Athletics Mauled: Top Takeaways From Ugly Loss to Detroit

The Athletics bullpen has been miserable since the break; that's no question. But the contributors to this malpractice are the shocking part. Luis Medina has been unreliable; the same goes for Jose Suarez . And just recently, Brady Basso, who was considered a top option in the pen, allowed three runs (two earned) and four hits in 2.0 innings.

But the most disheartening performance from the game was from Luis Morales, a pitcher who was trending to enter the starting rotation. Morales would pitch 2.0 innings, while allowing six hits and eight runs, six of those runs coming from homers. With the Athletics running out of pitchers, it is unlikely this problem will be fixed, barring a trade.

The Athletics' Offense Is Simply Terrible

The Athletics' offense was considered elite for a good chunk of the season. But since the break, the offense has fallen completely flat, with guys like Nick Kurtz, Tyler Soderstrom, and Tommy White becoming complete non-factors in recent games. If you add the historically bad pitching in the mix, you will inevitably get a dumpster fire.

In the loss, the Athletics as a team would go 3-for-29 (.103 BA), while leaving five runners on base, including three runners in scoring position. Soderstrom was the biggest culprit, as he would go 0-for-2 with RISP. After a while, you have to ask yourself if this "young core" actually has what it takes to push this team over the edge.

This Should Be Jeffrey Springs' Last Start

Jeffrey Springs has not been a good pitcher for the Athletics all season. In the loss, he pitched 4.0 innings, allowing four hits and two runs. And while this was not his worst start, he would also walk five batters during the game. With how prone he is to giving up home runs, his recent control issues are a recipe for disaster.

Luckily for Springs, his projected replacement, Luis Morales, would get annihilated in the loss. And as mentioned earlier, the Athletics are running out of options at the position to begin with. The only pitcher who could take his spot is Mason Barnett, but even he is not that reliable.