Athletics Impaled by Marlins: Takeaways From Series Sweep

The Athletics would get crushed at home by the red-hot Marlins.

Jul 4, 2026; West Sacramento, California, USA; Athletics first baseman Nick Kurtz (16) looks on in a game against the Miami Marlins during the third inning at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

With Sunday's loss, the Athletics have now lost seven of their last 10 outings.

Things are not looking good for the Athletics at all, and this series was simply the cherry on top. Injuries, poor pitching, and the offense sputtering are just the tip of the iceberg. The Athletics' next series will be against the 40-50 Tigers, a series that, if lost, could have huge ramifications.

Starting Rotation Is a Lost Cause

Jul 3, 2026; West Sacramento, California, USA; Athletics starting pitcher Jack Perkins (50) throws a pitch against the Miami Marlins during the first inning at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The Athletics' starting rotation has been awful all season long and does not appear to be improving anytime soon. In Game 1, Jack Perkins would pitch 3.2 innings and allow seven hits and seven runs. In the following game, Aaron Civale would take the mound, where he would pitch 4.2 innings, giving up six hits and four runs, and a pair of homers.

Things were supposed to go better in Game 3, with star rookie Gage Jump on the mound, but even he could not escape the Athletics' pitching woes. He would pitch 3.0 innings, while allowing eight hits and six runs. Jump does get a pass in this one, as he is a rookie and has proven to be the Athletics' best pitcher when he is on. The others, however, do not get the same amount of grace. Something needs to give.

Josh Kuroda-Grauer Is Amazing

Jul 3, 2026; West Sacramento, California, USA; Athletics third baseman Joshua Kuroda-Grauer (44) runs to third base on a single hit by designated hitter Carlos Cortes (not pictured) against the Miami Marlins during the fourth inning at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

In the last two series, Josh Kuroda-Grauer has been incredible for the Athletics. In his first six games in the majors, he is batting .409 with a .935 OPS. Kuroda-Grauer is a very talented player who will play a critical role in turning this team's momentum around. Moving forward, we could see Kuroda-Grauer stick around even when Jacob Wilson comes off the injured list.

But if the Athletics do decide to take this route, it might be difficult to muster high-value trade pieces, especially with the deadline coming up in less than a month. For a while, it felt like Kuroda-Grauer was the No. 1 option if a trade were to happen. Now it looks like he could become a cornerstone of this team's future.

Mark Kotsay's Job Security Is Thin

Jul 4, 2026; West Sacramento, California, USA; Athletics manager Mark Kotsay (7) speaks to members of the media before the start of a game against the Miami Marlins at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Since taking over as the Athletics' manager in 2022, Mark Kotsay has failed to produce a season over .500. And with how this season is going, this trend will continue. It is also important to remember that the Athletics' last series win at home was way back on April 30 vs. the Royals. Something is not right.

Aside from questionable pitching changes and poor overall game management, it is clear that Kotsay has been unable to turn the Athletics into a winning team. With the A's setting up shop in Vegas in 2028, it would not be surprising to see a new manager at the helm. Either way, the results have to come soon.

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