Athletics Do the Impossible: Key Takeaways From Win Over Boston

After an ugly loss on Friday, the Athletics were able to rally back with a 6-2 win over the Red Sox.

Aug 2, 2026; West Sacramento, California, USA; Athletics starting pitcher Gage Jump (61) during the first inning against the Detroit Tigers at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

They did it.

In the last nine games prior to Saturday's win, the Athletics went 0-9. Not good at all. Even though they have been on losing streaks before, most notably the 10-game losing streak they were on before and after the All-Star break, this losing streak felt lifeless, signaling a full-season collapse.

Tyler Soderstrom Is Playing Great

Aug 2, 2026; West Sacramento, California, USA; Athletics left fielder Tyler Soderstrom (21) during the first inning against the Detroit Tigers at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

With a good chunk of the starting lineup still missing, we knew that Tyler Soderstrom, Lawrence Butler, and Jacob Wilson would need to step up the most. In the win, the trio would combine for four of the seven runs on the night. But what has been the story of the series has been Soderstrom's pop.

Soderstrom would account for the only run in Friday's loss, as he would hit a solo home run while the Athletics were already down nine. In the win, Soderstrom would homer again, marking back-to-back games with a dinger. Since the break, Soderstrom has a team-high of five home runs, while batting .263 with a .830 OPS. He has also driven in a team-high of 12 runs.

Gage Jump Is Back, but for How Long?

Aug 8, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Athletics pitcher Gage Jump (61) pitches during the first inning against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Bob DeChiara-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Gage Jump would have a very good game, not perfect, but good. In 6.0 innings, Jump would allow six hits and two runs, while striking out a career high of 11 batters. With all of the earned runs coming in the bottom of the first, it was incredible to see how resilient Jump would be in the next five innings.

Even though there were still signs of inefficiency, the bottom line is that Jump has not let the slow start post-All-Star break affect him too much. Moving forward, fewer hits would be preferable, but only allowing two runs is something to smile about, especially with this rotation. Hopefully, this is maintained.

This Can Be Sustained

Aug 7, 2026; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Athletics manager Mark Kotsay (7) looks on before a game against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: Eric Canha-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

This may be a bold take, given the circumstances this team is under right now. Injuries, an unreliable pitching staff, and two very long losing streaks that have ultimately derailed the season are all very valid reasons to throw this season away. But yet again, a win like this proves that this team still has some left in the tank.

Keep in mind that since July 26, the Red Sox are 10-2, with both losses coming against the Athletics. The fact that, even with the factors mentioned above, the Athletics were able to knock off the hottest team in baseball in a rather convincing fashion. If they can win Sunday's matchup, this notion of turning the season around could be more prevalent.