Written By Mauricio Segura // Photo By Mauricio Segura
JUL 19, 2026
Friday July 17, 2026 A's vs Washington Nationals (L) 4-23
The Athletics and Washington Nationals packed nearly every possible version of baseball into one weekend at Sutter Health Park. Washington buried the A’s on Friday, the A’s returned the favor Saturday, and the Nationals won a far more ordinary finale Sunday. By the time the dust settled, Washington had taken two of three while the clubs combined for 50 runs, 29 by the Nationals and 21 by the A’s.
Friday’s opener became a 23-4 Washington rout and the A’s most lopsided defeat in more than 70 years. The Nationals collected 21 hits, and their 23 runs tied the second-highest total in franchise history. Washington’s Andrés Chaparro did the most damage, going 4-for-4 with a walk, two home runs and eight RBIs. His two-run shot in the fifth traveled 467 feet, the fourth-longest Nationals homer tracked by Statcast since 2015. He added a three-run homer in the seventh and produced Washington’s highest RBI total in a game since 2018.
Washington began separating itself in the third. Nationals infielder Curtis Mead fought back from an 0-2 count and lined a two-run double on the ninth pitch of his at-bat, then Chaparro singled him home on the next pitch. Nationals rookie catcher Harry Ford added his first major league homer, a two-run drive off Athletics reliever Justin Sterner in the fifth. Ford’s first game with Washington included two hits, a walk, three runs and three RBIs. Nationals starter Cade Cavalli quietly handled the pitching side, allowing two runs over six innings with nine strikeouts.
There were a few useful moments for the A’s beneath the wreckage. Athletics first baseman Tyler Soderstrom hit a two-run homer, and A’s rookie Tommy White doubled in the eighth for his first major league hit after joining the roster earlier that day. White, A’s pitchers Yunior Tur and Brady Basso, and Athletics utility player Donovan Walton were among several additions as the club reshaped a roster missing injured A’s hitters Nick Kurtz, Zack Gelof and Brent Rooker. The defeat pushed the losing streak to 10 games.
Saturday July 18, 2026 A's vs Washington Nationals (W) 15-1
Saturday produced a complete reversal. Athletics shortstop Jacob Wilson attacked Nationals starter Zack Littell’s first pitch and sent it over the fence, starting a five-run first inning that gave the A’s immediate breathing room. Athletics hitters Carlos Cortes and Joshua Kuroda-Grauer hit consecutive RBI doubles, while A’s catcher Jonah Heim added a run-scoring single. Soderstrom later hit a two-run homer, Cortes homered in the seventh and Athletics catcher Shea Langeliers drove in three with a bases-loaded double as the Athletics rolled 15-1.
Athletics starter J.T. Ginn made sure the early lead never became uncomfortable. The right-hander carried a no-hit bid into the seventh, allowing only a single by Nationals catcher Keibert Ruiz with one out before A’s manager Mark Kotsay removed him to a standing ovation. Ginn finished with one hit allowed, three walks and seven strikeouts over 6 1/3 scoreless innings. It was his second no-hit bid of at least six innings this season, making him only the fourth A’s pitcher in the past 50 years to do that more than once in the same year. The victory ended the 10-game skid with authority.
Sunday July 19, 2026 A's vs Washington Nationals (L) 2-5
Sunday’s deciding game finally resembled a normal contest. Athletics starter Jacob Lopez, making his first major league start since May, held Washington to two runs and two hits over 4 1/3 innings while striking out six. Nationals infielder Nasim Nuñez created the first run with a single and steals of second and third before Mead’s groundout. Soderstrom answered with an RBI single for the A’s, but Ford restored Washington’s lead with a run-scoring double in the fourth.
The game turned in the fifth after Lopez departed. Nationals shortstop CJ Abrams drove a 98.5 mph fastball from Athletics reliever Elvis Alvarado 422 feet to center for a two-run homer, his career-high 21st of the season. Two pitches later, Nationals outfielder Dylan Crews followed with a solo shot. Washington left-hander Griffin protected the lead, yielding one run on eight hits across seven innings to improve to 11-2 in his first full major league season as a starter after three years in Japan.
The A’s finished Sunday with 11 hits but went 2-for-10 with runners in scoring position and stranded nine in the 5-2 loss. They closed the series at 42-57, fourth in the American League West and eight games behind the first-place Texas Rangers. One explosive win offered a reminder of what the lineup can do, but two losses left the A’s still searching for their first series victory since mid-June.
