The Athletics Took a 23-9 Beating After Giving Up 24 Hits, and They're Still Nomads

Did you see what went down with the Athletics on Sunday? They suffered a brutal 23-9 loss to the Colorado Rockies, where their pitchers coughed up a mind-blowing 24 hits and six dingers! What a shellacking, and what a way to "wrap up" their weird "homestand" that took them from Vegas back to West Sacramento.

Vegas Highs to Sacramento Lows: The A's Wild Ride

The A's were actually looking pretty good last week, splitting their "homestand" between Triple-A Las Vegas Ballpark, their future home in 2028, and their current spot in West Sacramento. They went 4-2 in Vegas, taking two out of three from both the Brewers and Rockies. Then Sunday hit. Giving up 24 hits and six home runs in a single game just crushes any good vibes from the week, right?

Now they're back in West Sacramento, kicking off a three-game series against the Pittsburgh Pirates. Luckily, they're sending arguably their best pitcher, J.T. Ginn (4-3, 3.15 ERA), to the mound. Ginn is fresh off a 7-5 win against the Brewers, despite giving up five runs on eight hits in five-plus innings. Manager Mark Kotsay noted the tough Vegas conditions, saying, "These conditions to pitch in are tough. But he (Ginn) grinded and gave us what we needed." Before that outing, Ginn posted a 1.49 ERA in his previous six starts. The 27-year-old hasn't faced the Pirates yet. Their hitters did show up Sunday, belting 15 hits and two homers, with Tyler Soderstrom grabbing two hits, including his 12th home run, and extending his on-base streak to 21 games.

Pirates' Ace is Slumping, Bullpen Strategy Emerges

The Pittsburgh Pirates are limping into this series, having dropped seven of their last nine games, including two out of three to the Marlins. Even ace Paul Skenes had 10 strikeouts Sunday, but the offense ghosted him, leading to a 4-2 loss. Skenes has now lost six straight starts! Manager Don Kelly is baffled, saying, "It hasn't been one thing, just we haven't put together a complete game with him out there. I can't point to one thing. He has been consistent every time out there." Talk about frustrating for Pirates fans.

For Monday, the Pirates are rolling with right-hander Jared Jones (1-0, 4.73 ERA). Manager Kelly has a specific plan, strategically placing Jones in the rotation between their "innings-eaters," Skenes and Mitch Keller, to keep the bullpen fresh. Kelly told Yahoo Sports, "When we look at Jones, he's not going to be unleashed, where we can just let him roll at seven innings and 100 pitches. It's going to be managed as we go. To have him in between Paul and Mitch just made a lot of sense to us." Jones has made three starts this season, totaling 13 1/3 innings, and has a career 7-8 record in 25 starts. He also hasn't faced the A's.

So, it’s Ginn versus Jones on Monday night! The A's are reeling from a historic beatdown and still figuring out where "home" is. The Pirates are trying to break their ace's losing streak and carefully manage their pitching. Both teams desperately need a win. Let's see who steps up!

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