The Athletics are in a serious free-fall, sitting at a brutal 43-57 record, and even a Monday win isn’t calming the nerves for their Tuesday matchup against the Diamondbacks at Chase Field. Honestly, it feels like this team has been in free-fall for weeks, and while they finally got a W yesterday, they’re walking into Arizona looking like a massive “fade spot” for Game 2 of this series. First pitch is 9:40 ET, and trust me, there’s a lot to talk about.
From AL West Leaders to Absolute Last Place Chaos
It feels like a lifetime ago for any A’s fans still out there, especially with the team ditching Oakland, but get this: earlier this season, the club actually spent 44 days either alone or tied for first place in the AL West! Seriously, back on June 18, after a win against the Angels, these guys were sitting at a perfectly respectable 38-38, only a half-game out of the division lead. The SportsLine Projection Model even gave them about a 30% shot at making the playoffs. Fast forward to today, July 21, 2026, and it’s a completely different story. They’re 43-57 with a pathetic 1.3% playoff shot, way closer to the last-place Halos than any wild card spot. Oh, and here’s the kicker: the Athletics have the worst run differential in the majors by far, an abysmal minus-111. You gotta wonder if playing so many games in that hitter-friendly Sacramento minor-league park, plus a few absolute launching pads in Las Vegas earlier this year, is part of the problem. Manager Mark Kotsay has to be on a major hot seat right now.
Young Talent vs. Pitching Meltdown
What really gets me is that there’s some genuinely good young talent on this roster! You’ve got All-Star catcher Shea Langeliers leading the charge, then there’s 2025 AL Rookie of the Year outfielder Nick Kurtz, and the 2025 AL ROY runner-up, shortstop Jacob Wilson, who even homered in Monday’s 5-2 victory. The lineup isn’t really the problem here, is it? It’s the pitching staff. Their 5.29 ERA is better than only Colorado’s, which is just painful to read. They’ve only managed 20 quality starts all season, which is a shocking 34 fewer than the MLB-leading Dodgers. JT Ginn has been pretty decent in the rotation, and rookie Gage Jump has shown some real flashes of promise, but beyond those two? Every other pitcher with double-digit starts has an ERA of at least 4.16. That’s just not gonna cut it, folks.
Can Jack Perkins Break The Streak?
Tonight, the Athletics are rolling out converted reliever Jack Perkins to start. This is his seventh start and 25th appearance of the season, and honestly, his numbers are rough: 2-5 with a 6.87 ERA. The team has lost his past five trips to the mound. Last time out in Detroit, he followed an opener but still took the loss, giving up three runs over three innings. And if you’re looking for a glimmer of hope against Arizona? Forget about it. He faced them last year as a rookie and got absolutely shelled for four runs and five hits in just three innings of a home loss. The model’s projection for him tonight, 5.3 innings, 5.9 strikeouts, 4.5 hits allowed, and 2.7 earned runs, feels wildly optimistic. This team is trying to win back-to-back games, something they haven’t done in weeks, and Perkins is the guy on the bump. It’s a huge test. Can he actually shut down the Diamondbacks, or will the A’s free-fall plunge even deeper tonight?
This article was created with AI assistance and published under Seattle On Tap’s editorial standards. See our Editorial Policy.
Originally reported by CBS Sports.
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