Athletics Avoid Sweep: Key Takeaways From Win Over Astros

The Athletics were able to put together a very solid performance during Sunday's win vs. Astros.

Jun 7, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Athletics starting pitcher Gage Jump (61) delivers a pitch during the second inning against the Houston Astros at Daikin Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

After two very rocky games vs. the Astros, the Athletics were able to sneak a game in the series finale.

With this win, the Athletics are just three games from .500, and 2.5 games behind the Mariners for the A.L West title. Up next will be the Milwaukee Brewers, a series that could influence the future of A's baseball. But for now, let's go over the key takeaways from the win.

Gage Jump Is the Real Deal

Jun 2, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Athletics starting pitcher Gage Jump (61) delivers a pitch against the Chicago Cubs during the first inning at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images | Kamil Krzaczynski-Imagn Images

Entering this game, the Astros had already scored 18 runs in the series, meaning the bats were red hot. Unfortunately for the Astros, their game three opponent would be rising star Gage Jump, who would allow just three hits in the outing, holding the Astros scoreless through 6.1 innings.

This is now back-to-back starts for Jump, where he has looked amazing. With the current state of the Athletics rotation, performances like this cannot be taken for granted. With Jump firmly establishing himself in the A's rotation, we could have a breakout season on our hands. Jump is excellent.

Welcome Back Brent Rooker

Jun 7, 2026; Houston, Texas, USA; Houston Astros starting pitcher Mike Burrows (50) reacts and Athletics designated hitter Brent Rooker (25) rounds the bases after. hitting a home run during the fifth inning at Daikin Park. Mandatory Credit: Troy Taormina-Imagn Images | Troy Taormina-Imagn Images

Brent Rooker has had a very slow start to the 2026 season, with his batting average dropping as low as .136 during the month of May. However, he has been able to string together a few notable performances, which gives us hope that he can turn things around. This notion was exemplified in the win on Sunday.

Rooker would go 2-of-3, with a walk, double, and home run. This marks three consecutive games in which Rooker recorded a hit. This performance also marks three games in a row in which Rooker has scored a run. Because of his recent efforts, he is now hitting .313 with a 1.103 OPS in the last five games.

It’s Time To Worry About Jeff McNeil

May 26, 2026; West Sacramento, California, USA; Athletics second baseman Jeff McNeil (22) throws to first base for an out against the Seattle Mariners during the third inning at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Lee-Imagn Images | Dennis Lee-Imagn Images

Jeff McNeil would start this season off solidly as he would hit .313 in the month of April. However, it has been a slow decline since then. So far in the month of June, McNeil is hitting a rough .095, and has gone four games without a base hit. Knowing what McNeil is capable of, this stretch has been concerning.

The Athletics lineup has players who are hot scattered all over the place. And while bottlenecks are usually formed near the bottom of the lineup anyway, McNeil has become a black hole. Keep in mind, he is hitting behind Zack Gelof, who is on a 12-game hitting streak. This, in turn, has made it hard for the A's to take advantage of what has been an impressive hot streak.