<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/mlb/new-york-yankees/yankees-news-aaron-judge-no-panic-revelation-snapping-yankees-slump-2-hr-game');   ga('set', 'title', 'Aaron Judge’s ‘no panic’ revelation after snapping Yankees slump with 2-HR game');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Aaron-Judge-cover-1.jpg"></figure><h1>Aaron Judge’s ‘no panic’ revelation after snapping Yankees slump with 2-HR game</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-06-29T14:58:40-07:00">June 29th, 2:58pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-06-29T14:58:41-07:00">June 29th, 2:58pm</time><address><a>Brayden Haena</a>Brayden Haena is an Associate Editor at ClutchPoints. He's a die-hard San Francisco Giants fan and a football fanatic. In addition to sports writing, he works for Arizona Football in the Player Personnel and Recruiting department and formerly served as the Defensive Coordinator for Heritage High School.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Athletics</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Aaron Judge <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/yankees-news-aaron-judge-nominated-stiff-espy-competition">didn’t just wake up the Yankees’ bats on Sunday</a>—he reminded everyone exactly why he’s the face of the franchise and a perennial MVP threat.</p><p>In a 12-5 rout of the Athletics at Yankee Stadium, Judge launched two home runs, giving him 30 on the season before the All-Star break. It’s the fourth time in his career he’s hit 30 or more homers before July’s mid-summer classic, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/yankees-news-aaron-judge-mark-mcgwire-history-room-to-spare">tying Mark McGwire for the most such seasons in MLB history</a>. The barrage helped power the Yankees to <a href="https://www.mlb.com/news/jazz-chisholm-jr-knocks-in-4-as-yankees-rout-athletics" rel="noopener">a much-needed series win</a> and offered a glimpse of their offensive ceiling when everything clicks.</p><p>“We don’t really push the panic button in here,” Judge told reporters postgame. “Maybe people on the outside do—that’s their job—but we just gotta show up ready to work and ready to do our thing.”</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">"We don't really push the panic button in here. Maybe people on the outside do, that's their job, but we just gotta show up ready to work and ready to do our thing."</p><p>– Aaron Judge <a href="https://t.co/s4EMU9NhCl">pic.twitter.com/s4EMU9NhCl</a></p><p>— Yankees Videos (@snyyankees) <a href="https://twitter.com/snyyankees/status/1939433051244695963?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 29, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>Judge’s dominance didn’t end with just milestone numbers. His multi-homer effort on Sunday was the 44th of his career, officially passing Lou Gehrig for second in Yankees franchise history. He now trails only Mickey Mantle (46) and Babe Ruth (68). Judge’s five consecutive 30-homer seasons is also the third-longest streak in franchise history behind Mantle (eight) and Alex Rodriguez (seven).</p><h2><b>Aaron Judge and the Yankees take down the A’s on Sunday</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Aaron-Judge_843ee6.jpg"><figcaption>Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p> </p><p>His performance capped off a statement win for a Yankees team that looked lifeless just one day earlier in a quiet three-hit loss. But on Sunday, the Bombers found their rhythm. Jazz Chisholm Jr. got things going with a solo homer in the second and a three-run triple in the third, opening up a 4-0 lead. Cody Bellinger added a three-run shot of his own in the fifth, and Judge piled on with homers in the fourth and seventh innings to blow the game open.</p><p>Manager Aaron Boone was optimistic before the game, saying the offense was “close to getting rolling.” That proved prophetic, as the Yankees racked up 12 runs on 10 hits and capitalized on several A’s miscues.</p><p>Judge, who entered the game slashing .354/.456/.705 with an MLB-best 222 OPS+, continues to build a strong case for his third MVP award. He joined Ken Griffey Jr. and David Ortiz as the only players in league history with multiple seasons of 50+ extra-base hits before July.</p><p>Marcus Stroman made his first start since April 11, tossing five innings of one-run ball. He showed little rust, benefiting from the explosive run support to ease back into form after battling knee inflammation.</p><p>The Yankees (now 53-32) head to Toronto for a four-game set before a Subway Series showdown with the Mets. With Judge locked in and reinforcements returning, they appear poised to make a serious push through the dog days of summer.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Aaron Judge’s ‘no panic’ revelation after snapping Yankees slump with 2-HR game

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/mlb/athletics/athletics-rumors-grumpy-67-million-player-likely-traded');   ga('set', 'title', 'Athletics rumors: The grumpy $67 million player likely to be traded');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Luis-Severino.jpg"><figcaption>© Dennis Lee-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Athletics rumors: The grumpy $67 million player likely to be traded</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-06-29T09:34:53-07:00">June 29th, 9:34am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-06-29T11:13:05-07:00">June 29th, 11:13am</time><address><a href="http://erinachenbach.com">Erin Achenbach</a>Erin Achenbach is the Lead Women’s Sports Editor at ClutchPoints, championing women’s sports coverage and media representation. Originally from Dallas, she graduated from the University of Missouri’s School of Journalism in 2017. Now residing in St. Louis, the lifelong Texas Rangers fan has spent the past five years covering community news, and avoiding any Cardinals fans who remind her about Game 6 of the 2011 World Series.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Athletics</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Luis Severino’s <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/athletics/athletics-news-luis-severinos-eye-opening-reason-for-signing-with-as">time with the Athletics</a> may be nearing its end just months after signing the most expensive free-agent contract in franchise history. The veteran right-hander has drawn the ire of the organization due to his continued criticism of the playing environment in Sacramento, where the team is based temporarily following its exit from Oakland.</p><p>Severino, who signed a three-year, $67 million deal this offseason, has underperformed in home starts, posting an 0-7 record with a 6.79 ERA in 10 games in Sacramento. In contrast, he is 2-1 with a 2.27 ERA in seven road starts. According to league sources, via Bob Nightengale of USA Today, the Athletics are exploring trade options and <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/sports/mlb/columnist/bob-nightengale/2025/06/29/milwaukee-brewers-nl-central-standings/84404488007/" rel="noopener">it would be “a surprise”</a> if Severino remains on the roster beyond the trade deadline.</p><p>Initially optimistic about the team’s direction, Severino said after signing that the A’s had a “family” atmosphere and a chance to “compete again.” He pointed to support from teammates and a shared desire to win as major factors in his decision.</p><p>“We’re here to win,” Severino said in the spring. “We have a lot of young guys, a lot of talent.”</p><p>But as the season progressed, his tone shifted. Severino has grown visibly frustrated with the club’s transitional situation and minor league facilities in Sacramento, reportedly agitating team officials with repeated comments.</p><p>The Athletics took a gamble signing the 31-year-old, who posted a strong season with the Mets in 2024 after struggling with the Yankees in 2023. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/new-york-mets/mets-news-luis-severino-was-willing-take-pay-cut-stay-new-york">Severino had told the Mets</a> he was willing to stay on a discounted two-year, $40 million deal, but the club declined and pursued other options.</p><p>Now, with <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/athletics/athletics-news-luis-severino-truth-bomb-playoff-expectations">Severino expressing discontent</a> and struggling at home, a trade appears likely. The Athletics, who are not considered playoff contenders this year, could seek to recoup value while offloading his remaining salary. Severino, once expected to be the anchor of the rotation, may be the team’s biggest trade chip.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Athletics rumors: The grumpy $67 million player likely to be traded

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/mlb/athletics/athletics-news-jacob-wilson-breakout-rookie-season');   ga('set', 'title', 'Athletics’ Jacob Wilson opens up on breakout rookie season');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Jacob-Wilson.jpg"><figcaption>Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images.</figcaption></figure><h1>Athletics’ Jacob Wilson opens up on breakout rookie season</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-06-28T10:36:31-07:00">June 28th, 10:36am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-06-28T10:36:31-07:00">June 28th, 10:36am</time><address><a>Josh Davis</a>Josh Davis is an Associate Editor at ClutchPoints with a focus on MLB. As the founder and creator of OutOfSightSports, Josh spearheads the development and expansion of an engaging social media platform, with a core focus on Twitter/X. A passionate sports writer, Josh is dedicated to delivering compelling content that connects fans and fuels vibrant sports conversations. His vision is to craft stories so vivid that fans feel like they’re standing at the plate or on the field.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Athletics</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Rookie shortstop Jacob Wilson has become one of the most compelling <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/athletics/athletics-news-rob-manfred-las-vegas-stadium">storylines of the Athletics season</a>, delivering standout performances that have him firmly in the mix for the All-Star Game. As he continues his electric MLB rookie season in West Sacramento, the Oakland infielder recently shared personal reflections on his journey and the impact of growing up around the game.</p><p>In a guest appearance on Yahoo’s Baseball Bar-B-Cast with Jake Mintz, Wilson opened up about <a href="https://x.com/YahooSports/status/1939004730761474488" rel="noopener">how</a> his baseball roots shaped his mindset.</p><p>“Yeah, no, I definitely, uh, I had the, you know, privilege of being able to watch my dad for from the first 10 years of my life and just kind of living in, in a baseball stadium, and, you know, in clubhouses growing up,” Wilson said.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Athletics shortstop Jacob Wilson opens up to <a href="https://twitter.com/Jake_Mintz?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@jake_mintz</a> about his expectations for his first full major league season 👏</p><p>(via Baseball Bar-B-Cast) <a href="https://t.co/bsNQzjKM5g">pic.twitter.com/bsNQzjKM5g</a></p><p>— Yahoo Sports (@YahooSports) <a href="https://twitter.com/YahooSports/status/1939004730761474488?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 28, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>That experience clearly prepared him well. Through 78 games this season, Wilson is batting .341 with 105 hits, 9 home runs, and 40 RBIs. He’s struck out just 24 times in over 300 at-bats, flashing elite contact ability and baseball IQ. His .382 OBP and .859 OPS have made him a breakout star on an otherwise rebuilding Athletics roster.</p><p>Since stepping into the majors, Wilson has found that the intensity of each pitch leaves little room to absorb the atmosphere — a stark contrast from how he once viewed the game as a fan.</p><p>“And then when I first started playing in the big leagues last year and then going into this year… you really don’t kind of recognize it too much cause you’re so focused on the game. Like, you’re so focused and locked in on each and every pitch.”</p><p>The rookie shortstop also reflected on the nature of the game itself, explaining how, at its core, the jump to the majors still feels familiar.</p><p>“It’s still baseball. You know, it’s just like playing back in college baseball. It’s the same—obviously the same dimensions, it’s the same game, just a little bit more difficult.”</p><p>Wilson’s poise and performance have already drawn comparisons to past MLB rookie season standouts. His ability to focus on fundamentals and adjust to the spotlight has made him a <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/athletics/athletics-news-denzel-clarke-robs-hr-against-hometown-blue-jays">fan favorite in Oakland and around the league</a>.</p><p>With the All-Star Game approaching, Wilson’s numbers and maturity suggest he may soon be representing the Athletics on one of baseball’s biggest stages. And if his growth continues, the club may have found its next franchise cornerstone.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Athletics’ Jacob Wilson opens up on breakout rookie season

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/mlb/athletics/athletics-news-rob-manfred-las-vegas-stadium');   ga('set', 'title', 'Rob Manfred gets 100% real on Athletics’ Las Vegas stadium');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Las-Vegas-exec-drops-reality-check-on-negative-chatter-around-Athletics-move.jpg"></figure><h1>Rob Manfred gets 100% real on Athletics’ Las Vegas stadium</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-06-24T09:17:09-07:00">June 24th, 9:17am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-06-24T09:17:09-07:00">June 24th, 9:17am</time><address><a>Zachary Draves</a>Zachary Draves is a sportswriter and broadcaster based in the Quad Cities of Illinois and Iowa. Zachary covers a variety of different sports as well as sports history, sport and society, and sport and culture. He is also a professor of sociology.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Athletics</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Since 2024, the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/athletics/athletics-news-oakland-headed-sacramento-las-vegas-move">Athletics have been playing in Sacramento</a> before they move to Las Vegas for the 2028 MLB season.</p><p>On Tuesday, MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred<a href="https://x.com/susanslusser/status/1937186998277767354"> provided an update</a> on the construction of a new ballpark in Las Vegas. He tapped into the Athletics’ history in Oakland and expects the new stadium to usher in a new era for the team, per Susan Slusser of the San Francisco Chronicle.</p><p>“The Athletics have a long and proud history … I think about today as a new chapter in that history,” he said.</p><p>The Athletics <a href="https://www.reviewjournal.com/sports/athletics/athletics-to-host-las-vegas-ballpark-groundbreaking-ceremony-3388249/#:~:text=Work%20on%20the%2033000%2Dfan%20capacity%2C%20%241.75%20billion,finished%20in%20time%20for%20Opening%20Day%202028." rel="noopener">held a groundbreaking ceremony</a> on Monday to mark where the stadium will come to life. It will be located where the Tropicana hotel was, approximately 35 acres on the South end of the Las Vegas strip.</p><p>Among the attendees were Manfred, Nevada Governor Joe Lombardo, and Nevada Assembly Speaker Steve Yeager. Also, Athletics owner John Fisher and team president Marc Badain took part in the ceremony.</p><p>Athletics legends  Dave Stewart, Rollie Fingers, and Dallas Braden were also present.</p><h2><b>The layout of the Athletics’ new stadium in Las Vegas</b></h2><p>The ballpark is expected to hold at least 33,000 fans, who will be climate-controlled and come with a retractable roof.</p><p>According to Alyssa Roberts of KTNV in Las Vegas, the stadium is <a href="https://www.ktnv.com/news/timeline-looming-athletics-las-vegas-ballpark-groundbreaking-is-a-moment-more-than-4-years-in-the-making#:~:text=April%2015%2C%202025%20%E2%80%94%20Clark%20County,%2C%20to%20higher%20construction%20costs.)" rel="noopener">expected to cost</a> $1.75 billion, with both public and private funds.</p><p>In November 2023, the Athletics announced their move to Las Vegas. The move left the fans in Oakland devastated.</p><p>Bitterness and resentment were levied at <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/athletics/athletics-news-president-resigns-with-las-vegas-move-in-motion">Dave Kaval, who resigned in December 2024</a>, as well as owner John Fisher, for not keeping the team in Oakland.</p><p>There have been recent rumors of the Fisher family’s reluctance to move to Vegas. However, Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) CEO and President <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/athletics/athletics-las-vegas-exclusive-steve-hill">Steve Hill told ClutchPoints</a> that the plan to move by 2028 is in motion.</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/athletics/athletics-news-rob-manfred-timeline-relocation-las-vegas">Manfred echoed those same sentiments</a> in February.</p><p>The Athletics are expected to play at Sutter Health Park in Sacramento until the 2027 season.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Rob Manfred gets 100% real on Athletics’ Las Vegas stadium

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/mlb/athletics/2-athletics-who-trade-block-ahead-2025-deadline');   ga('set', 'title', '2 Athletics who must be on trade block ahead of 2025 deadline');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Luis-Urias-hitting.jpg"><figcaption>Peter Aiken-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>2 Athletics who must be on trade block ahead of 2025 deadline</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-06-18T08:46:33-07:00">June 18th, 8:46am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-06-18T08:46:33-07:00">June 18th, 8:46am</time><address><a>Cameron Zunkel</a>Cameron Zunkel is a former college athlete for the University of Illinois, Springfield. During that time, he earned his masters degree in Communication. After graduating in 2022, Cameron signed to play independent professional baseball with the Joliet Slammers, but his time was cut short due to injury. Nonetheless, his love for baseball and all sports never faded.Cameron loves the sports media and sports journalism side of things and does some light writing for a Chicago Cubs blog, as well. To go along with that, he loves sports betting and fantasy sports. He also loves digging on the research and creating content for both sports betting and fantasy sports!</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Athletics</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Athletics started the season really well. They were above .500 for a little bit, but they have since come back to reality. In May, the Athletics finished just 7-21, and they have started June 7-9. May is what <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/athletics/athletics-news-equal-unthinkable-franchise-low-dreadful-1-20-stretch">ruined the Athletics’ season</a>, but they have the talent to get better. However, with their losing record, and the playoffs seemingly out of reach, the A’s have some decisions to make regarding the 2025 MLB trade deadline.</p><p>With a record 15 games under .500, and the playoffs pretty much out of sight, the Athletics should be looking to be sellers at the deadline. With that in mind, there are going to be a few players on the team that will be sought after by opposing teams.</p><p>There are also a few players that should not be put on the trade block. Those players include Brent Rooker, and Mason Miller. If the A’s are going to make a trade, there are other MLB-level players the team can deal without losing their best players.</p><p>Here are two players the Athletics should realistically put on their trade block ahead of the 2025 MLB trade deadline.</p><h2><b>2B Luis Urias should be put on the trade block</b></h2><p>The Athletics signed Urias to a one-year deal before the season started. Urias is a player that has bounced around a bit, but he is having a career-best season.</p><p>The 28-year-old is slashing .246/.338/.402 with seven home runs, 16 RBI, and just 28 strikeouts to 23 walks this year. Per Baseball Savant, Urias is in the <a href="https://baseballsavant.mlb.com/savant-player/luis-urias-649966?stats=statcast-r-hitting-mlb" rel="noopener">93rd percentile</a> in squared-up percentage (34.4%), 87th percentile in chase rate (21.2%), 94th percentile in whiff percentage (13.8%), and 92nd percentile in strikeout percentage (13.3%). He is going to make a lot of contact, and his OPS is above the Major League average this season.</p><p>The second baseman would fit in nicely to a contending team’s lineup, especially if they need someone to play second base. However, Urias can also play a little bit of third base, and he has filled in at shortstop a few times, as well. He plays all over the infield, which makes him a true utilityman. If he can continue to hit the ball well, the Athletics would be smart to let Urias go, considering he is a free agent at the end of the season.</p><h2><b>RP Justin Sterner is sneakily a good trade candidate</b></h2><p>Unless you are a true fan of the Athletics, Justin Sterner is an unknown name in baseball. He is a relief pitcher for the Athletics, and he made his debut in 2024, but it was very brief. 2025 has been much better for the reliever.</p><p>This season, Sterner has made 29 appearances for the Athletics, which is the second-most on the team. He has thrown 27.1 innings, struck out 30 batters, walked 14, and opponents are hitting .245 off him. Additionally, the righty has a 4.28 ERA on the year.</p><p>Sterner is currently on the injured list, and he is in Triple-A. The A’s decided to option him when they activated T.J. McFarland from the IL. However, the fact that he is in Triple-A should not be a deterrent to teams. In his 29 appearances, Sterner has allowed runs in just five of them. Three of those five outings saw Sterner allow three earned runs twice, and five earned runs once. As a reliever, a game like that can inflate all the stats.</p><p>Not allowing a run in 24 of his 29 outings should be enough for teams to want him to pitch in the big leagues. Now, the pitcher that is most talked about on the Athletics in <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/athletics/1-player-athletics-must-trade-before-2025-deadline">trade rumors is Jeffrey Springs</a>, but Sterner is a very good trade candidate once he gets healthy again.</p><p>The Athletics might not get the biggest return, but trading Justin Sterner and Luis Urias could be good for the team in the long run.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

2 Athletics who must be on trade block ahead of 2025 deadline

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/mlb/athletics/athletics-news-nick-kurtz-walk-off-home-run-franchise-history');   ga('set', 'title', 'Nick Kurtz’s walk-off home run makes Athletics franchise history');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Nick-Kurtz-walk-off.jpg"><figcaption>Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Nick Kurtz’s walk-off home run makes Athletics franchise history</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-06-17T15:24:51-07:00">June 17th, 3:24pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-06-17T15:24:51-07:00">June 17th, 3:24pm</time><address><a>Troy Finnegan</a>Troy Finnegan is a Senior Editor and College Sports Lead at ClutchPoints. He graduated from the University of Colorado Boulder in 2023 with a degree in journalism and minors in communications and sports media, as well as a critical sports studies certificate. He has had a passion for sports his entire life, and enjoys covering and writing about all sports.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Athletics</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>While the Athletics have improved slightly from the last few seasons, they still have an uphill battle in front of them if they want to rise up the standings and compete for a playoff spot. However, there is never a bad time to beat one of your biggest rivals.</p><p>The A’s did just that on Monday night, knocking off the Houston Astros in the first game of a four-game set. They got the win in dramatic fashion as well as first baseman <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/athletics-nick-kurtz-walkoff-home-run-astros">Nick Kurtz crushed a walk-off two-run home run</a> to give the Athletics a 3-1 victory.</p><p>Kurtz’s home run traveled 447 feet out to right field, marking the <a href="https://x.com/MLBStats/status/1935078130537877528" rel="noopener">longest walk-off home run</a> in Athletics history, according to MLB Stats. He punctuated the monster blast with an epic bat flip that he will remember forever.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">4️⃣4️⃣7️⃣ FT.</p><p>Nick Kurtz blasted the longest walk-off home run by an A's player in the Statcast era 😳</p><p>(MLB x <a href="https://twitter.com/googlecloud?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@GoogleCloud</a>) <a href="https://t.co/3akZ21ectW">pic.twitter.com/3akZ21ectW</a></p><p>— MLB Stats (@MLBStats) <a href="https://twitter.com/MLBStats/status/1935078130537877528?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 17, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/athletics-news-equal-unthinkable-franchise-low-dreadful-1-20-stretch">Athletics haven’t had a ton to cheer for</a> this season, including one stretch where they lost 20 out of 21 games. However, they have hung around and while they are still in the basement of the AL West standings, taking a game off of a rival who has been one of the top franchises in baseball in recent years is always a good feeling.</p><p>Now, at 30-44, the A’s are 12 games out of first place in their division and eight games out of a wild card spot in the American League. While making up that ground seems very unlikely and would probably take a historic run, they have played some good baseball at times this season outside of that one dreadful stretch.</p><p>If they can piece some of that together for the rest of the season, avoid the dips and get some more late-game heroics like they did from Kurtz on Monday night, maybe the A’s can shock the MLB world and make a run down the stretch.</p><p>Getting a win in this series against the Astros feels like a necessary start to that quest, and Kurtz got the Athletics off on the right foot in that department with a historic blast on Monday night.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Nick Kurtz’s walk-off home run makes Athletics franchise history

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/mlb/athletics/athletics-nick-kurtz-walkoff-home-run-astros');   ga('set', 'title', 'Athletics’ Nick Kurtz flings bat after walk-off winner vs. Astros');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Nick-Kurtz.jpg"><figcaption>Dennis Lee-Imagn Images.</figcaption></figure><h1>Athletics’ Nick Kurtz flings bat after walk-off winner vs. Astros</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-06-16T22:32:41-07:00">June 16th, 10:32pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-06-16T22:32:41-07:00">June 16th, 10:32pm</time><address><a>Josh Davis</a>Josh Davis is an Associate Editor at ClutchPoints with a focus on MLB. As the founder and creator of OutOfSightSports, Josh spearheads the development and expansion of an engaging social media platform, with a core focus on Twitter/X. A passionate sports writer, Josh is dedicated to delivering compelling content that connects fans and fuels vibrant sports conversations. His vision is to craft stories so vivid that fans feel like they’re standing at the plate or on the field.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Athletics</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/athletics/athletics-news-denzel-clarke-nickname-torii-hunter-after-catch">Athletics are starting to find their spark</a>, and Nick Kurtz is quickly emerging as the heartbeat of this young, surging team. On Monday night, the rookie first baseman delivered the most electric moment of his budding career, crushing a no-doubt walk-off home run to deliver a dramatic 3–1 win over the AL West-leading Houston Astros at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento.</p><p>From the very first pitch, Monday night’s matchup between the Astros and Athletics unfolded as a classic pitcher’s duel. Houston struck first, grabbing an early 1–0 lead in the opening frame thanks to a 439-foot solo blast off the bat of Jose Altuve. But the A’s responded in the fifth when JJ Bleday matched the energy with a towering 408-foot homer to right-center, tying the game at 1–1.</p><p>Then came the ninth. With the game tied 1–1, Bryan Abreu took the mound for Houston. After a leadoff walk to Brent Rooker, the rookie slugger stepped in. On an 84.2 mph slider with a spin rate of 2,868 rpm, Kurtz turned on it and sent it 446 feet into the right-center seats. His 111.7 mph exit velocity told the story. It was Oakland’s fourth straight win—and perhaps their most dramatic of the season.</p><p>The moment quickly went viral. The Athletics posted the video to their official X (formerly Twitter) account, capturing the swing and the reaction at Sutter Health Park.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">NICK SAID GOODNIGHT 😴 <a href="https://t.co/Es7wy6Yzio">pic.twitter.com/Es7wy6Yzio</a></p><p>— Athletics (@Athletics) <a href="https://twitter.com/Athletics/status/1934833417994293288?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 17, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p> </p><p>Fans in West Sacramento <a href="https://x.com/Athletics/status/1934833417994293288" rel="noopener">erupted</a>, and so did social media. The walk-off marked Kurtz’s seventh homer of the season and capped off a two-game stretch where he went deep in back-to-back nights—first against the Kansas City Royals, now the Astros.</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/athletics/athletics-news-as-calling-up-no-4-pick-mlb-draft-32-games">Kurtz’s emergence adds hope to a rebuilding Oakland roster</a>. Drafted fourth overall out of Wake Forest in 2024, the 21-year-old has flashed serious upside. Over his last 15 games, he’s hit six homers with 13 RBIs and a .554 slugging percentage—numbers putting him on the radar among MLB rookie power hitters.</p><p>Despite sitting last in the AL West standings, the Athletics are now riding a four-game win streak. This latest win was only their second against Houston in the season series, but it may be the most meaningful.</p><p>The walk-off home run wasn’t just a win—it was a message. The Athletics may be young, but they aren’t backing down from anyone.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Athletics’ Nick Kurtz flings bat after walk-off winner vs. Astros

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/mlb/athletics/athletics-news-denzel-clarke-nickname-torii-hunter-after-catch');   ga('set', 'title', 'Athletics’ Denzel Clarke earns new nickname from Torii Hunter after unreal catch');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Athletics-center-fielder-Denzel-Clarke.jpg"><figcaption>Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Athletics’ Denzel Clarke earns new nickname from Torii Hunter after unreal catch</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-06-11T18:46:58-07:00">June 11th, 6:46pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-06-11T18:46:58-07:00">June 11th, 6:46pm</time><address><a>Zachary Howell</a>Zachary Howell is an Associate Editor at ClutchPoints focusing on creating premier MLB content. He is a big fan of the Yankees, Oklahoma City Thunder and the Syracuse Orange. In his free time, he likes to be outside or read.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Athletics</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Last season, the Athletics finished the season strong, led by Brent Rooker and Lawrence Butler. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/athletics/athletics-news-brent-rooker-agree-60-million-contract-extension">Rooker earned a five-year, $60 million extension this offseason</a>, and the team might have found the final piece to their outfield in standout rookie Denzel Clarke. The 25-year-old made one of the best catches in recent Major League Baseball history on Monday. His highlight has made the rounds across the sports world, leading former MLB All-Star Torii Hunter to give him a new nickname.</p><p>Hunter was known for his defense when he was in the league, winning nine Gold Gloves as a player. The former Los Angeles Angels star <a href="https://twitter.com/FoulTerritoryTV/status/1932943937947472096" rel="noopener">heaped praise</a> on Clarke on a video call with the rookie on Foul Territory.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">"Elastic Man" is Torii Hunter's nickname for Denzel Clarke.</p><p>"The way he climbed that wall, stretched and caught that ball, man, you gotta have some rubber in you – Wow, that sounds bad." 😂 <a href="https://t.co/YGCWHxsRmv">pic.twitter.com/YGCWHxsRmv</a></p><p>— Foul Territory (@FoulTerritoryTV) <a href="https://twitter.com/FoulTerritoryTV/status/1932943937947472096?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 11, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>“I saw that catch, I’m very impressed, man,” said Hunter to Clarke. “That was a very impressive catch.”</p><p>Hunter gave the rookie outfielder a new nickname to commemorate his efforts in the Athletics’ outfield.</p><p>“Elastic Man,” said Hunter, much to the joy for Clarke. “The way he climbed that wall, stretched and caught that ball, man, you gotta have some rubber in you…”</p><p>In an outfield anchored by offensive-minded players like Butler and Rooker, Clarke’s talent in the field balances out an intriguing young core.</p><p>“I just don’t think you can teach it,” Hunter said about Clarke’s defensive talent. “It’s hard to replicate. These guys are such great athletes that they can make something happen like that. That’s why you rarely see it, because it’s not too many people that can make those catches and be consistent with it.”</p><p><a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/los-angeles-angels/athletics-news-denzel-clarke-viral-insane-hr-robbery-vs-angels">Clarke’s efforts in the field have put the league on notice</a>. Unfortunately, it has not translated into wins for the Athletics. The team is 26-44 after the Angels swept them on Wednesday. Despite being last in the American League West, the Athletics’ future is bright with players like Clarke, Rooker, and Butler leading the way.</p><p>Hunter applauded the rookie outfielder for his mindset. According to him, Clarke’s approach to the game is what makes him great.</p><p>“With Denzel, watching him play, that’s why I said it was so impressive because the closeout he had of stubbornness, of not letting you have a hit. That’s what makes you a great center fielder.”</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Athletics’ Denzel Clarke earns new nickname from Torii Hunter after unreal catch

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/mlb/athletics/athletics-las-vegas-exclusive-steve-hill');   ga('set', 'title', 'Exclusive: Las Vegas exec drops reality check on negative ‘chatter’ around Athletics’ move');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Las-Vegas-exec-drops-reality-check-on-negative-chatter-around-Athletics-move.jpg"></figure><h1>Exclusive: Las Vegas exec drops reality check on negative ‘chatter’ around Athletics’ move</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-06-11T16:06:13-07:00">June 11th, 4:06pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-06-11T16:06:13-07:00">June 11th, 4:06pm</time><address><a href="https://www.facebook.com/joey.mistretta/" rel="facebook">Joey Mistretta</a>Joey Mistretta is a Dallas Mavericks beat reporter, Dallas Wings beat reporter and lead MLB editor for ClutchPoints. He is originally from Lake Arrowhead, California. Mistretta graduated from Biola University with a degree in broadcast journalism.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Athletics</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/athletics-news-oakland-headed-sacramento-las-vegas-move">Athletics are currently playing in Sacramento</a> after leaving Oakland as they prepare to head to Las Vegas for the 2028 MLB season. However, some rumors have suggested that the Fisher family has been hesitant to proceed with the move to Las Vegas. Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) CEO and President Steve Hill recently provided a pivotal update on the situation in an exclusive interview with ClutchPoints. In addition to uplifting the Fisher family’s commitment to the move, Hill also confirmed the target date of 2028 Opening Day remains intact.</p><p>“I negotiated the deal after Jeremy Aguero and I kind of helped it get through the legislature… You know, there’s been a lot of chatter around the (Athletics’) move and the Fisher family’s ability and commitment to making it happen,” Hill told ClutchPoints in an exclusive interview Wednesday. “And contrary to all that chatter, this whole process has just gone exactly the way we wanted it to go, the way we thought it would go and the way we said it will go. We got the legislation done, we got the deals, you know, the agreements all put together in the time-frame that we allocated for getting the deals together.</p><p>“They have broken ground. We’re actually doing the, you know, the fun, formal groundbreaking a week from Monday on the 23rd. And, you know, they’re moving forward, going to build a stadium. Something could happen that would be out of left field… But the early indication is the stadium is going to be open in time for Opening Day in 2028.”</p><p>MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred previously said the expectation is that the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/athletics/athletics-news-rob-manfred-timeline-relocation-las-vegas">Athletics will move to Las Vegas</a> for the 2028 campaign. The aforementioned negative rumors surrounding the situation have led to some uncertainty, though. Hill’s comments provide an extra layer of comfort for those looking forward to the team’s Sin City transition.</p><p>The A’s will likely play in Sacramento from 2025-2027. As long as no obstacles “out of left field” emerge, the Athletics are indeed expected to open the 2028 MLB season with a new stadium in Las Vegas.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Exclusive: Las Vegas exec drops reality check on negative ‘chatter’ around Athletics’ move

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/mlb/athletics/athletics-news-denzel-clarke-insane-catch-recognition-torii-hunter');   ga('set', 'title', 'Denzel Clarke’s insane catch for Athletics gets recognition from Torii Hunter');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Athletics-Denzel-Clarke-makes-the-catch-against-the-Minnesota-Twins.jpg"><figcaption>Ed Szczepanski-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Denzel Clarke’s insane catch for Athletics gets recognition from Torii Hunter</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-06-10T05:02:50-07:00">June 10th, 5:02am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-06-10T05:02:50-07:00">June 10th, 5:02am</time><address><a>Yasmin Edañol</a>Yasmin D.G. Edañol is a PhD candidate in Chemistry at the University of the Philippines Diliman, with a background in scientific research and publishing. He brings a data-driven perspective to sports storytelling as an Associate Editor at ClutchPoints, with a focus on the NBA. Whether it's breaking down a clutch play or a stat line, he believes every great moment has a deeper layer waiting to be uncovered.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Athletics</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Athletics outfielder <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/los-angeles-angels/athletics-news-denzel-clarke-viral-insane-hr-robbery-vs-angels">Denzel Clarke made headlines</a> with an insane home run robbery against the Los Angeles Angels at Angel Stadium. In the bottom of the first inning, Angels first baseman Nolan Schanuel launched what looked like a sure homer to center. In the now-viral clip, Clarke timed his leap perfectly and snatched the ball from over the wall. The clip went viral, quickly racking up 3.5 million views. Among those who took notice was Minnesota Twins Hall of Famer Torii Hunter.</p><p>He <a href="https://x.com/toriihunter48/status/1932269330428989631" rel="noopener">praised the outfielder on social media</a>, calling it one of the best catches he has ever seen.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">This has to be one of the best catches I've ever seen, and I've seen my share of home run robberies. 🤩 <a href="https://t.co/fyaQakOBTv">https://t.co/fyaQakOBTv</a></p><p>— Torii Hunter (@toriihunter48) <a href="https://twitter.com/toriihunter48/status/1932269330428989631?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 10, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>MLB <a href="https://x.com/MLB/status/1932281498373144612" rel="noopener">followed up with another post</a> that combined Clarke’s catch and Hunter’s reaction, captioned: “Game recognizes game 🤝.”</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Game recognizes game 🤝 <a href="https://t.co/LJzb16ClmN">pic.twitter.com/LJzb16ClmN</a></p><p>— MLB (@MLB) <a href="https://twitter.com/MLB/status/1932281498373144612?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 10, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>Hunter’s praise carried extra weight, given his own decorated MLB career. He earned five All-Star selections (2002, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2013) and collected nine straight Gold Glove Awards from 2001 to 2009. He also won two Silver Slugger Awards (2009, 2013). Known for his dynamic defense and reliable bat, Hunter eventually secured a spot in the Minnesota Twins Hall of Fame.</p><p>Hunter also delivered his own share of unforgettable moments. In the 2002 MLB All-Star Game, he made one of the most iconic catches in the event’s history. During the bottom of the first, Barry Bonds smashed a ball toward deep right-center. Hunter timed his leap perfectly and robbed Bonds of a home run, leaving the slugger smiling in disbelief.</p><p>Now, Clarke is building a defensive legacy of his own. After spending four years in the minors, he finally earned a spot on the Athletics roster. The Mets originally drafted him in 2018, but he declined to sign. In 2021, the A’s selected him, and he began climbing through their farm system—from the Arizona Complex League to Single-A Stockton, High-A Lansing, Double-A Midland, and finally Triple-A Las Vegas.</p><p>Clarke made his MLB debut on May 23, 2025, against the Toronto Blue Jays. Since then, he has delivered a series of defensive highlights. In the Toronto series, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/athletics/athletics-news-denzel-clarke-robs-hr-against-hometown-blue-jays">Clarke robbed Alejandro Kirk of a homer</a> by scaling the wall. Against the Orioles, Clarke sprinted into the outfield wall while securing a deep shot to left-center.</p><p>With plays like these, Denzel Clarke is quickly emerging as one of the league’s most exciting young defenders. And with praise from Torii Hunter, his star is rising fast.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Denzel Clarke’s insane catch for Athletics gets recognition from Torii Hunter

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/mlb/athletics/athletics-news-austin-wynns-acquired-reds-trade');   ga('set', 'title', 'Athletics acquire catcher hitting .400 in Reds trade');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Athletics-catcher-Austin-Wynns.jpg"><figcaption>Mandatory Credit: Charles LeClaire-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Athletics acquire catcher hitting .400 in Reds trade</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-06-08T12:45:49-07:00">June 8th, 12:45pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-06-08T12:46:51-07:00">June 8th, 12:46pm</time><address><a>Owen Crisafulli</a>Owen Crisafulli is a Senior Editor and NFL Lead at ClutchPoints. He recently received his Masters in Business Administration from Nichols College. Previously, he obtained his Bachelor's degree in Sport Management and for a while ran his own sports website. Sports are his passion, and he thoroughly enjoys writing about thoughts and opinions that are related to the game. He has been a lifelong fan of the major professional teams in Boston and loves discussing all topics surrounding those teams.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Athletics</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>After a hot start to the season, the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/athletics-news-denzel-clarke-robs-hr-against-hometown-blue-jays">Athletics</a> have <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/athletics-news-equal-unthinkable-franchise-low-dreadful-1-20-stretch">fallen back down to last place</a> in the American League West standings, which is a spot they have become increasingly familiar with in recent seasons. However, moves are still being made in an effort to improve the team, which led to an intriguing trade taking place between the A’s and the Cincinnati Reds.</p><p>With a 25-41 record heading into play on Sunday, it’s clear that the Athletics need help at several different spots on their roster. One of those areas of need is the catcher position, so they went out and <a href="https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/45474363/a-acquire-wynns-reds-brewers-claim-avans-waivers" rel="noopener">picked up</a> veteran Austin Wynns, who has a batting average of .400 in the majors this season, in a trade with the Reds, giving the team some help at the spot moving forward.</p><p>“The Athletics acquired catcher Austin Wynns from the Cincinnati Reds for cash Sunday,” ESPN reported.</p><h2><b>Athletics boost catcher depth with Austin Wynns trade</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/02/Mark-Kotsay-with-Athletics.jpg"><figcaption>Troy Taormina-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Wynns has largely spent his career in the majors as a backup catcher, spending time with the Baltimore Orioles, San Francisco Giants, Los Angeles Dodgers, and Colorado Rockies before finding his way to the Reds. Wynns hasn’t played much this season, but he’s been solid when he’s found his way onto the field, as he’s hitting .400 with three home runs and 11 runs batted in.</p><p>The Athletics have primarily used Shea Langeliers at catcher this season, and he’s played well for the most part, hitting .237 with 10 home runs and 27 runs batted in. However, he just hit the injured list with a strained left oblique, and the expectation is that he will miss an extended period of time, which necessitated the move for Wynns. Now, the veteran catcher seems set to get a chance to make the starting job behind the plate his own, with Jhonny Pereda and Willie MacIver also factoring into the mix moving forward.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Athletics acquire catcher hitting .400 in Reds trade

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/mlb/athletics/athletics-news-equal-unthinkable-franchise-low-dreadful-1-20-stretch');   ga('set', 'title', 'Athletics equal unthinkable franchise low with dreadful 1-20 stretch');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/06/Athletics-Manager-Mark-Kotsay-at-an-away-game.jpg"><figcaption>Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Athletics equal unthinkable franchise low with dreadful 1-20 stretch</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-06-05T04:40:58-07:00">June 5th, 4:40am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-06-05T04:40:58-07:00">June 5th, 4:40am</time><address><a>Yasmin Edañol</a>Yasmin D.G. Edañol is a PhD candidate in Chemistry at the University of the Philippines Diliman, with a background in scientific research and publishing. He brings a data-driven perspective to sports storytelling as an Associate Editor at ClutchPoints, with a focus on the NBA. Whether it's breaking down a clutch play or a stat line, he believes every great moment has a deeper layer waiting to be uncovered.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Athletics</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Athletics were dealt another blow by the Minnesota Twins, falling 6–1 in the third game of their season series at Sutter Health Park in West Sacramento. As a result, the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/minnesota-twins/twins-news-pablo-lopez-exits-athletics-game-apparent-injury">Twins won the last three and outscored the A’s</a> 26–8 across the series. With this latest defeat, the Athletics have now lost nine of their last 10 games. Their <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/philadelphia-phillies/phillies-news-moment-sparked-philly-comeback-as-extend-winning-streak">only win during that stretch</a> came against the Philadelphia Phillies.</p><p>Alarmingly, that victory remains their lone triumph over the past 21 contests. This ongoing slump now matches the <a href="https://x.com/MartinJGallegos/status/1930484125607309772" rel="noopener">worst 21-game stretch in franchise history</a>. That low point was previously recorded in 1916, 1920, and 1943.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">A's lose 6-1 to the Twins. They are now 1-20 in their last 21 games, matching the worst record over a 21-game stretch in A's history (1916, 1920, 1943)</p><p>— Martín Gallegos (@MartinJGallegos) <a href="https://twitter.com/MartinJGallegos/status/1930484125607309772?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">June 5, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>Consequently, what once looked like a potential turnaround has collapsed completely. The A’s opened their series against the Los Angeles Dodgers with a dominant 11–1 win. Rookie Jacob Wilson hit two two-run home runs. Nick Kurtz, Miguel Andújar, and JJ Bleday also contributed solo shots. That win briefly silenced Dodger Stadium and sparked hope for a rebound.</p><p>However, the Dodgers quickly responded. They <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/los-angeles-dodgers/dodgers-news-shohei-ohtani-athletics-woes-hr-special-night">dominated the next two games</a>, including a 19–2 blowout in the finale. After that, the Athletics’ problems continued to grow. They were outscored 13–3 by the San Francisco Giants. In their next series against the Los Angeles Angels, they <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/san-francisco-giants/giants-news-wilmer-flores-stuns-mlb-world-walk-off-walk">surrendered 31 runs while scoring just 18</a>. Although they avoided a sweep by winning the third game against the Phillies, that brief success didn’t last. The Houston Astros followed with a <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/houston-astros/astros-lance-mccullers-jr-hits-important-milestone-for-first-time-in-3-years">two-game sweep, outscoring the Athletics 16–4</a>.</p><p>Furthermore, the Toronto Blue Jays added to the A’s misery. They <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/toronto-blue-jays/blue-jays-news-recalls-easton-lucas-rough-mlb-stint-earlier-this-season">swept four games</a> and outscored the Athletics 39–18. With the latest loss to Minnesota, the A’s have now dropped three straight at home. The team continues to spiral, with no relief in sight, during one of the franchise’s darkest stretches.</p><p>In the third game of the series, the Twins struck early. Ryan Jeffers hit a 414-foot solo home run in the first inning. In the eighth, he drew a walk and later scored from first on a single by Trevor Larnach. A misplay in center field by Denzel Clarke allowed Larnach to advance. Harrison Bader also hit a two-run homer in the fifth. Willi Castro added an RBI single in the eighth. On the mound, Zebby Matthews pitched five strong innings. He allowed one run on four hits and struck out four to earn his first win of the season.</p><p>Ultimately, the Athletics’ nightmare continues. They have now dropped 20 of their last 21 games. This is no longer just a slump. It is one of the most dismal and historic stretches in the franchise’s long history.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Athletics equal unthinkable franchise low with dreadful 1-20 stretch

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/mlb/athletics/athletics-news-denzel-clarke-robs-hr-against-hometown-blue-jays');   ga('set', 'title', 'Athletics’ Denzel Clarke robs HR against hometown Blue Jays');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Athletics-Denzel-Clarke-leaps-up-to-make-the-grab-.jpg"><figcaption>Dan Hamilton-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Athletics’ Denzel Clarke robs HR against hometown Blue Jays</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-05-30T19:19:14-07:00">May 30th, 7:19pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-05-30T19:19:32-07:00">May 30th, 7:19pm</time><address><a>Alex House</a>Alex House is a sports journalist who covers the NFL, NBA, and MLB for ClutchPoints. He grew up in a New York sports-heavy region in Connecticut and earned his journalism degree at the University of Rhode Island. His in-depth knowledge of two of the most passionate and raucous fan bases in the country gives him a truly unique writing voice.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Athletics</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Unfortunately, just like last year, the 2025 Athletics campaign is about developing young talent rather than competing for a playoff berth. The front office was active during the offseason, signing starting pitcher Luis Severino to a franchise-record three-year, $67 million contract and <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/athletics/athletics-news-brent-rooker-agree-60-million-contract-extension">extending Brent Rooker</a> and Lawrence Butler to long-term deals, but the team is still far away from relevance. Therefore, fans need other reasons to invest in the product.</p><p>Rookie outfielder Denzel Clarke just gave them one. In what was a memorable homecoming versus the Toronto Blue Jays, the impressive 6-foot-4 prospect incredibly <a href="https://x.com/ClutchPoints/status/1928611962176389437" rel="noopener">scaled the wall and robbed</a> catcher Alejandro Kirk of a solo home run in the bottom of the fourth inning. Clarke has displayed his defensive prowess during his first week of MLB action, but he took it to another level in Rogers Centre.</p><p>The highlight-reel play will rank high on SportsCenter’s Top 10 Plays and will make the rounds on social media, which alone is enough to put a big grin on the 25-year-old’s face. But what will make this a lifelong memory is that it happened in his hometown, in front of his family and friends.</p><p>The Toronto native, who is the son of Olympic heptathlete Donna Clarke, flaunted his great genes and put on a show for all those who came out to support him. He also recorded two hits and an RBI. Although the Athletics suffered their fourth straight loss, falling 11-7, the 2021 fourth-round draft pick can at least leave the game with a huge confidence boost.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Denzel Clarke leaps UP to rob Alejandro Kirk a home run 🤯<a href="https://t.co/pfVxrT25Af">pic.twitter.com/pfVxrT25Af</a></p><p>— ClutchPoints (@ClutchPoints) <a href="https://twitter.com/ClutchPoints/status/1928611962176389437?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 31, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><h2><b>Have the Athletics found another player to join their rebuild?</b></h2><p>Clarke is a work-in-progress at the plate, recording just three hits in his first 22 at-bats (at time of print). He should get the chance to work through the growing pains, however. The Athletics would surely love to find a long-term role for this exceptional athlete.</p><p>Rooker, Butler, Tyler Soderstrom and Shea Langeliers are all fixtures of this club, and Jacob Wilson, Nick Kurtz and now Denzel Clarke are determined to establish themselves as valuable core members. When the Athletics move to Las Vegas, they will want something exciting to sell to people. Home run heists could make for a compelling pitch.</p><p>Clarke will try to further ingratiate himself to fans when the A’s get back at it on Saturday afternoon.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Athletics’ Denzel Clarke robs HR against hometown Blue Jays

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/mlb/athletics/1-player-athletics-must-trade-before-2025-deadline');   ga('set', 'title', '1 player Athletics must trade before 2025 deadline');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Athletics-starting-pitcher-Jeffrey-Springs.jpg"><figcaption>Dennis Lee-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>1 player Athletics must trade before 2025 deadline</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-05-28T19:31:39-07:00">May 28th, 7:31pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-05-28T19:31:39-07:00">May 28th, 7:31pm</time><address><a>Zachary Howell</a>Zachary Howell is an Associate Editor at ClutchPoints focusing on creating premier MLB content. He is a big fan of the Yankees, Oklahoma City Thunder and the Syracuse Orange. In his free time, he likes to be outside or read.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Athletics</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Athletics are in between homes at the moment after leaving Oakland in 2024. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/athletics/athletics-quietly-putting-yankees-tigers-on-notice-in-al">After a hot start, the Athletics</a> have returned to their normal position at the bottom of the American League West. Their loss to the Houston Astros on Wednesday sunk their record to 23-33, three games worse than the fourth-place Los Angeles Angels and almost ten games behind the Seattle Mariners.</p><p>However, the team has a much different energy about it, <a href="https://www.espn.com/mlb/team/stats/_/name/ath/athletics" rel="noopener">led by young stars</a> like Lawrence Butler and Brent Rooker. Mark Kotsay’s pitching staff has also been better, thanks in large part to Luis Severino and Mason Miller. The team traded for left-handed starting pitcher Jeffrey Springs in December, adding another veteran arm to strengthen the rotation.</p><p>Now that they are out of contention barring a big turnaround, the Athletics need to turn their focus towards their future. Springs and Severino are both above 30 years old, and it is likely that neither will be at their peak when the team is a true contender. The Athletics’ best move might be to trade their veterans for future pieces. At this point, that might start with Springs.</p><p>Here are three teams that could be willing to trade for Springs if he is ahead of the trade deadline.</p><h2>Chicago Cubs</h2><p>Pete Crow-Armstrong is earning the big payday coming his way for the Chicago Cubs. He and Kyle Tucker lead one of the league’s best offenses at the plate. However, Craig Counsell’s starting rotation is the team’s main area of concern. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/chicago-cubs/cubs-news-justin-steele-devastating-season-ending-injury-update">Justin Steele’s injury cut his season short with the Cubs</a> and the pitchers behind Shota Imanaga, Matthew Boyd, and Jameson Taillon have been shaky so far this season.</p><p>At this point in his career, Springs is not the ace he used to be with the Tampa Bay Rays. However, he fits well near the end of a team’s rotation, especially in the postseason. Springs has never thrown a single pitch in the playoffs, though, even in his eighth season in Major League Baseball.</p><p>The amount of assets that teams would be willing to give up for Springs likely changes depending on their situation and how close to the inner circle of contenders they are. However, the Cubs have a few intriguing prospects that the Athletics could add to their long-term plans. They could have their eyes on Vidal Brujan to add to their outfield to give the team another young, talented player to add to their core.</p><h2>San Francisco Giants</h2><p>The San Francisco Giants enjoyed their time at the top of the National League West in the 2010s. However, the division has been owned by the Los Angeles Dodgers and San Diego Padres in recent years. This season, though, it appears that all three teams have a decent chance at winning the division and the playoff berth that comes with it. Compared to the other two, though, the Giants have the least amount of pure talent on their roster.</p><p>A team looking to take down big names like the Dodgers and Padres could be on the lookout for upgrades across the roster. That team is exactly who the Athletics are likely to deal with at the trade deadline. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/san-francisco-giants/giants-news-justin-verlander-reveals-san-franciscos-urgent-il-message">With Justin Verlander on San Francisco’s injured list</a>, the Giants are in need of another starter to replace him and play behind him when he returns. Springs could fill both roles perfectly and be a versatile piece in the playoffs.</p><p>The Giants and Athletics are close when it comes their offenses, but the San Francisco defense is far better. Springs would have more support behind him during his starts, as well as a more pitcher-friendly ballpark in California. His fit there would be a good one as he works with the rest of the staff to push the team over the hump.</p><h2>Minnesota Twins</h2><p>The Minnesota Twins are one of the better stories in Major League Baseball this season. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/minnesota-twins/how-twins-bonkers-win-shutout-streaks-ended">Minnesota entered May under .500, but used a 13-game winning streak</a> to vault themselves right back into contention in the AL Central division. They have discovered heroes across their lineup that have delivered in big moments, securing clutch wins for a team looking to compete with the Kansas City Royals, Cleveland Guardians, and Detroit Tigers.</p><p>One of the only areas where Rocco Baldelli’s team falls short in is their starting pitching. Pablo Lopez has been as good as ever, but the fifth spot has been a revolving door all season. Springs likely slots in behind Joe Ryan or Bailey Ober in the order, giving the team five capable starters to throw at their opponents throughout the second half of the season.</p><p>The deciding factor in any potential trade between the Athletics and Twins revolves around which player Minnesota is willing to let go of. Is it one of their new contributors, like Kody Clemens or Brooks Lee? Or is it a starter who has underperformed, like Willi Castro? The Twins don’t want to do anything to mess up their positive momentum, making each trade a big one in a season where they hope to establish themselves as a bona-fide contender in the AL.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

1 player Athletics must trade before 2025 deadline

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/mlb/boston-red-sox/red-sox-trade-pitcher-to-athletics');   ga('set', 'title', 'Red Sox trade pitcher to Athletics');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Boston-Red-Sox-Starting-pitcher-Sean-Newcomb.jpg"><figcaption>Rick Osentoski-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><h1>Red Sox trade pitcher to Athletics</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-05-27T12:23:39-07:00">May 27th, 12:23pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-05-27T12:23:39-07:00">May 27th, 12:23pm</time><address><a>Zachary Howell</a>Zachary Howell is an Associate Editor at ClutchPoints focusing on creating premier MLB content. He is a big fan of the Yankees, Oklahoma City Thunder and the Syracuse Orange. In his free time, he likes to be outside or read.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Athletics</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Boston Red Sox are 27-29, sitting in fourth place in the American League East before Tuesday’s action kicks off. Alex Cora and Co. hope to snap their three-game losing streak in the second game of their series against the Milwaukee Brewers. Before their game, though, the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/boston-red-sox/red-sox-news-alex-cora-drops-hint-looming-red-sox-roster-changes">Red Sox made another move</a> that concerns their starting pitching.</p><p>Boston <a href="https://x.com/SmittyOnMLB/status/1927425191883211083" rel="noopener">traded away</a> starting pitcher Sean Newcomb to the Mark Kotsay and the Athletics for cash, according to MassLive Red Sox reporter Christopher Smith.</p><p>Newcomb is back with the Athletics after spending 2023 and 2024 with them in Oakland. At 31 years old, Newcomb is in his ninth season in Major League Baseball. He has changed teams four times throughout his career. After less than a year away from the team, the Athletics hope that he can come in and contribute.</p><p>The beginning of 2025 was not kind to Newcomb after appearing in 12 games and starting five. He heads to Kotsay’s team with a 0-4 record and a 3.95 ERA across the 41 innings he has pitched this season.</p><p>Newcomb’s career is full of inconsistency and a lack of opportunity on the mound. Kotsay could give him a longer look as he tries to find a way to kick-start his team. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/athletics/athletics-quietly-putting-yankees-tigers-on-notice-in-al">The Athletics went from an AL dark horse</a> to the bottom of their division. At 23-31, they are seven games behind the Seattle Mariners in the standings.</p><p>The cash that Boston receives in the trade gives them more freedom to make other deals. Cora’s team was dealt a tough blow when Alex Bregman went down with a lower body injury. <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/boston-red-sox/red-sox-news-alex-bregman-one-good-sign-leaving-orioles-clash-injury">The Red Sox’s third baseman could be out for a while</a>, changing the outlook of their season.</p><p>Newcomb didn’t heavily factor into Cora’s rotation, but the move could be the first of many. Without Bregman, the Red Sox could fall out of the race in their division, forcing them to reconsider their game plan for the rest of the season.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Red Sox trade pitcher to Athletics

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/mlb/athletics/10-greatest-athletics-players-all-time-ranked');   ga('set', 'title', '10 greatest Athletics players of all time, ranked');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/744683675-10-greatest-athletics-players-of-all-time-ranked.jpg"></figure><h1>10 greatest Athletics players of all time, ranked</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-05-26T13:40:02-07:00">May 26th, 1:40pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-05-26T13:40:02-07:00">May 26th, 1:40pm</time><address><a>Bailey Bassett</a>Bailey Bassett is a sports writer from Denver, Colorado, covering major sports events and athlete backgrounds at ClutchPoints. He has experience covering and writing on high school, collegiate, and professional sports.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Athletics</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The Athletics are in a rough patch in their history right now. The team is <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/athletics/athletics-news-rob-manfred-timeline-relocation-las-vegas">making a move from Oakland to Las Vegas</a>, but for now, they are playing their games in Sacramento without a location designation. They’ve also had three straight really bad seasons where their talent has been almost completely depleted. Luckily, teams like the Chicago White Sox and <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/colorado-rockies/rockies-news-colorado-50-game-mark-worst-start-130-years">Colorado Rockies have been much worse</a>. Before their recent struggles, the A’s franchise had some really good stretches. The team had a dynasty in the 1910s when they played in Philadelphia, as they won the World Series in 1910, 1911, and 1913.</p><p>Philadelphia would win the championship twice more – 1929 and 1930 – before they moved to Oakland in 1968, and another dynasty was established with World Series titles in 1972, 1973, and 1974. That <a href="https://www.mlb.com/news/back-to-back-world-series-champions-c297636124" rel="noopener">three-peat</a> makes the Athletics franchise the only team besides the New York Yankees to win back-to-back-to-back championships. The Athletics even won a ninth World Series in 1989.</p><p>Obviously, they’ve had some great players on their rosters throughout the years. So, check out the gallery to see the 10 best Athletics players of all time.</p><h2><b>1. Rickey Henderson: 1979-84, 1989-93, 1994-95, 1998</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/744683680-rickey-henderson-athletics.jpg"><figcaption>Tony Tomsic-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>The greatest base stealer of all time did most of his work with the Athletics. Of his league-leading 1,406 steals, 846 came with the A’s. His 130 stolen bases in 1982 are also the most in a single season ever. The speed demon routinely got into scoring position because of the ease with which he could steal bags, but he got across home plate plenty, too.</p><p>Henderson is baseball’s all-time leader in runs scored with 2,295 runs. Despite being a first-ballot Hall of Famer, Henderson was somewhat of a journeyman, as he played for a new team on 13 different occasions. He loved Oakland, though, and he always seemed to find his way back to the Athletics. Henderson had four different stints with the Athletics.</p><p>Two of his three Silver Sluggers, seven of his 12 stolen base titles, six of his 10 All-Star campaigns, and his lone Gold Glove award all came while he played in Oakland. Henderson’s personality was just as big as his resume. He had an eccentric personality that fans came to love, and he often referred to himself in the third person. Henderson’s impact on the Athletics was so great that the organization named the playing surface at the Oakland Coliseum after him.</p><p>Henderson is often remembered as the greatest runner in MLB history, but he did so much more for the A’s. His contact ability and fielding were both elite, too. He won an MVP (1990) and a World Series (1989) with the team. Hitting leadoff for the 1989 championship team was particularly impressive because this was not only the Athletics’ most recent championship, but it was their only title that didn’t come amid a dynasty. Oakland actually did make the World Series in a losing effort in both the season before and after 1989, though, so Henderson had the potential to contribute to another dynasty had they not been blown out in those two Fall Classics.</p><h2><b>2. Jimmie Foxx: 1925-35</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/744683697-jimmie-foxx-playing-for-the-philadelphia-athletics.jpg"></figure><p>The only multi-time MVP in Athletics history is Jimmie Foxx. The first baseman was named the best player in the AL in both 1932 and 1933 before he’d eventually win the MVP again with the Boston Red Sox in 1938. Foxx’s 61.2 WAR with the Athletics only trails Henderson in Athletics history for position players.</p><p>He won two championships, two batting titles, two RBI titles, and led the league in home runs three times with the team. He is the franchise leader in on-base % (440) and slugging % (.640). Foxx’s .339 batting average and 1,075 RBIs are also the second-best marks in program history. The A’s won the World Series in 1929 and 1930 under Foxx’s leadership. He was also a Triple Crown winner and retired second in career home runs, only behind Babe Ruth.</p><h2><b>3. Reggie Jackson: 1967-75, 1987</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/744683683-reggie-jackson-athletics.jpg"><figcaption>Kelley L Cox-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Reggie Jackson was nicknamed Mr. October because of the clutchness that he always displayed in the biggest moments in the postseason. This playoff excellence led to three straight World Series titles in the ’70s. Jackson was the best player on that Oakland dynasty, and his three-peat is one of the most impressive feats in baseball history.</p><p>Jackson belted 269 home runs with the Athletics. That number stands out as the third most long balls in A’s history, which is quite impressive because Jackson had plenty of good years outside of Oakland. Jackson played with the Athletics more than he did on any other team, but 11 of his 21 MLB seasons came with a different organization.</p><p>Jackson lived for the biggest moments. While his three-home run World Series performance came with the Yankees, Jackson originally established himself as Mr. October with several clutch hits in the 1973 World Series against the New York Mets. All in all, Jackson twice led the AL in home runs with the Athletics and was named the league’s MVP in 1973.</p><p>Jackson started his career with the Athletics when they still played in Kansas City, and he ended it by returning to the Athletics for a final season in his 40s before he retired. Everything else in between was the stuff of legend. Jackson is not only one of the best A’s players ever, but he is one of the <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/mlb-stories/updating-and-ranking-the-50-greatest-mlb-players-of-all-time">best players in MLB history</a> overall.</p><h2><b>4. Catfish Hunter: 1965-74</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/744683698-catfish-hunter-playing-for-the-oakland-athletics.jpg"></figure><p>Catfish Hunter is the only pitcher since 1915 with 200 wins before the age of 31, which led to him becoming the first MLB big-money free agent. Hunter came into the league at age 19 and immediately made an impact. The 1974 Cy Young winner was good for 250-plus innings every season.</p><p>With the Athletics, he led baseball in wins twice, and he was the American League ERA leader once. He is also responsible for one of just 24 perfect games.</p><h2><b>5. Mark McGwire: 1986-97</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/744683684-mark-mcgwire-athletics.jpg"><figcaption>Image Images</figcaption></figure><p>Mark McGwire has the steroid stain clouding his career, but his numbers were insane. Before he hit a then-record 70 home runs in 1998 with the St. Louis Cardinals, he was one of the best players in baseball with the Athletics. Of his 583 career home runs, which ranks 11th all-time, a franchise-leading 363 balls went over the fence while McGwire was wearing green and yellow.</p><p>McGwire was a hulking power hitter before he ever started juicing, and he was the thunder to Henderson’s lightning on the 1989 World Series team. His career as a whole is tainted because of PED use, which he has admitted to doing during his Oakland days and not just as a member of the Cardinals. Therefore, his ranking here must be taken with a grain of salt.</p><h2><b>6. Dennis Eckersley: 1987-95</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/744683686-dennis-eckersley.jpg"><figcaption>USA Today-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Dennis Eckersley started his career as a starting pitcher, but he had a revitalization in his 30s with the Athletics as a closer. With 320 career saves, Eckersley became one of the greatest closers ever despite not coming out of the bullpen until his 30s. Pitchers rarely win the MVP, and closers rarely win the Cy Young. Eckersley accomplished both of those feats in Oakland.</p><p>Eckersley was the first of only two pitchers with both a 20-win season and a 50-save season to his name. He was solid as a starter, but the sky would have truly been the limit had he come in in relief for the entirety of his career, as he did in his prime with the Athletics.</p><h2><b>7. Lefty Grove: 1925-33</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/744683694-lefty-grove-playing-for-the-philadelphia-athletics.jpg"></figure><p>Another Athletics pitcher who won MVP, Lefty Grove, was clearly the best hurler in baseball in the late ’20s. He led the league in strikeouts in seven straight seasons, in ERA four straight years, and in wins in four years out of a five-year stretch. Grove won two championships and two Triple Crowns. Grove is still remembered as one of the best lefties to ever step foot on the bump.</p><h2><b>8. Eddie Plank: 1901-14</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/744683688-eddie-plank-playing-for-the-philadelphia-athletics.jpg"></figure><p>Eddie Plank is first in A’s history with a WAR of 77.1. Plank threw 1,985 strikeouts in 3,860 innings with the Athletics, and he racked up 284 wins during that time. All of those metrics are the most in Athletics history. Plank wasn’t just the product of an era where aces played the majority/entirety of games, though.</p><p>His ERA was 2.39, and he won three championships with the team. His pairing with Rube Waddell on Philadelphia’s staff gave the Athletics one of the best one-two punches ever, but Plank deserves to rank higher because he played with the team for longer and was able to bring home the Commissioner’s Trophy.</p><h2><b>9. Rube Waddell: 1902-07</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/744683690-rube-waddell-playing-for-the-philadelphia-athletics.jpg"></figure><p>Waddell didn’t play for the Athletics for long, but his peak that came with the team was one of the best ever. During Waddell’s tenure, the Athletics were playing in Philadelphia. Waddell led the AL in strikeouts in all six of his seasons with the team, proving that he was the best pitcher in baseball at the time.</p><p>Waddell’s ERA was just 1.97 during that time, which stands as the best mark in franchise history. Waddell’s career 2.16 ERA ranks 11th in MLB history. The left-handed pitcher also won the Triple Crown in 1905.</p><h2><b>10. Jose Canseco: 1985-92, 1997</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/744683687-jose-canseco-retired.jpg"><figcaption>Darren Yamashit-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Another face of the steroid era, Jose Canseco, was a talented player who admitted to juicing. He has often been in the public eye, even after his okaying days, usually for controversies and legal issues. The outfielder/designated hitter certainly was a good player, though, especially during his Oakland days.</p><p>The 1986 Rookie of the Year took home AL MVP honors just two years later, and he looked to be on an elite career trajectory. However, he was traded in the middle of a game in 1992, and he was never the same level of player. Prior to the trade, Canseco’s Athletics career saw him hit 254 home runs. He was the best player in baseball for a stretch, but he was always highly polarizing, as will be his ranking here among the best Athletics players ever.</p><p>Other players, including Vida Blue, Jason Giambi, Rollie Fingers, Sal Bando, and Eddie Collins, deserve recognition as honorable mentions for this list, too. Blue, in particular, had a fantastic career, winning three championships and earning a Cy Young. Blue was a star pitcher on the Athletics’ three-peat squad, as was Fingers.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

10 greatest Athletics players of all time, ranked

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/mlb/athletics/athletics-news-mark-kotsay-1st-athletics-ejection-sacramento');   ga('set', 'title', 'Mark Kotsay receives 1st Athletics ejection in Sacramento');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Mark-Kotsay-Cover.jpg"></figure><h1>Mark Kotsay receives 1st Athletics ejection in Sacramento</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-05-25T18:50:32-07:00">May 25th, 6:50pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-05-25T18:51:20-07:00">May 25th, 6:51pm</time><address><a>Brayden Haena</a>Brayden Haena is an Associate Editor at ClutchPoints. He's a die-hard San Francisco Giants fan and a football fanatic. In addition to sports writing, he works for Arizona Football in the Player Personnel and Recruiting department and formerly served as the Defensive Coordinator for Heritage High School.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Athletics</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>In <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/dodgers-news-fans-lose-it-dodgers-demolished-athletics-blowout">a game filled with frustration, drama, and a long-overdue victory</a>, Oaklamento Athletics manager Mark Kotsay received his <a href="https://x.com/MartinJGallegos/status/1926758552405733859" rel="noopener">first ejection of the season</a> Sunday at Sutter Health Park, the A’s temporary home in Sacramento.</p><p>Kotsay and third baseman Miguel Andujar were both tossed in the seventh inning of a tense <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/phillies-news-moment-sparked-philly-comeback-as-extend-winning-streak">5-4 win over the red-hot Philadelphia Phillies</a>. It was the first time this season the A’s had a player or manager ejected at their new home park — and it came at a pivotal moment in a tied game.</p><p>With Oakland clinging to a 3-3 score in the bottom of the seventh, Andujar took a borderline sweeper for a called strike from Phillies reliever Jesús Luzardo. Kotsay, unhappy with the call from home plate umpire Roberto Ortiz, voiced his displeasure from the dugout. That was enough for Ortiz to eject him, prompting Kotsay to <a href="https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/45320805/mark-kotsay-miguel-andujar-ejected-athletics-victory" rel="noopener">storm out and argue face-to-face</a> before being sent off the field. It marked the 15th career ejection for Kotsay.</p><p>“I was more frustrated in the reaction that I got back from the umpire,” Kotsay explained postgame. “I made sure that he was aware that I was frustrated with how he treated me. We agreed to disagree in that situation.”</p><p>The very next pitch was another called strike — this time to Andujar, who struck out swinging and added his own protest. He too was ejected.</p><h2><b>Mark Kotsay ejection rallies A’s to beat Phillies</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Mark-Kotsay.jpg"><figcaption>Dennis Lee-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>Despite the chaos, the A’s responded with heart. Catcher Willie MacIver, making his major league debut, delivered a clutch RBI single in the bottom of the eighth to give the A’s a 5-4 lead — their <a href="https://www.espn.com/mlb/story/_/id/45321134/athletics-catcher-maciver-gets-go-ahead-hit-throws-runner-end-game-mlb-debut-age-28" rel="noopener">first win in 12 games</a>.</p><p>“I woke up hoping for a Gatorade bath at the end of the game,” MacIver said, grinning. “Man, I’ve never felt such a good feeling with such cold water.”</p><p>MacIver’s heroics didn’t stop at the plate. In the ninth, with the game on the line and elite speedster Johan Rojas on first, MacIver gunned down the Phillies’ pinch runner on a steal attempt — sealing the win and ending the A’s losing streak in thrilling fashion.</p><p>“I can’t even put it into words,” MacIver said of the moment. “To have my family and friends in the stands, to get that hit, then throw out a guy like Rojas to end it… it’s just unbelievable.”</p><p>MacIver was one of five players called up on Friday as the A’s reshaped their roster. Manager Mark Kotsay, who had to watch the final innings from the clubhouse, emphasized the importance of organizational depth.</p><p>“This is what we talked about in spring training — it’s going to take the whole army,” Kotsay said.</p><p>Sunday’s win snapped a brutal 11-game skid for the Athletics and spoiled the Phillies’ nine-game win streak. With new faces stepping up and emotions running high, the A’s finally gave their fans something to celebrate.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Mark Kotsay receives 1st Athletics ejection in Sacramento

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/mlb/philadelphia-phillies/phillies-news-trea-turner-leadoff-hr-phillies-win-athletics');   ga('set', 'title', 'Trea Turner blasts leadoff HR in Phillies win vs. Athletics');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Trea-Turner-cover.jpg"></figure><h1>Trea Turner blasts leadoff HR in Phillies win vs. Athletics</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-05-24T00:49:39-07:00">May 24th, 12:49am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-05-24T00:49:39-07:00">May 24th, 12:49am</time><address><a>Brayden Haena</a>Brayden Haena is an Associate Editor at ClutchPoints. He's a die-hard San Francisco Giants fan and a football fanatic. In addition to sports writing, he works for Arizona Football in the Player Personnel and Recruiting department and formerly served as the Defensive Coordinator for Heritage High School.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Athletics</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>Trea Turner <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/phillies-news-jesus-luzardo-stunning-mlb-feat-last-done-1995-randy-johnson">wasted no time setting the tone for the red-hot Philadelphia Phillies</a> on Friday night, blasting a leadoff home run on the fourth pitch of the game <a href="https://www.nbcsportsphiladelphia.com/mlb/philadelphia-phillies/phillies-news/zack-wheeler-phillies-beat-athletics-trea-turner/667330/" rel="noopener">to spark a 4-3 win</a> over the Oaklamento Athletics at Sutter Health Park.</p><p>Turner’s 426-foot shot to center field was his fourth homer of the season and his first career leadoff blast in a Phillies uniform. It not only gave the Phillies an early 1-0 lead, but it also kickstarted a game in which they would grind their way to an eighth consecutive victory.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">Trea Turner leads off the game with a home run!</p><p>1-0 Phils right off the bat<a href="https://t.co/aqfXTJKFwf">pic.twitter.com/aqfXTJKFwf</a></p><p>— SPORTSRADIO 94WIP (@SportsRadioWIP) <a href="https://twitter.com/SportsRadioWIP/status/1926098936453796053?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 24, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>“It’s just about taking what he gives you,” Turner said postgame of his early success against A’s starter Jacob Lopez. “Not trying to do too much. That approach helped all of us that inning and later in the game.”</p><p>That solo shot ended up being the only run the Phillies would muster until the ninth, when the offense finally broke through again against Oakland’s All-Star closer Mason Miller. J.T. Realmuto legged out a three-base infield single and was driven in by Alec Bohm. RBI hits from Johan Rojas and Turner followed, stretching the Phillies’ lead to 4-0.</p><h2><b>Phillies rally behind Zack Wheeler’s strong start to get another win</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/04/Zack-Wheeler.jpg"><figcaption>Bill Streicher-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>The insurance proved critical after reliever Jordan Romano struggled in the bottom of the ninth. Romano, pitching for the second straight night, surrendered a three-run home run to A’s rookie Nick Kurtz and allowed another baserunner before manager Rob Thomson called on Tanner Banks, who closed the door with a strikeout for his first save as a Phillie.</p><p>“Got messy there at the end, but I’ll take the win anytime,” Thomson said. “Romano just didn’t have the slider working tonight, and his velocity was a bit up and down, but Banks did a great job finishing it off.”</p><p>The Phillies’ pitching up to that point had been stellar. Zack Wheeler tossed 6⅔ scoreless innings, lowering his ERA to 2.42 and extending his scoreless streak to 22⅔ innings — the second-longest of his career. Despite not having his sharpest command, Wheeler fanned eight and allowed just three hits.</p><p>“I thought he pitched behind in the count more than usual,” Thomson said. “But his stuff was good, and he battled. Another great outing from him.”</p><p>Wheeler noted postgame that the mound conditions at the Athletics’ temporary home in Sacramento — a Triple-A ballpark — weren’t ideal.</p><p>“It was like cement in front of the rubber,” Wheeler said. “Once I broke it up, it turned into little bumps. Might not sound like much, but it throws you off when you’re used to consistent mounds.”</p><p>Beyond Turner’s offensive spark, Rojas made the defensive play of the night, sprinting back to haul in a deep Tyler Soderstrom fly ball in center that Statcast gave just an 11% catch probability. His grab stranded the tying run at third base and preserved the lead heading into the ninth.</p><p>“I just kept running,” Rojas said. “I knew the field was a little bigger, so I trusted my read and kept going.”</p><p>The Phillies, now 33-18, hold the National League’s best record and continue to dominate on the road, having won 12 of their last 13 away from home. They’ll look to extend their win streak to nine games on Saturday behind Cristopher Sánchez.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Trea Turner blasts leadoff HR in Phillies win vs. Athletics

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/mlb/philadelphia-phillies/phillies-news-johan-rojas-insane-catch-year-candidate-vs-athletics');   ga('set', 'title', 'Phillies CF Johan Rojas makes insane catch of the year candidate vs. Athletics');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Johan-Rojas-cover.jpg"></figure><h1>Phillies CF Johan Rojas makes insane catch of the year candidate vs. Athletics</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-05-24T00:03:06-07:00">May 24th, 12:03am</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-05-24T09:54:33-07:00">May 24th, 9:54am</time><address><a>Brayden Haena</a>Brayden Haena is an Associate Editor at ClutchPoints. He's a die-hard San Francisco Giants fan and a football fanatic. In addition to sports writing, he works for Arizona Football in the Player Personnel and Recruiting department and formerly served as the Defensive Coordinator for Heritage High School.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Athletics</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/phillies-news-kyle-schwarber-jokes-500-home-runs-mammoth-300">Philadelphia Phillies needed a spark late in Friday night’s nail-biter</a> against the Athletics, and center fielder Johan Rojas delivered what might go down as <a href="https://www.mlb.com/news/phillies-beat-athletics-for-eighth-straight-win" rel="noopener">one of the best defensive plays</a> of the MLB season.</p><p>With two outs in the bottom of the eighth and the tying run on third base, Tyler Soderstrom drove a deep line drive into center field. Rojas, initially turned around, sprinted backward toward the warning track and, at the last moment, made a sensational over-the-shoulder catch while tumbling to the ground in front of the wall.</p><p>The play ended the inning and preserved the Phillies’ slim 1-0 lead at the time. According to Statcast, the catch had just an 11% probability of being made — making it one of the lowest-percentage successful grabs of the year.</p><figure class="op-interactive"><blockquote class="twitter-tweet"><p dir="ltr" lang="en">HOW DID JOHAN ROJAS MAKE THIS CATCH?! 🤯 <a href="https://t.co/15Nv5BzWqU">pic.twitter.com/15Nv5BzWqU</a></p><p>— MLB (@MLB) <a href="https://twitter.com/MLB/status/1926129795122762110?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">May 24, 2025</a></p></blockquote><p><script async="" src="https://platform.twitter.com/widgets.js" charset="utf-8"></script></p></figure><p>As Rojas popped up from the turf with the ball secure in his glove, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/editorials/1-player-philadelphia-phillies-must-trade-before-2025-deadline">reliever Matt Strahm tipped his cap</a> walking off the mound. The play not only saved the lead but also helped secure Philadelphia’s eighth consecutive win, a 4-3 victory at Sutter Health Park.</p><p>“I don’t know how he caught that,” Phillies manager Rob Thomson said postgame. “That’s a game-changer right there.”</p><h2><b>Phillies hold on to beat A’s after another dominant start</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Johan-Rojas.jpg"><figcaption>Kyle Ross-USA TODAY Sports</figcaption></figure><p>That one moment of brilliance underscored what’s been a dominant stretch of play for the Phillies, who have now won 12 of their last 13 road games and improved to 16-10 away from Citizens Bank Park — tied with the Cubs for the best road mark in baseball.</p><p>Before the defensive fireworks, Trea Turner set the tone with a leadoff home run, his fourth of the year and first ever as a Phillie. That solo shot, a 426-foot blast to center, gave ace Zack Wheeler early support and proved critical.</p><p>Wheeler continued to pitch like a frontrunner for the NL Cy Young, going 6⅔ shutout innings. He didn’t allow a hit to any of the seven batters he faced with runners on base and extended his scoreless streak to 22⅔ innings. His fastball touched 98 mph, and he mixed in all six of his pitches with pinpoint control.</p><p>“He’s just different when he’s locked in,” said Phillies infielder Bryson Stott. “You think you’ve seen everything, and then he throws something else at you the third time through.”</p><p>After Wheeler exited with two runners on in the seventh, Orion Kerkering struck out Luis Urías to end the threat. Strahm worked a clean eighth, aided by Rojas’ heroics, and the Phillies added three key insurance runs in the top of the ninth on RBI hits from Alec Bohm, Rojas, and Turner.</p><p>Those runs proved vital. Closer Jordan Romano gave up a three-run homer to A’s rookie Nick Kurtz in the bottom of the ninth, but Tanner Banks eventually closed it out for his first save as a Phillie.</p><p>Philadelphia is now 33-18, riding their longest win streak since manager Rob Thomson’s debut in 2022 and showing no signs of slowing down. With elite pitching, timely offense, and defense like Rojas’ grab, the Phillies look every bit like a World Series contender.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

Phillies CF Johan Rojas makes insane catch of the year candidate vs. Athletics

<!DOCTYPE html PUBLIC "-//W3C//DTD XHTML 1.0 Transitional//EN" "http://www.w3.org/TR/xhtml1/DTD/xhtml1-transitional.dtd"><html xmlns="http://www.w3.org/1999/xhtml" xml:lang="en" lang="en">    <head>        <script>   (function(i, s, o, g, r, a, m) {     i["GoogleAnalyticsObject"] = r;     i[r] = i[r] || function() {       (i[r].q = i[r].q || []).push(arguments)     }, i[r].l = 1 * new Date();     a = s.createElement(o),       m = s.getElementsByTagName(o)[0];     a.async = 1;     a.src = g;     m.parentNode.insertBefore(a, m)   })(window, document, "script", "https://www.google-analytics.com/analytics.js", "ga");   ga('create', 'UA-66147751-16', {     'storage': 'none',     'clientId': localStorage.getItem('ga:clientId')   });   ga(function(tracker) {     localStorage.setItem('ga:clientId', tracker.get('clientId'));   });   ga('set', 'checkProtocolTask', null);      ga('set', 'page', '/mlb/athletics/athletics-news-athletics-calling-up-top-prospect-9-game-losing-skid');   ga('set', 'title', 'A’s calling up top prospect amid 9-game losing skid');   ga('send', 'pageview');</script>        <style type="text/css" media="all">            body {    background: transparent;    margin: 0px;}h1, h2, h3 {    color: #DDDDDD;    font-family: "SFUIText-Semibold";    margin: 30px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 21px;    line-height: 125%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}header {    margin: 0px;    height: 0px;    display: none;}p {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 15px 15px 15px 15px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}p > img {    margin-left: -15px;    width: calc(100% + 30px);}a {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;    text-decoration: underline;}ul {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 3px 10px 3px 10px;    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}ol {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    font-size: 17px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.23px;}img {    margin: 0px;    width: 100%;    height: auto;}blockquote {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.8);    font-family: "SFUIText-Medium";    margin: 30px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 19px;    line-height: 135%;    letter-spacing: -0.41px;}blockquote p {    margin: 0px;}.op-tracker, .op-ad {    display: none;    height: 0px;}article > figure {    margin: 0px;}figcaption {    color: rgba(255, 255, 255, 0.7);    font-family: "SFUIText-Regular";    margin: 10px 15px 30px 15px;    font-size: 13px;}iframe {    width: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;    margin: 0px;    border: 0;}.vine-embed {    height: __SCREEN_SIZE_WIDTH__;}.twitter-tweet, .instagram-media {    margin-left: 15px !important;    margin-right: 15px !important;    width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;}.clutchpoints-widget {    /*margin: 10px 15px 10px 15px !important;*/    /*margin-top: 1px !important;*/    padding-top: 10px;    /*margin-left: 15px !important;*/    /*margin-right: 15px !important;*/    /*width: __SCREEN_CONTENT_SIZE_WIDTH__ !important;*/}        </style>        <meta http-equiv="Content-Type" content="text/html; charset=UTF-8" />    </head>    <body>        <article id="mvp-content-main"><header><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Denzel-Clarke-cover.jpg"></figure><h1>A’s calling up top prospect amid 9-game losing skid</h1><time class="op-published" datetime="2025-05-23T22:23:53-07:00">May 23rd, 10:23pm</time><time class="op-modified" datetime="2025-05-23T22:23:53-07:00">May 23rd, 10:23pm</time><address><a>Brayden Haena</a>Brayden Haena is an Associate Editor at ClutchPoints. He's a die-hard San Francisco Giants fan and a football fanatic. In addition to sports writing, he works for Arizona Football in the Player Personnel and Recruiting department and formerly served as the Defensive Coordinator for Heritage High School.</address><h3 class="op-kicker">Athletics</h3><figure class="op-ad"></figure></header><p>The <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/athletics-top-pitching-prospect-gets-call-to-majors-amid-strong-start-to-season">Oaklamento Athletics are making a major roster move</a> in response to their season-worst nine-game losing streak, and it could be the jolt they desperately need. According to ESPN’s Jeff Passan, the A’s are calling up outfielder Denzel Clarke, one of the <a href="https://x.com/JeffPassan/status/1925757042402164894" rel="noopener">organization’s top prospects</a>, ahead of their weekend series against the red-hot Philadelphia Phillies.</p><p>Clarke, 25, will be making his major league debut and is expected to factor into the center field mix immediately. His promotion comes after the team placed veteran infielder Gio Urshela on the <a href="https://www.mlbtraderumors.com/2025/05/as-to-promote-denzel-clarke.html" rel="noopener">10-day injured list</a> with a left hamstring strain. While that move alone opened a roster spot, Passan also hinted that more shake ups could be on the way as the A’s look to stop the bleeding.</p><p>Clarke was a fourth-round pick out of Cal State Northridge in 2021 and has since climbed steadily through the A’s system. Known for his elite speed and defensive prowess, Clarke has long intrigued scouts with his athleticism and raw tools. Listed at 6-foot-4 and 220 pounds, he offers a rare blend of size and agility, which has made him a standout defender in center field.</p><h2><b>The A’s continue to call up their prospects amid another poor season</b></h2><figure><img src="https://wp.clutchpoints.com/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/Denzel-Clarke.jpg"><figcaption>Mark J. Rebilas-Imagn Images</figcaption></figure><p>This season with Triple-A Las Vegas, Clarke has slashed .286/.436/.419 across 31 games, showing off improved plate discipline with a 17.3% walk rate and a more manageable 21.8% strikeout rate. While he hasn’t homered yet in 133 plate appearances, his seven stolen bases and consistently high ground ball rate suggest he’s leaning into his strengths — putting the ball in play and using his speed to create offense.</p><p>The decision to promote Clarke comes at a pivotal time for Oaklamento. The A’s are not only struggling to produce wins, but they’ve also seen diminishing returns from their current center fielder JJ Bleday. Once viewed as a building block, Bleday is batting just .204 with a .291 OBP and ranks among the worst defensive center fielders in the league, per Statcast’s Outs Above Average. His -5 OAA places him in the second percentile league-wide and dead last among qualified center fielders.</p><p>Clarke could immediately push Bleday out of the everyday lineup, or at the very least, enter into a platoon role. He brings a right-handed bat to the table, while Bleday hits from the left side, giving the A’s some flexibility depending on matchups. However, the defensive upgrade Clarke provides is hard to ignore — and with the A’s allowing runs in bunches lately, his glove could be vital.</p><p>This is yet another aggressive promotion by Oaklamento in their recent youth movement, <a href="https://clutchpoints.com/mlb/athletics-news-as-calling-up-no-4-pick-mlb-draft-32-games">following fast-track call-ups of Nick Kurtz</a>, Lawrence Butler, Jacob Wilson, and Zack Gelof. The club clearly believes Clarke is part of their long-term core, and with the season threatening to spiral, there’s no time like the present to see what he can do.</p><p>Whether or not Clarke can end the A’s losing streak remains to be seen, but injecting youth, speed, and defense into the lineup is a bold move worth making.</p><figure class="op-tracker"></figure></article>    </body></html>

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