars” have egos. Khris Davis leads all of baseball in home runs, but he would much prefer to stay under the radar. Matt Chapman is arguably the best defensive player in the game, yet all he wants to do is keep working on his craft. Blake Treinen is having a historically great season for a closer, but he's always quick to credit his teammates and his faith.
Oakland Athletics
That mentality, along with a laid back atmosphere, have allowed almost every newcomer to thrive in Oakland this season. Young outfielders Nick Martini and Ramón Laureano have said they felt welcome in the clubhouse right away. Mid-season pitching acquisitions Mike Fiers, Jeurys Familia, and Fernando Rodney have shared a similar sentiment.
That same mindset has helped Oakland overcome numerous obstacles throughout the season, including non-stop injuries to starting pitchers. They have battled through adversity together, not as individuals.
Even the tough losses don't seem to phase the A's. Since June 15, they are 18-4 in games following a loss. When Oakland trailed Texas 10-2 on July 24, not one player stopped believing they were going to win the game. And thanks to 11 unanswered runs, they did just that.
The A's are a team in the truest sense of the word. It doesn't matter to them who hits the big home run, who makes the great defensive play, or who records the big strikeout. They just want to have fun and win games. And they've been doing a whole lot of both.