The Athletics are in the midst of a painful rebuild, and they won’t be coming out of it as soon as next season.
In a season marred by relentless change, the poverty-riddled Oakland Athletics (50-112) concluded with the league’s worst record. From the first crack of the bat in April to the final pitch in September, the A’s faced an uphill battle in a fiercely competitive American League.
April started off slow, but the months that followed saw the Athletics grappling with more consistency. May brought additional hurdles as key players dealt with injuries, impacting the team’s performance. June and July proved to be trying times, with the A’s struggling to find a winning rhythm.
August witnessed a downturn, and September unfolded as a challenging conclusion to a demanding season. Despite the adversity, individual players showcased resilience, offering glimpses of promise amid the difficult journey.
Month By Month
Spring Training and March
Growing pains for a young and inexperienced roster started out from the jump, as the team finished the preseason at just 11-17 overall. Oakland looked the part of a team searching for an identity, leaving scouts and experts to predict a challenging season ahead. The month of March saw Oakland pick up an Opening Day victory over the Los Angeles Angels before the calendar shifted over to April.
April: A Tough Start (5-23)
The Oakland Athletics faced an arduous start to the 2023 season, finishing April with a challenging 5-23 record. The month tested the resilience of the team as they grappled with formidable opponents and struggled to find a winning rhythm. Injuries compounded the challenges, leaving the A’s in a precarious position early in the campaign.
May: Continued Struggles (6-23)
May brought little relief for the Athletics as they posted a 6-23 record. The struggles persisted, with the team searching for answers both at the plate and on the mound. Injuries continued to plague key players, exacerbating the uphill battle the A’s faced in an unforgiving league. The mounting losses underscored the need for adjustments as the season progressed.
June: A Glimmer of Hope (10-16)
June brought a modest improvement for the Athletics, finishing the month with a 10-16 record. While still below .500, the team showed signs of resilience. Some key players returned from injury, injecting a glimmer of hope into the A’s dugout. The month served as a reminder that baseball fortunes can shift, albeit slowly, and offered a ray of optimism for the remainder of the season.
A Hopeless Conclusion
July: Continued Progress (8-15)
July saw the Athletics building on the incremental progress of June, finishing with an 8-15 record. The team displayed improved performances on both sides of the ball, with some emerging players stepping up to the plate. Although still facing a substantial deficit in the standings, the A’s showcased resilience and determination, providing fans with moments of encouragement.
August: Late-Season Struggles (9-18)
August proved challenging for the Athletics, finishing the month with a 9-18 record. The team faced formidable opponents, and injuries resurfaced, hampering any sustained momentum. The late-season struggles emphasized the demanding nature of professional baseball and raised questions about the roster’s long-term viability. As the trade deadline loomed, the A’s had to weigh their options for the future.
September: Season’s End (11-16)
The Athletics concluded the 2023 season in September with an 11-16 record. While still facing a substantial deficit, the team showcased glimpses of potential. Individual performances from rookies like 2B Zack Gelof stood out, offering hope for the future.
The challenges posed by injuries, formidable opponents, and roster considerations tested the resilience of the team. While the win-loss column reflected a difficult year, the Athletics, players, and fans alike found moments of promise amid the struggles.
Analysis
To expect much of anything out of Oakland heading into the 2023 campaign would have been foolish. Give Billy Bean and company credit. As the league caught up to the A’s in strategy, Beane and his staff found new and innovative ways to win, but those days are in the past.
However, Oakland has struggled to find long-term success, as anyone who over performs for the franchise eventually gets traded away or signs elsewhere.
To build a consistent winning model for the A’s is not for the faint of heart, in a place often outdrawn by SEC baseball teams in total attendance.
Trading away the latest generation of Oakland stars finally caught up to the A’s in 2023, putting together one of the worst seasons in franchise history.
With news the franchise is set to break for Vegas in the coming seasons, I expect attendance numbers to dwindle down even further.
The Athletics, a storied franchise, are taking a bold step. Oakland’s loss becomes Las Vegas’s gain. A seismic shift in baseball dynamics. Team and city part ways, marking the end of an era. The bright lights of Las Vegas beckon the A’s. A new chapter unfolds in the desert.
Baseball’s landscape will be reshaped by this move. The Athletics’ journey enters uncharted territory. Fans are left with memories, while a city is left with a void. The rhythm of baseball now syncs with the pulse of Las Vegas. A transformative move that reverberates through the league.
Your heart hurts a bit for these A’s, who sit in Oakland as a lame duck franchise awaiting greener pastures.
I expect to see more than 50 wins in the 2024 campaign for the A’s, but to predict a playoff run of any stretch is downright crazy.
Prediction: Oakland Athletics (58-104)
