Assessing the A's first few games back from the All-Star break

Dylan Grausz | Jul 23, 2024

Jul 21, 2024; Oakland, California, USA; Oakland Athletics right fielder Lawrence Butler (4) hits a single against the Los Angeles Angels during the seventh inning at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum. Mandatory Credit: Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports / Darren Yamashita-USA TODAY Sports

The second half is in full swing. With the all-star game now in the rearview mirror, the Oakland A’s returned to action on Friday evening, picking up right where they left off before the break by taking home the 13-3 victory over the Los Angeles Angels to extend their winning streak to two straight. While their record may suggest otherwise, sitting at 40-62 and in fifth place in the American League West, the A’s have been playing some very solid baseball and have been in the conversation as one of the league’s hottest teams as of late.

After a stretch in May and June where the team put together a 16-39 record over that two month stretch, the month of July has been very promising, as the team has managed a 10-6 record thus far, winning series against both the Phillies and the Angels, going 5-1 against Los Angeles across two series. In the first two games back from the break, the A’s won by a combined score of 21-5 and had 14 hits in game one and 11 hits in game two. Against the Phillies right before the break, the A’s fell in the middle game of the series but in the two wins, they held the best team in baseball to only five runs.

Batting only .196 up until July 9, Lawrence Butler has started to find his form at the plate, having been on a tear over his last 15 games where the 24-year-old has been hitting .385 with six home runs and 19 RBIs, including a 2-for-4 day with two RBIs in the first game back against the Angels and a 3-for-4, three RBI day in the second game of the series. Despite falling in game three, Butler still continued to tear it up, putting together another two hit game while also getting on base with two walks. Starting the season off slow and at one point being a major question mark for the team, Butler has improved his season batting average to .242 and is making a major case to cement himself as the A’s everyday leadoff hitter from here on out.

Coming off of the series win against the Angels to kick start the second half, confidence was soaring in the clubhouse heading into the Houston series, a team that has also seen their run of success grow, having risen into first place in the division and once again evolving into a true contender. However, the task once again proved to be a manageable one, as the A’s went home with another win to open a series, this time coming out on top 4-0 and recording eight hits, getting three from JJ Bleday, two from Butler, two from Max Schuemann and one from Miguel Andujar. Their run of strong pitching continued with Hogan Harris delivering 6 2/3 strong innings and Mason Miller once again putting up zeros, closing things out in the ninth with a scoreless and hitless outing.

It may not be happening this season, but if the A’s have shown anything over these last few games, it’s that they have pieces that they can build around and look to develop for the future. Combined with some young prospects and future stars like Jacob Wilson and Mason Miller and the evolution of guys like Rooker into power bats, fans have reason to be excited as the A’s play out their final season in Oakland before beginning their new era.