Nobody had the Athletics penciled in as an AL West contender when spring training wrapped up. BetMGM set their win total at just 75.5 before the season, USA Today analysts projected the Houston Astros and Seattle Mariners to run away with the division, and the national baseball media largely dismissed Oakland as a rebuilding club playing in a minor-league ballpark.
Fast forward to May, and the Athletics sit at 18-16 — first place in the AL West — and have already beaten both the Mariners and Rangers in statement series on the road. This is not a fluke. This is a team that is building into something real, and the numbers are starting to prove it.
The Rotation Has Quietly Become a Strength
Brett Davis-Imagn Images.
Before the season, the pitching staff was the biggest question mark surrounding this club. The rotation was headlined by veterans coming off inconsistent campaigns, and the projection systems had little faith in the group collectively. What nobody saw coming was the emergence of Aaron Civale as one of the more dependable starters in the American League.
Through seven starts, Civale owns a 3-1 record with a sparkling 2.95 ERA in 36.2 innings pitched, allowing just 12 earned runs while striking out 27 batters with only 10 walks. His best outing of the season came against the New York Mets on April 12 — a gem in which he allowed zero runs on four hits over 5.2 innings in a 1-0 victory. Jeffrey Springs has been equally impressive running alongside him, posting a 3.96 ERA over seven starts with a 1.09 WHIP and 35 strikeouts in 38.2 innings.
The rotation’s collective ability to generate groundballs, limit walks, and pitch deep into games has been the engine behind Sacramento’s surprising win total. J.T. Ginn has also become a reliable back-end option, winning important divisional starts against both the Rangers and the Mariners.
Nick Kurtz and the Lineup Picking Up Right Where They Left Off
While the rotation has over-delivered, the offense has been steadied by the continued development of last year’s AL Rookie of the Year, first baseman Nick Kurtz. The 24-year-old entered 2026 with something to prove after his 36-homer, 86-RBI debut campaign, and he has not disappointed — picking right back up with three home runs over the last two weeks.
Nick Kurtz leadoff laser
115.9 MPHpic.twitter.com/l7LoIwJ7to
— Underdog MLB (@UnderdogMLB) April 25, 2026
Shortstop Jacob Wilson has also been a key contributor, batting .295 with 15 RBIs, a .709 OPS, and consistent contact ability through 135 at-bats. In his last 30 games, Wilson is hitting .317 with a .429 slugging percentage, showing the kind of sustained production that made him one of the most intriguing young infielders in baseball heading into this season.
Brent Rooker has been inconsistent at the plate — posting a .162 average through early May — but his three home runs and 12 RBIs have kept him relevant in the lineup, with early May signs pointing toward a bounce-back stretch. The depth of this lineup, paired with improved plate discipline as a collective unit, has given the Athletics the run support needed to stay competitive night in and night out.
Outperforming the Division’s Big Boys
Perhaps the most shocking element of this Athletics run is who they’ve beaten along the way. Fresh off a series win over the reigning AL West champion Mariners in Seattle, the A’s traveled to Texas and went toe-to-toe with the Rangers for divisional supremacy — a matchup that would have felt absurd to predict in March. Neither the Athletics nor the Rangers entered 2026 as favorites to win the AL West, yet there they were, two teams with identical 13-12 records battling for first place during a nationally televised Friday night series.
The Athletics’ odds to make the playoffs opened at +400 before the season — considered a long-shot by the industry. Now, sitting in first place in one of baseball’s most competitive divisions, Sacramento has forced the rest of the league to take notice. This is a team built on pitching depth, young power bats, and a belief system that no projection model could fully account for.
Nobody had the Athletics penciled in as an AL West contender when spring training wrapped up. BetMGM set their win total at just 75. 5 before the season, USA Today analysts projected the Houston Astros and Seattle Mariners to run away with the division, and the national baseball media largely dismissed Oakland as a rebuilding club playing in a minor-league ballpark.