A’s second-half preview: What will it take to avoid historically bad season?

OAKLAND — Forgive manager Mark Kotsay for the unrestrained optimism that often accompanies baseball at the close of spring training.

Kotsay was sitting in the Athletics’ dugout at the Coliseum on March 26 before their Bay Bridge Series game against the Giants, talking about his team’s 102-loss 2022 season and having come through a “transition period” that gave young players some opportunity.

“Our expectation this year is we’re going to go compete and find ourselves in a position to hopefully add at the break and surprise people,” Kotsay said.

Fast forward to the All-Star break, with the A’s a major league-worst 25-67 as they open a 10-game homestand Friday night with a three-game series against the Minnesota Twins at the Coliseum.

Besides the losing, the first half of the season saw the franchise cease negotiations with the city of Oakland for a proposed ballpark at Howard Terminal and commit to a 30,000-seat stadium in Las Vegas and the dismissal of longtime popular television play-by-play voice Glen Kuiper for a racial epithet on the air.

The fans’ displeasure with the direction of the franchise under owner John Fisher and president/mouthpiece Dave Kaval has manifested itself with a home attendance average of 10,089, the lowest in the majors.

That included a grassroots “reverse boycott” on June 13 that drew 27,759 and pleas for Fisher to sell the franchise, with the last straw a roster purge before the 2022 season that signaled an end to a legitimate attempt to play competitive baseball.

The discontent was even audible at the All-Star game in Seattle, when fans could be heard chanting “Sell the team” when A’s representative Brent Rooker hit a ground-rule double in the sixth inning.

You can hear “sell the team” chants as Brent Rooker laced a ground-rule double. #Athletics pic.twitter.com/p9wlaKppEH

— Joe Hughes (@VegasJoeHughes) July 12, 2023

As impressed as A’s players were with the passion of the “reverse boycott,” they understand they’re merely along for the ride and hoping to either establish or extend careers in the sport they love.

Although the A’s lost four straight on the road going into the break, they’re much more competitive than they were in April and May, when they were 11-47 (including the season-opening win on March 31). Those months have contributed to the lion’s share of a negative run differential of minus-248 that is far and away the worst in the majors.

Losers of 16 of their first 17 series, the A’s are 5-6-1 in their last 12 series.

“I think over the last couple of months we’ve gotten a lot better,” pitcher Paul Blackburn said. “We started off very poor and we’ve made adjustments as a group and as individuals and gained a little confidence.”

Rooker thought things were looking up after winning two of three from the White Sox on the A’s last homestand before the break.

“Since early June, the last month or so, we’ve been playing well, winning games against some good competition and we’ve got to keep that going,” Rooker said.

Still, it’s a tall order for a team with a .272 winning percentage to avoid having the worst record since the franchise moved to Oakland in 1968. The A’s would have to go 30-40 (.429) the rest of the way to come in at 107 losses, one fewer than the 108 losses which came in 1979. They would need to be 36-34 to beat last year’s 60-102 record by a single game, and at least 38-32 to avoid 100 losses.

Some things to watch over the last 70 games:

Trade deadline yard sale: There are no huge salaries to offload, but rest assured the A’s will be on the lookout to fortify their farm system if any teams are looking for bench help for a possible postseason run as the trade deadline approaches on Aug. 1. Tony Kemp, who has recovered from a woeful start, is a potential target, as are Aledmys Diaz and Jace Peterson. Blackburn and Rooker, the last two A’s All-Stars, could be coveted as well.

Noda and Ruiz: Ryan Noda pushed Jesus Aguilar off the roster, is third in the majors with 59 walks with nine home runs, 36 RBIs and is a capable and athletic first baseman. However, he’s hitting just. 229. Centerfielder Esteury Ruiz has a right shoulder subluxation which complicates a rookie year when he appeared headed for 80 stolen bases. There is no definitive word on his return. Ruiz isn’t much for drawing walks, but has been a surprisingly good hitter with runners in scoring position (.380 with 33 RBIs).

Rise of Sears: The most consistent starting pitcher has been J.P. Sears, part of the deal that sent Frankie Montas to the Yankees last August. His record is 1-6, but of late he has been landing breaking balls and cutting down his pitch count, having completed seven innings in three of his last five starts. Probably a No. 5 starter elsewhere, he’s been the A’s most durable starter.

Potential promotions: Top prospects Tyler Soderstrom (catcher, first base) and Zack Gelof (second base) are reportedly headed for the big club immediately.  Soderstrom, ranked as the A’s top prospect is hitting .254 with 20 homers and 59 RBIs and an .818 OPS for Triple-A Las Vegas. Soderstrom’s hometown paper, the Turlock Journal, first reported the news. Gelof, hitting .304 with 12 homers and 44 RBIs for Las Vegas, told the Cape Gazette (Delaware) his former player called him Wednesday with the news. Outfielder/first baseman Lawrence Butler is hitting .285 with 10 homers and 47 RBIs in Double-A Midland.

The Fuji factor: A disaster at the outset as both a starter and reliever, Japanese import Shintaro Fujinami may have found a home in the bullpen. At 5-7, he leads the A’s in both wins and losses and in his last 13 appearances has a 1.93 ERA. He had one of the most dominant innings by an A’s pitcher in the ninth against Detroit on July 4, striking out the side with predominantly 100 mph fastballs.

Up-and-down Allen: Shortstop Nick Allen’s glove work borders on elite, but every time he gets promoted the A’s wind up shipping him back to Triple-A Las Vegas because of a lack of consistent offense. Allen, 24, is on his third stint with the big club, but for how long?

Miller time: Right-handed starter Mason Miller was a bright spot in four starts in April and May, showing a devastating fastball with wipeout breaking stuff and a veteran’s composure. He threw seven no-hit innings against Seattle with no decision but made just one more start before going on the injured list with an elbow injury. He’s being watched closely by the A’s, as well as Dr. Keith Meister, a renowned orthopedic surgeon who handled 49ers quarterback Brock Purdy’s elbow procedure. Miller has been throwing, but there’s no timetable on when he’ll return — if at all — in 2023.