Kotsay hints – Mark Kotsay didn’t dress it up after the Athletics’ 13-8 home loss to the Yankees on Sunday: one disastrous inning unraveled the game, and he left the door open to roster changes. New York’s 13-run, 43-minute third inning sent 18 batters to the plate and inclu
The Athletics closed their disappointing homestand with a 13-8 loss to the New York Yankees on Sunday, and manager Mark Kotsay made it clear he’s already looking at what needs to change. For Oakland, the wound wasn’t the final score—it was the way the game flipped in one disastrous inning.
New York erupted for 13 runs in the top of the third. sending 18 batters to the plate during a 43-minute frame that included 11 hits. four walks. four stolen bases. and 75 pitches. It was the Yankees’ largest inning in 21 years. and it matched an uncomfortable history point for the Athletics: it was the most runs Oakland has allowed in a single inning since surrendering 14 against Cleveland on June 18. 1950.
Athletics starter Jacob Lopez was still doing enough to hold the line before that inning. He entered the third after two perfect innings, but in the third he failed to record an out. Lopez finished with four runs allowed on five hits and two walks. and he was replaced by Michael Kelly. who surrendered six additional runs while recording only two outs. Kotsay also pointed to a mental mistake by Lopez—failing to cover first base.
After the game, Kotsay revealed that Lopez would be optioned to Triple-A Las Vegas. The manager stressed the Athletics needed five or six innings from the left-hander, and his postgame comments tied the move directly to what happened when Oakland got no outs in the third.
Kotsay didn’t stop there. He said further roster moves could follow and that the discussions won’t be limited to the 26-man roster. “We’re always looking at this roster, not just the 26-man roster, but the 40-man roster,” Kotsay said. “So I think these discussions will be productive, and look forward to getting some new faces possibly.”.
Kelly, too, could be in the spotlight after allowing six runs on 42 pitches.
Even with the third inning dominating the story, there were flashes that kept Oakland from leaving Sunday completely empty. A’s slugger Brent Rooker ended a home-run drought of nearly two weeks with his eighth homer of the season. and Jonah Heim added a three-run blast—his second home run of the year.
Out of the bullpen, several Athletics relievers offered something steadier after the damage was done. Jack Perkins retired all seven batters he faced, while Luis Medina struck out four across two scoreless innings. Outside of the third inning, Oakland’s pitchers allowed only one walk and recorded five strikeouts.
The loss capped a homestand in which the Athletics allowed 47 runs and posted a 1-5 record. They had begun the week with a 2½-game lead in the AL West. but finished it 2½ games behind the Seattle Mariners with a 28-31 record. At home, Oakland is struggling: its 11-17 home record ranks as the second worst in Major League Baseball. On the road, the picture is different, with the Athletics’ 17-14 mark among the better records in the league.
There’s also another problem waiting for this team beyond the box score. Kotsay confirmed that pitcher Luis Severino is dealing with an injury expected to keep him out for some time, adding to the pressure as the Athletics prepare for a road trip against the Chicago Cubs and Houston Astros.
By the time Sunday ended. the homestand was over. the standings had shifted. and the third inning had made one thing unavoidable. After a game undone by 43 minutes of chaos—four walks. four stolen bases. 75 pitches. and the Yankees’ biggest inning in 21 years—Kotsay’s message was plain: conversations about new faces have already started.
Athletics Mark Kotsay Yankees Jacob Lopez Michael Kelly Brent Rooker Jonah Heim Luis Severino AL West MLB Triple-A Las Vegas