The Oakland Athletics enter Thursday’s series finale against the Toronto Blue Jays with a 23–31 record, trying to halt their recent skid and salvage a win from a road trip that has exposed both the limitations and developing promise of their young roster. While the Athletics remain near the bottom of the standings, there have been glimmers of growth, particularly from offensive breakout Jacob Wilson, who has impressed with a team-leading .348 batting average, giving the A’s a much-needed presence at the top of the lineup. Alongside Wilson, Brent Rooker has emerged as the primary power threat with 12 home runs on the season, showing the kind of game-changing swing that can flip momentum when he connects. However, the issue for Oakland has been consistency—both in run production and in situational execution—as the team continues to struggle to string together hits, extend innings, and generate enough offense to support what’s been an up-and-down pitching staff. On the mound, left-hander Jacob Lopez is expected to get the start, bringing a deceptive stat line into the matchup with a 0–2 record despite an impressive 2.57 ERA, which highlights the lack of run support and defensive miscues that have undermined otherwise strong performances. Lopez has shown solid command, mixing speeds effectively and inducing weak contact, but will need the defense behind him to tighten up and the bats to give him early breathing room to avoid another wasted outing.

Defensively, the A’s have been prone to lapses, ranking in the bottom third of the league in fielding percentage, and those errors have routinely extended innings and increased pitch counts for a rotation that already lacks veteran depth. Betting trends paint a similarly challenging picture—Oakland has won only 5 of its last 22 games as underdogs of +123 or worse, a troubling stat that underscores their struggles to punch above their weight when facing playoff-caliber teams or experienced pitchers. While their bullpen has shown flashes of potential, particularly in high-leverage matchups against right-handed hitters, it has also struggled with walks and inherited runners, contributing to the team’s tendency to fade late in games. Manager Mark Kotsay continues to rotate lineups in search of more offensive cohesion, but the club still lacks the experience and finishing ability to consistently close out tight contests. Still, Thursday presents another valuable opportunity for a young team to grow, especially if Wilson and Rooker can get the offense going early and apply pressure to a Toronto squad that has been inconsistent at times. For the A’s, the keys will be avoiding defensive breakdowns, getting length from Lopez, and capitalizing on runners in scoring position—a category in which they’ve struggled mightily this season. Winning this game would not only stop the bleeding but provide a morale boost and serve as a small step forward in a long, grind-it-out season that’s focused as much on development and evaluation as it is on immediate success.