Elephant Rumblings: A’s begin final road trip of season

Happy Tuesday to all! Hope everyone’s week started good and keeps going.

We’re in the final stretch here as the club embarks on their final road trip of the season. The club just wrapped up their final home stand of the season but still have six games to go before the long winter begins. They’ll kick off the first of those tonight in Minnesota against the Twins. They’ve punched their ticket to the playoffs after clinching the AL Central a few days ago. That doesn’t mean they don’t have anything left to play for in the regular season, though. Minnesota has a chance to catch the Texas Rangers and overtake them for the #2 seed in the playoffs, but they’ll need some help to do that. If Texas ends up putting up another couple of wins then the Twins might turn their attention to October and begin resting players. The A’s might benefit from that as the Twins hold out their best players, but as of right now the A’s are scheduled to face the Twins’ top 3 pitchers, one of which is old friend Sonny Gray.

After that quick 3-game series against Minnesota the club heads to warmer weather in SoCal. The A’s finish the season in Anaheim with 3 games against the Angels, who unlike the Twins have nothing really to play for. It’s been a very disappointing end to Los Angeles’ season as they bought at the trade deadline, only to immediately fall apart and cut bait on those very acquisitions. There’ll be no Shohei Ohtani or Mike Trout when the A’s play them as both superstar players are done for the season with injuries, and it’s very likely that the Angels won’t ever see Ohtani play for them ever again. The Angels will finish the season in fourth place in the AL West, ahead of only our Oakland A’s.

We’re in for a long baseball-less offseason of what is likely to be the final offseason the club is the Oakland A’s. Hopefully the organization makes a addition or two to take Oakland fans’ minds off everything else going on off the field.

A’s Coverage:

• Tony Kemp’s favorite plays from his time with the A’s
• “We did a pretty good job”: fans are the A’s MVP of this horrid season ($)
• Last home game of season brings stress, uncertainty to A’s fans saying goodbye

MLB News & Interest:

• “Thank you, Tito” Francona leaves lasting mark ahead of retirement
• Mike Trout intends to play for Angels in 2024
• Padres plan to reduce payroll to around $200 MM; Front office changes possible
• Braves reach 100 wins for 2nd straight season
• Rangers sweep Mariners to extend AL West lead to 2.5
• Votto gets standing ovation in possible final game in Cincinnati
• Braves may use Kyle Wright out of bullpen in playoffs
• Former MLB player still playing for Greece at 57 years old
• Today in Baseball History

Best of X:

Thank you for the kind words, Trevor:

Sounds like a guy who knows his time with the club is coming to an end:

Fair point:

Some extra work for the third base prospect who is one stop away from the big leagues: