Something Is Actually Working in Oakland Right Now

The Athletics have won three straight, and for once the reasons are straightforward: they're scoring more and giving up less. Over the last 10 games, Oakland is putting up 4.4 runs per night after averaging 2.8 over the prior 20. The pitching has come down from 6.5 runs allowed per game to 5.5. Both things happening at the same time is what a winning streak looks like.

Worth keeping in perspective: this team is 43-60, sitting fifth in the AL West, and has been outrun for most of the summer. July was a wreck — a 10-game losing streak that felt like the season caving in on itself. The last 30 games, the A's are 7-23. Three wins don't erase that.

Still, the injury list is long enough — 13 players, including Kurtz, Rooker, Langeliers, Jacob Wilson, and Luis Severino — that whoever is producing right now is doing it without a full deck. Michael Stefanic and Leo De Vries have been genuinely remarkable in limited looks, and Henry Bolte has been steady in center. The pitching staff's numbers remain rough on the season, but tightening up even modestly matters when the offense is finally giving them something to work with.

Three games is three games. But after the summer this club has had, it's worth noting that both sides of the ball showed up at the same time.