What Needs To Happen for Athletics To Turn Things Around

With the Athletics dropping their last three, they need something to give.

Jun 21, 2026; West Sacramento, California, USA; Athletics center fielder Henry Bolte (33) celebrates with Athletics right fielder Colby Thomas (32) after Thomas catch during the first inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: Scott Marshall-Imagn Images | Scott Marshall-Imagn Images

The Athletics are in the midst of a very ugly losing streak; however, their fate is not sealed.

The past few games have been rough for the Athletics. Not only would they choke a 2-0 game series lead over the Angels, but they would get shut down by a struggling Giants team that had lost their last three before the series start. But to make matters even worse, the A's would lose Zack Gelof, who entered Game 1 with a 24-game hitting streak.

Pitching Staff Needs To Step Up

Jun 19, 2026; West Sacramento, California, USA; Athletics pitcher Jeffrey Springs (59) throws a pitch against the Los Angeles Angels during the third inning at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images | Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images

Both the bullpen and starting rotation have struggled recently, and that is putting it nicely. At first glance, this is a very obvious point. Yes, the pitching needs to be better, duh. But to be more specific, someone in the starting rotation other than Gage Jump or J.T. Ginn needs to step up.

If Jack Perkins, Jeffrey Springs, or Aaron Civale can sustain success before the All-Star break, the Athletics will be in a great spot. Right now, with the starting rotation, the Athletics are leaving three games up in the air, sometimes four following Ginn's last outing vs. the Angels. With more consistency, this team should be in a good spot.

Gelof's Absence Needs To Be Filled Fast

Jun 16, 2026; West Sacramento, California, USA; Athletics third baseman Zack Gelof (20) rounds the bases after hitting a one run home run during the sixth inning against the Pittsburgh Pirates at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images | Sergio Estrada-Imagn Images

After getting cleated in the bottom of the second inning, Zack Gelof would exit the game, along with his incredible 24-game hitting streak. While he is not expected to miss a lot of time with the injury, the Athletics need someone other than Nick Kurtz, Shea Langeliers, and Tyler Soderstrom to step up.

This could look like a hot streak from Henry Bolte, Max Muncy, or Jacob Wilson. If either of these players can get hot while Gelof is out, the Athletics could be back to .500 in no time. Losing your lead-off hitter, who was on a 20+ game hitting streak, is hard to deal with. But if the Athletics figure things out without him, they could be a very scary team when he returns.

The Athletics Need To Make a Trade This Week

Jun 20, 2026; West Sacramento, California, USA; Athletics manager Mark Kotsay (7) gestures for a pitching change during the sixth inning against the Los Angeles Angels at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images | Darren Yamashita-Imagn Images

This team has hit a plateau; there is no way around it. The Athletics have reached .500 a staggering 12 times this season, the most in MLB. When a team becomes this stagnant, something needs to happen. And in this case, it will require a trade.

If the Athletics can trade for a reliever or starter by the end of the week, a new sense of hope will be injected into this team, which has been in purgatory for the last few weeks. The A's need to change, or they will be stuck in this position for the rest of the season—it's time to act like a good baseball team.