Why the Athletics’ Success in Boston Could Last

The Athletics' starting rotation has been historically bad all season long. But just recently, and in the Red Sox series, there is little doubt that the Athletics' rotation has turned a corner . Because of this, the Athletics hypothetically could end the season on a 26-18 run if the big three of Jacob Lopez, JT Ginn, and Gage Jump deliver in each of their starts to end the season.

While this is unlikely and does not account for other factors, there is still a looming question on everyone's mind. What if this rotation were paired with a healthy lineup? And as mentioned earlier, the Athletics are 12.5 games back in the AL West, meaning there is a lot of work to do. But if these pitchers can remain consistent, the Athletics could be closer than most people think.

Zack Gelof Returning Means More Wins

The Athletics' injury problem is not going away anytime soon. Nick Kurtz and Joshua Kuroda-Grauer are rehabbing slowly, and without Brent Rooker or Shea Langeliers for the rest of the season, the Athletics simply do not have much to work with. But we could see Zack Gelof return very soon.

The magic number of at-bats for Gelof to return is 20 to 25. Considering that Gelof at one point had the longest hitting streak in baseball and is an overall net-positive as a whole, adding him to a team that just beat the Red Sox cleanly is a concerning thought for opposing teams.

Bullpen Struggles Can Be Fixed

The Athletics' bullpen has been inconsistent at best. Part of the blame can be put on individuals, but also on the staff who are making completely wrong calls. In the win over Boston, we saw Brady Basso in the seventh, Elvis Alvarado in the eighth, and Hogan Harris in the ninth. This structure was key to their success.

More often than not, we see the wrong pitchers in the wrong situations, even though pitchers who would be better suited are available. Take Luis Medina, for example, vs. the Diamondbacks; he would pitch in the bottom of the 10th. He would collapse, but as we know, Medina has not fared well in high-leverage situations.

If there were a glimpse of structure in this bullpen, the Athletics might be closer to a playoff bid than they are now. Moving forward, the key to a successful turnaround will require better pitching decisions across the board. Which, in practice, looks like relievers pitching minimal innings in situations where they have done well.