Athletics Squashed: Takeaways From Anticlimactic Season Finale

As mentioned earlier, you could not have predicted a finish this anticlimactic. While the Athletics, as a team, didn't have much to play for, unlike the Astros, who had a divisional title on the line, this loss was evidence that the team had truly given up on the season.

Next year will be very different; there is no other way around it. The Athletics will be healthy and will look good. But even so, it is hard to ignore how devastating a loss like this truly is. This could lead to many roster moves and even management changes if they aren't already in place.

Brady Basso Is Done

Even though Brady Basso has shown some flashes of excellence this season, his recent stretch is hard to ignore. We had been giving Basso the benefit of the doubt, as a role change from middle-inning reliever to opener can be very dramatic. But at some point, if a pitcher is pitching badly, it says something.

In Basso's last 16.0 innings, he has posted an 8.44 ERA, along with a very ugly 2.00 WHIP. Again, his role change may have contributed to the decline, but in the loss, he pitched 1.0 innings, allowing three hits and four earned runs. Basso also did not start this game, entering in the second inning.

Jeff McNeil Should Not Get $15.7M

With the season over, the Athletics must decide whether to exercise their club option on Jeff McNeil for $15,750,000. While there are arguments on both sides about what to do in this situation, it has now become clear that McNeil is not worth that much money — especially after his 0-for-4 outing in the loss.

Big contract players like this — much less an aging one — have to prove they have what it takes to earn this money. As mentioned earlier, this game had minimal stakes, but winning it would have meant the Athletics ending the season on a high note. McNeil needed to step up.