3 Athletics Who Need To Be Great vs. Yankees

Identifying three Athletics who need to have a strong series vs. Yankees.

May 23, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; Athletics first baseman Nick Kurtz (16) hits a single during the first inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images | Denis Poroy-Imagn Images

After being swept by the Mariners, the Athletics need to wipe the slate clean and reset vs. the red-hot Yankees.

The Athletics now stand at 27–29 and sit second in the A.L. West. Their opponent, the Yankees, on the other hand, are 34–22 and itching to take over first place in the A.L. East. With both teams desperate for a few wins in this series, it means the A’s need to correct their mistakes and deliver a nearly flawless performance.

J.T. Ginn

May 23, 2026; San Diego, California, USA; Athletics pitcher J.T. Ginn (35) delivers during the second inning against the San Diego Padres at Petco Park. Mandatory Credit: Denis Poroy-Imagn Images | Denis Poroy-Imagn Images

After an incredible eight no-hit innings during his start vs. the Angels, we would see J.T. Ginn regress significantly vs. the Padres. He would pitch just 2.1 innings, walk six batters, and allow two runs. The only bright spot that you could draw from that outing was his four strikeouts and not allowing a hit.

If Ginn can have a stable outing vs. the Yankees in Game 2 of the series, there is reason to believe that the A's can sneak a win. This season, Ginn has been up and down, but has quietly emerged as one of the A's best pitchers, posting a 3.19 ERA and 1.14 WHIP. For the A's to get back on track, Ginn will need to earn his billing.

Shea Langeliers

May 25, 2026; West Sacramento, California, USA; Athletics catcher Shea Langeliers (23) jogs around the bases after hitting a solo home run during the eighth inning against the Seattle Mariners at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: Scott Marshall-Imagn Images | Scott Marshall-Imagn Images

Exactly two weeks ago, Shea Langeliers was hitting .340 and was easily the best hitter for the Athletics. However, his average is now .298, which is a far cry from what he was hitting earlier this season. Against a team like the Yankees, Langeliers needs to figure it out quickly.

In Game 1 of the Mariners series, he smashed a home run that, while it didn’t ultimately change the outcome, had many excited for the rest of the series. That hope is something that is starting to fade quickly. And with how Tyler Soderstrom has been playing as of late, he could use a few base hits from Langeliers to set up some easy runs.

Nick Kurtz

May 25, 2026; West Sacramento, California, USA; Athletics first baseman Nick Kurtz (16) walks back to the dugout after striking out during the eighth inning against the Seattle Mariners at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: Scott Marshall-Imagn Images | Scott Marshall-Imagn Images

Nick Kurtz needs some of his mojo back following a 0-of-11 series vs the Mariners; a series in which he lost his on-base streak of 48. Against a big market team like the Yankees, a marquee performance would do numbers for not only Kurtz's stock but the Athletics as a whole.

Right now, the A's are a ticking time bomb. Soderstrom is getting hot in the middle of the lineup, and, as mentioned earlier, Langeliers could potentially be at a boiling point. Because of those two things, it is only a matter of time before the Athletics are back to where they need to be.