Athletics' Sweep Bid Spoiled: Takeaways From Tragic Loss

The Athletics would get walked off in the bottom of the ninth, ruining their sweep bid.

Jun 4, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Oakland Athletics pitcher Joel Kuhnel (47) walks to the dugout during a pitching change in the ninth inning against the Chicago Cubs at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images | Matt Marton-Imagn Images

After winning back-to-back games by just one run the Athletics' luck would run out in the series finale.

This game had an A's win written all over, but things would go south fast late in the contest. With this loss, the Athletics are back to two games under .500, and now 2.5 games behind Seattle for the A.L West. Up next is the Astros, a team that is not far behind the Athletics in the standings.

Welcome Back, Shea Langeliers

Jun 4, 2026; Chicago, Illinois, USA; Oakland Athletics catcher Shea Langeliers (23) hits a two run inside the park home run against the Chicago Cubs during the sixth inning at Wrigley Field. Mandatory Credit: Matt Marton-Imagn Images | Matt Marton-Imagn Images

The Athletics have missed Shea Langeliers; he wasn't hurt or anything, but struggled to do anything productive offensively. Throughout the last few series, Langeliers was hitting right around the .100 batting mark, effectively creating a void in the three-spot of the lineup. This would change in the final game of the series.

Langeliers would go 2-of-4, with two home runs, one of which was an inside-the-park two-run shot. This was the Langeliers that had been missing throughout the month of May and the last few days of June. However, his efforts would amount to nothing. Meaning the problems the A's are facing stretch far beyond a few bad Langeliers outings.

J.T Ginn Is Incredible

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

J.T Ginn is hands down the Athletics' best pitcher right now. He would pitch 6.0 innings, allowing two hits and one run while striking out eight batters. Considering Ginn had to pitch a game before his scheduled start, it proves he has what it takes for the Athletics to win consistently with him on the mound.

For a while, it felt like everything was going the Athletics way. Ginn was hot, and the offense was providing sufficient run support. But when he was taken out in the 7th inning, things went downhill fast. Maybe, just maybe, if Mark Kotsay kept Ginn in, the Athletics would have walked out as winners.

Bullpen Struggles on Full Display

May 21, 2026; Anaheim, California, USA; Athletics pitcher Joel Kuhnel (47) and catcher Shea Langeliers (23) meet during the ninth inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium. Mandatory Credit: William Liang-Imagn Images | William Liang-Imagn Images

When starting pitching is doing well, it often means the bullpen will struggle, and vice versa. If both pitching staffs can find some type of consistency, the Athletics would be a very imposing team, not just now, but in the fall. This loss marks the largest blown lead of the season.

Joel Kuhnel was the biggest culprit of the game, as he would earn four runs, including the run that sent the Athletics packing. In his last appearance vs. the Yankees, he would also give up two runs in 1.2 IP. Something is wrong and needs to change within the Athletics bullpen. Down below could be the solution.

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

In Game 2 of the Cubs series, the Athletics would use six pitchers from the bullpen. And while Kuhnel was not one of them, it still reveals a glaring issue within the Athletics staff. Odds are that if any of the other six pitchers had been used, the Athletics would have been able to win the game.

This is not calling out Kuhnel, but rather poor pitching allocation. The six pitchers each got a taste of the Cubs, allowing them to build familiarity and to understand what works and what doesn't. Keep in mind that Kuhnel's last appearance came in the Yankees series, so there was simply nothing to go off in this appearance.

May 1, 2026; West Sacramento, California, USA; Athletics manager Mark Kotsay (7) walks back to the dugout after making a pitching change during the sixth inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: Scott Marshall-Imagn Images | Scott Marshall-Imagn Images

Moving forward, if the Athletics do decide to use five or more pitchers in a game, maybe it would be a good idea to test those pitchers' luck when it matters most, not throw in a pitcher who hasn't faced the team throughout the series.