Unique Paths Athletics Should Take During Yankees Series

On paper, the Athletics are severely outmatched, meaning the A's will need to get creative throughout the series.

With the Athletics now second-place in the A.L West after getting swept by the Mariners, the pressure to get quality wins has risen significantly. However, picking up a few wins against a team as good as the Yankees might be easier said than done. Here are a few ways the Athletics could turn the tide.

Ditch the Traditional Starter Role

Apr 30, 2026; West Sacramento, California, USA; Athletics pitcher Luis Medina (46) throws a pitch during the fourth inning of the game against the Kansas City Royals at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images | Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images

On May 24, the Athletics would do something differently vs. the Padres. Instead of sending projected starter Jacob Lopez out for the first two innings, they would slide in Luis Medina. This move would pay off big time as Medina would only give up two hits and prevent any early runs.

The Yankees are obviously a very talented team; there is no doubt about it. Their first four batters in their lineup include Paul Goldschmidt, Ben Rice, Aaron Judge, and Cody Bellinger. With how susceptible the Athletics starting rotation has been to first-inning runs, it would not hurt to see how a reliever fares against that group.

May 18, 2026; Anaheim, California, USA; Athletics pitcher J.T. Ginn (35) reacts after striking out Los Angeles Angels third baseman Yoan Moncada (10) to end the seventh inning at Angel Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

Not only will this cause early discomfort for the Yankees, as they will have to get used to a new pitcher, but it could also mean we see more innings from the starting pitcher throughout the game. While this isn't an option that magically waves the A's pitching issues away, it could be a unique approach to build some breathing room.

Change Lineup Order

Soderstor — May 26, 2026; West Sacramento, California, USA; Athletics left fielder Tyler Soderstrom (21) reacts after hitting a solo home run against the Seattle Mariners during the ninth inning at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Lee-Imagn Images | Dennis Lee-Imagn Images

The Athletics offense has not been great in the last few days. Not only were they only able to muster just three runs throughout the Mariners series, but even the sure-fire Athletics are not playing up to par. Because of this, it could be reasonable to move the lineup around in order to create quick runs.

What could be proposed is moving Tyler Soderstrom to third in the lineup behind Carlos Cortes and Nick Kurtz. The reason for this move is obvious. Right now, there is a massive bottleneck due to Shea Langeliers and Brent Rooker, who bat third and fourth in the lineup. This has not been a winning formula for the Athletics.

Soderstrom, in the Mariners series, batted .363, with two doubles and a home run. If Kurtz and Cortes are able to hit and get on base like they were prior to the Mariners series, the A's could sneak a game or two from the Yankees of Soderstrom's bat, leaving back-to-back series sweeps off the table.

On paper, this series should not go the Athletics’ way. But that’s exactly when we need to see Mark Kotsay do something dramatic to showcase his brilliance and even the odds.

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