A's Record Highest Win Total Since 2021 Following Cincinnati Sweep

On Sunday afternoon, the A's completed the series sweep on the Cincinnati Reds, after winning 7-4 thanks to long balls from Jacob Wilson, Colby Thomas, Nick Kurtz, and Brent Rooker. The team rallied back after being down 3-0 following the second inning.

The win would be the A's 70th win of the season, which is the highest win total the team has had since the 2021 season, with the Bob Melvin-managed A's winning 86 games, but ultimately missing the playoffs. It won't be possible for the 2025 A's to beat that win total, as even if they somehow won out, they would finish at 82-80.

This is a huge achievement for Mark Kotsay and the young A's team. After winning 69 games last season, and finishing with a .500 record in the second half of 2024, the A's used it as momentum into the 2025 season and will now look to improve once again next season.

Kotsay's overall managerial record is 249-387, and he's never finished higher than 4th place in the AL West. However, he finished Top 5 in Manager of the Year voting last season, as he helped lead the A's to that .500 record in the second half, with perhaps not the best roster.

This season has been super special for Kotsay and the A's. Although 70-80 doesn't look super attractive as a record 150 games into the season, the A's have been able to overcome a 1-20 record in a 21-game stretch earlier this season. If they didn't have this stretch, the team could certainly be in postseason contention.

The team made some additions this off-season by adding Luis Severino, Jeffrey Springs, Gio Urshela, and Jose Leclerc. However, it wasn't the "big additions" that helped the A's improve their win total from last season.

Leclerc would go down with a season-ending injury within the first few weeks of the season, Urshela would struggle pretty badly and get DFA'd, and Springs and Severino have been solid arms, but have had their shares of struggles as well.

In the Springs trade, the A's also landed Jacob Lopez, who has eaten plenty of innings for the A's and had been super impressive to watch before his injury. He posted a 4.08 ERA in 92 2/3 innings and punched out 113 batters.

The A's also got some bullpen help with the emergence of Elvis Alvarado, Sean Newcomb, and Michael Kelly as key arms. Alvarado was an off-season waiver claim that had yet to make his big-league debut and has racked up a 3.75 ERA across 36 innings with the A's this season, serving in key spots over the course of the year.

Newcomb was traded for earlier in the season and has been one of their best bullpen arms, and finally, Michael Kelly was suspended until the beginning of June for betting a small amount of money on games while in the minor leagues.

Offensively, the A's have been super impressive. It's been a hell of a breakout season for Shea Langeliers, along with the arrivals of rookies Nick Kurtz, and Jacob Wilson. All three have put themselves in good positions to earn extensions, and Kurtz and Wilson should be the top 2 finalists for Rookie of the Year.

Thanks to these three guys and more help from Brent Rooker, Tyler Soderstrom, and even recently Colby Thomas, the A's offense has been special this season.

If you're an A's fan, there's a lot to be excited about moving forward. Improving from last season is just the start, and seeing these young guys play so well is just a sign of more great things to come for the boys in green and gold.