Oakland Athletics: The current state of the AL wild card race

The Oakland Athletics roll into the All-Star break a game and a half back of a wild card spot. They sit nine games above .500 and are on the verge of being the healthiest they have been all season.

The Oakland Athletics hit the halfway point of the season in perfect position to make a run at the American League Wild Card. Sitting at just 1.5 games back, the A’s have proven that they have the talent — and more importantly — the bullpen to compete day in and day out with anyone in the league.

Through the first half of the season, the A’s have not only amassed a 50-41 record, but have maintained a winning record both at home and on the road.

With a 7-3 record over their last 10 games, the A’s are heating up at a crucial point in the season. Coming out of the break, the A’s will have a five-game homestand against the Chicago White Sox and the Seattle Mariners.

Two teams that should pose no real threat to the team’s forward momentum.

As is common with most teams at this point in the season, injuries have been an issue for the A’s. However, by early August, the team should be healthier, and their bullpen, more potent.

Help is on the Way

Injuries have plagued Oakland over the last few months, but with the All-Star break at hand, the team will have a few extra days to get healthy.

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Pitchers Sean Manaea and Jharel Cotton will be making rehab appearances with the Class-A Stockton Ports this week, while Marco Estrada and catcher Nick Hundley, look to return in late July.

The addition of these players will help an already potent A’s team make a push for one of two wild-card spots and it may also be enough to challenge the Houston Astros for the top spot in the AL West.

With three division series (two at home) before August, the A’s need to hold on until the cavalry arrives if they hope to make a real push for a spot in the playoffs.

Wild Card/AL West Standings

With all the first-half games in the books, the AL West currently holds four of the top eight spots in the AL wild-card standings. The A’s, Angles, Rangers, and Mariners hold spots 3, 5, 6, and 8, respectively.

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This means that the entire AL West is in play for a wild card berth and all of them—  with the exception of Seattle — are less than eight games back from earning a spot in the postseason.

The A’s currently sit 1.5 games back from the Cleveland Indians who currently hold the second wild-card spot. The Indians will exit the All-Star break with a homestand against the current AL Central-leading Minnesota Twins. The Twins are approximately 12 games above .500 and the Indians are 14-19 against teams sitting at .500 or above.

In contrast, the A’s are 23-19 against teams with a winning record and they get the 39-55 Mariners at home after the break. This represents an opportunity to start the second half of the season with control over their own destiny.

It’s a chance for the A’s to paint a target on their backs while pushing the rest of the American League to come looking for ways to unseat them.

In Control of Their Own Destiny

The best way to go about anything in life is to control what you can and not worry about the things you can’t. The same is true about the Athletics and their playoff hopes. To put it simply, the A’s need to win more than they lose and let the rest of the league do the same.

With all-stars Matt Chapman and Liam Hendricks in mid-season form and standouts Ramon Laureano and Matt Olson hitting their stride at the right time, staying hot shouldn’t be a problem for the team from the East Bay.

In recent years, the A’s have been an unlikely force to reckon with, and this year is no different. With a small price tag and big talent, the Oakland Athletics once again have their eye on the postseason and beyond.