<!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>

Colby
Thomas

Latest Related Team News

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

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

Athletics’ Jacob Wilson opens up on breakout rookie season

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

• Athletics acquire catcher hitting .400 in Reds trade

• Athletics equal unthinkable franchise low with dreadful 1-20 stretch

Colby Thomas

Latest Related Team News

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

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

Athletics’ Jacob Wilson opens up on breakout rookie season

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

• Athletics acquire catcher hitting .400 in Reds trade

• Athletics equal unthinkable franchise low with dreadful 1-20 stretch

Colby
Thomas