The A's fall to the Angels 8-5 in the final Coliseum game on July 21, 2025. Despite a lead from Andujar, a late bullpen collapse spoiled the farewell.
StatPro MLB Beat Reporter
It was a day fifty-six years in the making, and it ended in a way that felt all too familiar. In what was likely the final Major League Baseball game ever played at the Oakland Coliseum, the Athletics built a promising lead only to see it crumble late, falling to the Los Angeles Angels 8-5. The emotional weight of the day was palpable, but the final score was a gut-punch farewell to the fans who came to say goodbye.
Six runs allowed in the final two innings. That was the heartbreaking stat that sealed the Coliseum's fate.
For seven innings, the script was perfect. The A's played with a fire that seemed destined to send the old ballpark out on a high note. Miguel Andujar electrified the crowd with a solo home run, while JJ Bleday and Brent Rooker delivered back-to-back RBI doubles to build a comfortable 5-2 lead. It felt like the A's were in complete control, cruising toward a sentimental victory. But the eighth inning brought a harsh dose of reality. The bullpen, a recurring issue, faltered dramatically. The Angels pounced, capped by a go-ahead two-run double from Kevin Pillar, part of a six-run onslaught over the final two frames that silenced the hopeful crowd and spoiled the farewell party.
While the on-field drama was historic, the front office was quiet. Monday brought no new roster moves, injury updates, or farm system news. The team remains in a holding pattern, with the most recent transaction being the activation of Ken Waldichuk on July 19. This period of calm feels like the deep breath before the plunge, as the MLB trade deadline approaches. With the team's future in flux, all eyes are on General Manager David Forst and what moves he will make to shape the roster for the Sacramento and Las Vegas years.
As the lights went down on the Coliseum one last time, the question on every fan's mind is 'what now?' The loss marks the end of an era in Oakland. The team's identity, so closely tied to its gritty, unpretentious home, is now untethered. For players like Bleday, Rooker, and Andujar, who showed flashes of brilliance, the challenge will be to maintain focus and continue their development on the road. For the fans, it's a moment of reflection on decades of memories, both glorious and painful, and a look ahead to a future they may not be a part of.
With the Coliseum's gates now closed for good, the Athletics embark on a long road trip, a fitting metaphor for the journey ahead. The focus now shifts entirely to the future, the trade deadline, and how this young core will finish the season without a true home. The final game was a painful summary of the A's season—flashes of promise undone by a lack of finishing power. Now, we wait and watch what David Forst does next as the team officially enters a new, uncertain era.
