The Oakland Athletics head into their August 24 road matchup against the Seattle Mariners with little left to lose and everything to gain as they continue their evaluation-focused rebuild. Sitting near the bottom of the American League standings, the A’s have long been out of the playoff race and are using the remaining weeks of the season to test their youngest talents and identify which players might be part of the long-term foundation. Offensively, Oakland has relied on streaky bursts from a handful of emerging hitters, with Brent Rooker and Zack Gelof offering the most consistent power threats in the lineup. Rooker’s home run production and Gelof’s energy have been rare bright spots in an otherwise sputtering offense that ranks near the bottom of the league in team batting average, OBP, and runs scored. The A’s lineup lacks depth and plate discipline, making them prone to extended scoreless stretches, particularly against high-quality pitching like what they’ll face in Seattle. Starting pitching continues to be a major weakness, with the rotation often failing to complete five innings and exposing an overworked bullpen. Left-hander JP Sears or righty Luis Medina could be in line for the start, and while both have flashed potential, they also have shown inconsistent command and difficulty facing lineups a second or third time through. Oakland’s bullpen remains unreliable, with the exception of a few young arms like Dany Jiménez and Lucas Erceg, but those options are frequently stretched due to the lack of quality starts from the rotation.

Defensively, the Athletics remain one of the league’s worst fielding teams, often plagued by throwing errors and missed assignments, which compound their already thin margin for error. The Mariners’ home field has been historically unkind to Oakland, and the atmosphere at T-Mobile Park—especially during a playoff push—could amplify the pressure on young, untested players. Manager Mark Kotsay has leaned into player development over wins, giving extended looks to rookies and recent call-ups to see who can stick at the major league level. Despite the dismal record, the A’s have occasionally risen to the occasion as spoilers, pulling off surprising wins against contending teams thanks to hustle plays, defensive gems, or timely home runs. Still, consistency remains elusive, and the mental toll of a long losing season can’t be ignored. For Oakland to have a shot in this game, they’ll need a clean defensive performance, aggressive baserunning, and early offense to apply pressure to Seattle’s pitching staff. More importantly, they must avoid free passes on the mound, as the Mariners are well-equipped to capitalize on extra-base runners. As the season winds down, each game for Oakland serves as a live audition, and how their young players respond to a competitive environment like Seattle could go a long way in shaping decisions for 2026. While an upset isn’t out of the question, the Athletics enter this game as clear underdogs, needing near-flawless execution to overcome a Mariners squad with postseason ambitions and the personnel to back them up.