The Oakland Athletics face the Houston Astros on July 25, 2025, with a shaken-up roster. As Max Muncy and Gunnar Hoglund hit the IL, can Carlos Cortes spark an upset?
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
Another Friday, another monumental challenge. The Oakland Athletics roll into Minute Maid Park tonight not just to face the Houston Astros, but to battle a narrative that's been building all season. Staring up from the bottom of the AL West, the A's are battered, bruised, and shuffling the deck in a desperate search for a spark.
The Athletics (42-62) enter the series a full 18 games behind the formidable Houston Astros (60-42).
Let's be real: a trip to Houston is the last thing a struggling team needs. The Astros are sitting pretty at 60-42, eyeing another deep postseason run. For the A's, this series is less about standings and more about pride. To even have a chance, the pitching needs to be nearly perfect and the offense has to capitalize on every single mistake the Astros make. It's a tall order against one of the league's most complete teams, especially on their home turf.
The infirmary door continues to swing for Oakland. The team placed infielder Max Muncy on the 10-Day IL, another blow to an already thin lineup. The news is worse for pitcher Gunnar Hoglund, whose season is over after being moved to the 15-Day IL to undergo left hip surgery. In their place, the A's have called up Carlos Cortes from the minors. Cortes brings a fresh bat and a glimmer of hope, giving fans a new face to watch and a potential building block for the future.
Sitting in fifth place in the AL West is a tough pill to swallow, but it's the reality for the Green and Gold. The 42-62 record reflects a season of inconsistency and missed opportunities. Recent stretches have been particularly brutal, and the team is looking for any positive momentum it can find. This series against a division rival, while daunting, is an opportunity to play spoiler and show some fight as the season heads into its final months.
So, what are we watching for this weekend? We're watching to see if the A's can steal a game from a powerhouse. We're watching to see what Carlos Cortes can do with his big-league opportunity. And most of all, we're watching for the heart and fight that defines this team, even when the wins are hard to come by. It's going to be a tough series, but that's never stopped us from watching before. Let's see if they can surprise us.
