The A's lost 1-0 to the Giants on July 31, 2025, as Ross Stripling's great start was wasted. Logan Webb shut down Oakland's bats. Read why this is a trend.
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
It was a script A's fans have seen far too often this July. A brilliant performance on the mound, a defense holding its own, and an offense that simply couldn't find the clutch hit. The result was a painfully fast and frustrating 1-0 loss to the rival San Francisco Giants at Oracle Park, a game that lasted just one hour and 55 minutes but felt like a month's worth of frustration rolled into one.
We pitched well enough to win, but we have to find ways to score runs.
You can't ask for much more from your starting pitcher. Ross Stripling was magnificent, carving through the Giants' lineup for six innings while allowing just a single run on four hits. But his effort was squandered. The A's offense was completely neutralized by Logan Webb, who tossed eight scoreless innings. Oakland managed just five hits, went 0-for-3 with runners in scoring position, and stranded seven runners. Zack Gelof provided a flicker of hope with a 2-for-4 night, but it wasn't nearly enough to break the offensive malaise that has plagued this team.
Adding injury to insult, the team announced before the game that starting shortstop Jacob Wilson was placed on the 10-day injured list with an undisclosed issue, retroactive to July 26. Wilson has been a steady presence in the infield, and his absence will be felt. To fill the roster spot, the A's recalled infielder Darell Hernaiz from Triple-A Las Vegas. Hernaiz will be expected to provide depth, but the timing couldn't be worse as the team struggles to find any sort of rhythm.
With the offense averaging a paltry 2.7 runs over the last 10 games, all eyes are on the front office as the trade deadline approaches. Yet, Thursday brought no news of potential reinforcements. The silence is becoming increasingly noticeable, especially after another game where a single run would have changed the entire outcome. While players like Zack Gelof take to social media promising to 'keep grinding,' fans are left to wonder if any help is on the way to spark this lineup.
The A's will try to salvage a win against their Bay Area rivals tomorrow, but the bigger story is the clock ticking towards the trade deadline. This team has the pitching to compete on any given night, as Stripling proved once again. The question that will define the rest of this season is a simple but frustrating one: Where will the runs come from? We'll be watching to see if the answer comes from within the current roster or from a move yet to be made.
