The Oakland Athletics enter Monday night’s divisional matchup against the Houston Astros with a 26–44 record and searching for answers as a challenging 2025 season continues to expose the team’s rebuilding vulnerabilities. Now playing at Sutter Health Park in Sacramento, the Athletics are trying to redefine their identity with a focus on youth development and long-term roster building, but the growing pains have been evident in nearly every facet of the game. Offensively, the A’s have shown glimpses of potential behind the power of Brent Rooker, who leads the team with 15 home runs, and the promise of rising star Jacob Wilson, a smooth-fielding shortstop who brings energy and range to the middle infield. Wilson’s bat is beginning to come around at the big-league level, and alongside Zack Gelof and Shea Langeliers, the A’s are slowly forming a foundation of homegrown talent. However, the rest of the lineup has struggled to find consistency, often failing to string together base runners or capitalize with men in scoring position, a problem compounded by a low team batting average and high strikeout rate. Oakland’s pitching has been a significant concern throughout the season, with both the rotation and bullpen ranking near the bottom of the league in ERA and opponent batting average. Injuries and lack of depth have forced manager Mark Kotsay to mix and match arms from the minors and long relief, leading to frequent short outings and overexposed middle innings. The bullpen, in particular, has been unreliable in high-leverage spots, frequently giving up leads or allowing opponents to pull away late in games.

Defensively, the A’s have struggled with execution as well, committing untimely errors that extend innings and shift momentum in close contests. These issues have made it especially difficult to protect leads or keep pace with more disciplined and experienced opponents, like the Astros. Oakland has covered the run line in just four of its last ten games, reflecting their inability to remain competitive deep into games, especially against upper-tier pitching staffs and balanced lineups like Houston’s. As they prepare to face the Astros—who are in peak form and riding a five-game win streak—the Athletics must play near-flawless baseball to have a shot at pulling off the upset. That means limiting walks, converting every routine play, and capitalizing on any early scoring opportunities before Houston’s elite bullpen takes over. The challenge is steep, especially with Houston’s lineup firing on all cylinders and Jeremy Peña, Yordan Alvarez, and Kyle Tucker in rhythm. But for Oakland, every game represents a development opportunity, and a competitive showing against a team like Houston can help galvanize a young roster and build confidence heading into the second half of the season. If the Athletics are to make any noise in Monday’s game, it will require a strong start on the mound, timely offense from Rooker and Wilson, and a rare, clean defensive effort to keep the game within reach long enough to steal a win late. While expectations may be modest, a well-executed game could provide a much-needed morale boost for a team still grinding through a tough but necessary rebuilding phase.