A's Get Swept by Mets; Better Days Ahead?

After a brutal game Friday, the A's played the New York Mets tough in the final two games

A's legend Bert Campaneris said before Sunday's game "You have to win to be in the World Series." 

Right now, the A's aren't doing much winning and their World Series odds are at 0.0% per FanGraphs. They have dropped 10 of 11 and are 3-13 on the season, holding the worst record in baseball. This weekend's series against the Mets was tough for a couple of different reasons. On Friday, A's pitchers walked 17 batters. 

Saturday the A's led for the majority of the game until Mark Canha tied it up with a solo homer, and Brandon Nimmo doubled to bring in what ended up being the game-winning run. The A's threatened late, but couldn't get that big hit. 

On Sunday, the A's got the big hit they needed from Shea Langeliers in the bottom of the eighth, when he doubled in the left-center gap, scoring Jace Peterson and Aledmys Díaz. The A's had a 3-2 lead heading to the ninth and brought in Dany Jiménez. 

After getting Francisco Lindor to ground out to second, he gave up an absolute bomb to the league leader in homers, Pete Alonso. The Polar Bear went 4-for-12 in the series with two walks and two homers. 

Jiménez walked the next three batters he faced, throwing just one strike in the process. With the bases loaded, manager Mark Kotsay turned to left-hander Sam Moll, who got Eduardo Escobar to ground into a 6-4-3 double play and give the A's a chance in the bottom of the ninth. 

Tony Kemp led off the frame with a walk, and with Brent Rooker at the dish Kemp took off for second as the A's DH singled to center. Kemp had to make sure the ball fell, so he ended up at second, even with a running start. With runners on first and second and nobody out, Ramón Laureano struck out, Jace Peterson flew out to center on what could have been the game-winner, but Brandon Nimmo made his second spectacular grab of the day. Díaz popped up to third to end the frame. 

Some A's fans wanted to see a bunt from Laureano to advance the runners to second and third in that inning. Kotsay said after the game "We still had three chances to win the game, and in that part of the lineup, you take your odds with those three guys." 

Moll got two quick outs to begin the tenth and the zombie runner yet to cross home plate. Kotsay went to his bullpen for Zach Jackson. He walked Starling Marte, and on the fourth ball to Francisco Lindor, the ball got away and allowed the runner to score from third. A third consecutive walk loaded the bases, but Jackson got pinch-hitter Daniel Vogelbach to ground out to second with the A's trailing 4-3.

The A's tried to bunt runners over from first and second in the bottom of the tenth, but ended up getting their own zombie runner Tyler Wade thrown out at third on Noda's bunt attempt. Conner Capel grounded out to first, and Esteury Ruiz grounded out to third to end the game. 

The A's had their opportunities to win the last two games, but came out on the losing end. If there is a silver lining to be had from this series, it's that the A's have gotten back-to-back quality starts from their starters, Shintaro Fujinami and JP Sears, and the hope is that the trend continues against the visiting Cubs on Monday.

"Kyle Muller is going tomorrow. We get another performance like that, and we just keep building on these starting pitching performances."

Getting deeper into games could have a ripple effect that could lead to some wins in the near future. The more outs the starter can rack up, the fewer the overworked bullpen needs to be accountable for, and when they are pitching, they should be more fresh, too. 

The early returns on this season haven't been great, but this weekend we did get to see some movement in the right direction, which started in the Baltimore series earlier this week. This season is all about process, and overcoming hurdles to reach that next level. Getting more innings from the rotation should have a positive ripple effect in the coming days and weeks, but that doesn't mean that getting swept this weekend is any easier. 

"That first game is probably easier to flush. These two have stung."