The Oakland Athletics return home to Sutter Health Park for their May 20 clash against the Los Angeles Angels hoping to reverse a troubling slide that has seen them drop to 19–26 after a promising start to the season. Following an encouraging April, the A’s have faltered throughout May, particularly at home, where they’ve failed to cover the run line in each of their last seven games against teams with losing records. Despite entering this matchup as slight favorites on the moneyline, Oakland faces a steep challenge against a suddenly resurgent Angels team that just swept the Dodgers and seems to have rediscovered its offensive rhythm. The A’s have lost two of their last three meetings against Los Angeles, and three of the last five games between the clubs have exceeded 9.5 total runs—a sign that both teams have been vulnerable on the mound and capable of big innings. Offensively, Oakland has been wildly inconsistent, with occasional power surges quickly followed by prolonged droughts, making it difficult to find a rhythm or apply steady pressure on opposing pitchers. Their situational hitting has also been subpar, often leaving runners in scoring position and failing to capitalize on scoring chances in the early innings. The A’s pitching staff has been the more glaring concern, with the bullpen showing signs of fatigue and the rotation struggling to string together quality starts. Oakland’s inability to contain damage late in games has been a recurring issue, as opponents have frequently pulled away in the seventh inning or later, exploiting the A’s thin middle relief options.

To win this game, the A’s will need a steady outing from their starter and more timely production from their top hitters, who’ve struggled to deliver under pressure over the last 10 games. Defensive lapses have also undermined their chances in close games, and against a team like the Angels—who are starting to capitalize on momentum swings—Oakland must play cleaner baseball across all innings. Manager Mark Kotsay will look to his veteran leadership to rally the clubhouse and emphasize smarter base running, defensive sharpness, and fewer free passes on the mound. Playing at Sutter Health Park, where the dimensions differ slightly from the Coliseum and favor more offense, the A’s may benefit from early confidence if they can grab a lead and give their pitching staff room to breathe. Still, it’s clear that Oakland must treat this game as more than just another date on the calendar—it’s a chance to stop the bleeding, snap negative home trends, and take advantage of a divisional opponent that, while dangerous, remains beatable. The A’s path forward starts with execution, urgency, and a return to the gritty, high-effort baseball that marked their early-season competitiveness. Anything less could result in another frustrating night for a team desperate to regain traction in a tight AL West landscape.