The A's lost 6-2 to the Giants on July 6, but Tyler Soderstrom broke a long power drought with his 15th HR. Get the recap on his big night and the finale.
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
It was a classic 'good news, bad news' situation for the Oakland Athletics on Sunday night. The bad news? A 6-2 loss to the rival San Francisco Giants at Sutter Health Park, dropping the series finale. The good news? Tyler Soderstrom is back. The young slugger emphatically snapped a long power drought, providing a much-needed silver lining and a glimmer of hope for the offense.
After 26 games and 83 at-bats with just one extra-base hit, Tyler Soderstrom broke his homerless streak with a solo shot in the fourth inning.
The biggest takeaway from Sunday's game wasn't the final score, but the sight of Tyler Soderstrom launching his 15th home run of the season. The solo shot in the fourth inning snapped a frustrating 26-game power outage for the 23-year-old. During that stretch, Soderstrom was hitting just .229 with only a single extra-base hit to his name. He didn't stop with the homer, either, adding a double to finish his night 2-for-4 with two runs scored. It was a massive performance that hopefully signals a return to form for a player central to the A's future.
Despite Soderstrom's heroics, the A's couldn't muster enough offense to overcome the Giants. San Francisco's Willy Adames was the difference-maker, hitting a home run and driving in three runs to pace their attack. The loss dropped the A's to 36-55 on the season, a tough pill to swallow in the final game of the Bay Bridge series.
While the big league club was battling the Giants, the front office was busy adding to the farm system. The team announced the signing of right-handed pitcher Angel Vizcaino and catcher Jean Peralta to minor league contracts. These are depth moves aimed at bolstering the organization's talent pool in the lower levels, with both players expected to report to their respective affiliates soon.
While the loss stings, especially to a rival, the focus shifts to what's next. With a 36-55 record, the remainder of the season is about identifying the building blocks for the future. All eyes will be on Soderstrom to see if Sunday's power display was a flash in the pan or the start of a sustained hot streak. If he can get back to being the middle-of-the-order threat he's capable of, it will be the biggest win the A's could hope for in the second half.
