Why It’s Unlikely the Athletics Turn Things Around

The Athletics have a lot of issues on their roster right now. An unreliable bullpen, an inconsistent offense, and an abysmal starting rotation have led to this awful stretch of games. However, beyond losing, there is another problem to consider. The A's are now sellers at the deadline.

Keep in mind the Athletics were first in the A.L West with a sizeable lead. As of July 13, the A's are now eight games behind the Mariners and fourth in the division. There is no point in trying to make a late-season run. With so many problems and a poor track record, the A's season could be over.

Athletics Will Be Sellers

This was teased in the previous section. But with such a bad stretch of games, the season has already been written for the Athletics. The only way to turn things around would be to make a plethora of trades at the deadline, which would leave a sizeable dent in the farm system, something the Athletics will want stacked for the next few seasons.

Big-name players like Shea Langeliers and Joshua Kuroda-Grauer could be top trade targets for the A's in the next few weeks. With both players having excellent seasons, there will be a market for them. Even though it would leave a massive hole in the lineup, the A's could build a decent pitching staff if the cards are played right.

Injuries + Losing Is a Terrible Combo

Injuries have ravaged the Athletics and been a primary driver of the A's recent struggles. With both Zack Gelof and Nick Kurtz on the injured list, this could result in the A's losing streak bleeding into the second half of the season. If the A's struggle to find a series win early on, the sections above will be even more pronounced.

Ending the first half of the season poorly is one thing, but allowing it to continue early in the second half is another. Right now, the A's could hypothetically go on a miracle run and be back in the picture. But if the losses continue to pile up, the momentum will be shot, and the "selling" notion will be front and center.