The Oakland Athletics enter their June 1, 2025 road matchup against the Toronto Blue Jays with a 23–34 record and a season that continues to be defined by growing pains, inconsistency, and missed opportunities. The A’s have dropped five of their last six games and remain winless in their last nine on the road, underscoring just how difficult it’s been for this young, rebuilding team to stay competitive outside of Oakland. Their recent offensive struggles are glaring—they’ve averaged just 3.4 runs per game over their last ten contests—and while Brent Rooker has been a consistent source of power with a .272 average, 12 home runs, and 39 RBIs, he’s gotten very little help from the rest of the lineup. The supporting bats have been streaky at best, and the A’s haven’t shown much ability to string together innings or capitalize with runners in scoring position. On the mound, things haven’t been much better. With a 4.50 team ERA and a bullpen that’s been unreliable in close games, Oakland has often found itself playing from behind early and failing to mount late-inning comebacks. Their starters have struggled to work deep into games, which has only magnified the bullpen’s shortcomings and further strained a defensive unit prone to errors and miscommunications. Manager Mark Kotsay has remained patient with the roster, emphasizing growth, energy, and small wins as the team navigates through what’s clearly a development-focused season, but the lack of depth has made competing against playoff-caliber opponents especially difficult.

The road hasn’t been kind to the A’s in general, and especially not in Toronto—Oakland is just 4–13 in their last 17 games at Rogers Centre, where they’ve historically struggled to contain the Blue Jays’ potent offense. If the Athletics hope to reverse that trend on Sunday, they’ll need an uncharacteristically clean performance that includes strong starting pitching, early run support, and flawless defense—three elements they’ve rarely combined successfully this year. While there’s individual talent and promise in players like Rooker, Zack Gelof, and Shea Langeliers, the team’s lack of experience has been exposed repeatedly against disciplined, veteran lineups. Toronto’s depth, power, and hot home form create a difficult challenge, especially when Oakland has consistently failed to execute in high-leverage moments. The betting markets reflect that imbalance, with Oakland entering as a +150 underdog in a game where they’ll need to be nearly perfect to win. Still, for the Athletics, these games represent learning opportunities and moments to challenge themselves against superior opposition. If they can take advantage of any early mistakes by Toronto, get a strong outing from their starter, and play error-free defense, an upset isn’t impossible—but it will require a level of execution and composure that’s been missing far too often in 2025. A victory at Rogers Centre would not only break a brutal road skid but also inject a badly needed shot of confidence into a clubhouse that’s been stuck on the wrong side of momentum for much of the season.