The Athletics Got Absolutely Torched for 24 Hits and Their Manager's Words Tell You Everything

Did you guys see what went down with the A's this weekend? Just when you thought this "Vegas then Sacramento" travel nightmare couldn't get any weirder, their pitching staff got absolutely shellacked! We're talking a 23-9 pasting, giving up 24 hits and six home runs to the Colorado Rockies. It was brutal. Now they're back in West Sacramento to open a three-game series against the Pittsburgh Pirates. What a whirlwind, right?

A's Pitching Staff Is Not Ready For Prime Time, Says Manager

The Athletics had a decent week in their "future home" of Las Vegas, winning four out of six games against the Brewers and Rockies at the Triple-A Las Vegas Ballpark. That's a positive, but then Sunday happened. The team gave up that shocking 24 hits and six dingers in the 23-9 loss. Manager Mark Kotsay didn't mince words after a previous 7-5 win against the Brewers, where J.T. Ginn still gave up five runs on eight hits in five-plus innings. Kotsay admitted Vegas's thin air meant "These conditions to pitch in are tough," but added Ginn "grinded and gave us what we needed." Ginn, who is 4-3 with a 3.15 ERA, had an incredible 1.49 ERA in his previous six starts. He's a 27-year-old righty who hasn't faced the Pirates yet.

Pirates' Ace Paul Skenes Can't Catch a Break, But Help is Coming

It's not all sunshine and rainbows for the Pittsburgh Pirates either. They're stumbling, dropping seven of their last nine games, including losing two of three in Miami. What's wild is their ace, Paul Skenes, had 10 strikeouts on Sunday, but his team still lost 4-2 to the Miami Marlins. The Pirates have lost all six of Skenes's last starts. Manager Don Kelly is clearly frustrated, saying, "It hasn't been one thing, just we haven't put together a complete game with him out there." He insists Skenes "has been consistent every time out there."

But the Pirates are trying to get creative. They're sending right-hander Jared Jones to the mound on Monday, who holds a 1-0 record with a 4.73 ERA. Kelly has strategically placed Jones in the rotation between Skenes and Mitch Keller. Why? Kelly wants to preserve his bullpen, knowing Skenes and Keller can go deep. He told Yahoo Sports that Jones "is not going to be unleashed, where we can just let him roll at seven innings and 100 pitches." Instead, his outings "will be managed as we go." It's a smart move to manage innings, especially with Jones having made only three starts and pitching 13 1/3 innings this season. While the A's pitching faces huge questions, the Pirates are trying to figure out their rotation for the long haul.

So, the A's are back home after that pasting, sending J.T. Ginn to the mound against the Pirates and their innings-managed Jared Jones. The A's offense showed life, with Tyler Soderstrom blasting his 12th home run and reaching base in 21 straight games. The Bucs desperately need a complete game, so Monday's matchup is set to be a chaotic one. Can Ginn rebound from that Vegas air and Sunday's team nightmare? Will the Pirates get Skenes some run support? You bet we'll be watching how this wild early season drama unfolds!

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.