Written By Mauricio Segura // Photo by: Mauricio Segura
OCT 17, 2026
Baseball is supposed to be a summer romance. The smell of freshly cut grass, the crack of a bat, a cold drink beneath the afternoon sun, and the wonderful possibility that this might finally be your team's year. Unfortunately, for fans of the Sacramento Athletics and San Francisco Giants, the 2026 season turned into a six-month relationship that probably should have ended around July.
Between them, the two Northern California clubs lost 195 games, leaving fans with plenty of unused October optimism.
For the Athletics, playing their second season at West Sacramento's Sutter Health Park, the trouble wasn't immediately apparent. On June 19, the green and gold stood at 38-38, flirting with first place in the American League West. There was energy, excitement, and legitimate reason to believe something special might be developing.
Then baseball reminded everyone that hope is not a substitute for healthy knees, shoulders, and thumbs.
The Athletics finished 64-98, losing 60 of their final 86 games. Their promising young lineup had become something resembling a hospital waiting room.
Brent Rooker, whose powerful swing had produced three consecutive 30-homer seasons, played just 48 games before left knee surgery ended his campaign. He finished with 10 homers and a .200 batting average.
Shea Langeliers was batting .262 with 23 home runs and 58 RBIs before suffering a torn meniscus. Nick Kurtz, the previous season's American League Rookie of the Year, contributed 21 homers and 69 RBIs in 99 games before a thumb injury ended his season.
Jacob Wilson battled shoulder, thumb, and knee problems, appearing in only 80 games. Tyler Soderstrom finished with 19 homers, while Zack Gelof supplied 22.
Fortunately, the baseball gods remembered to leave a few healthy players on the roster.
Rookie Henry Bolte was a welcome surprise, batting .277 with 11 homers and 21 stolen bases. Lawrence Butler appeared in 154 games, contributing 17 homers and 62 RBIs.
But even a healthy lineup would have struggled to overcome the Athletics' pitching.
The staff surrendered an astonishing 937 runs, nearly six per game. Jeffrey Springs finished 4-13 with a 6.02 ERA, allowing 33 home runs in 130 innings. Luis Severino made only 12 starts before shoulder trouble ended his year.
Hogan Harris recorded 15 saves with a 3.39 ERA, while Luis Medina also posted a 3.39 ERA. Still, dependable relief pitching was difficult to find when starters routinely left behind so much damage.
By August, the struggles had reached the front office. General manager David Forst departed after 27 years with the organization, leaving interim GM Dan Feinstein to help steer an uncertain future.
For 2027, the Athletics need reliable starting pitchers, bullpen reinforcements, and considerably better health. Their 194 home runs demonstrated offensive potential, but scoring 699 runs while surrendering 937 is a mathematical recipe for misery.
Meanwhile, about 90 miles down I-80, the Giants were staging their own baseball tragedy, complete with an enthusiastic new manager and enough frustration to fill McCovey Cove.
Tony Vitello's first major league season ended at 65-97, San Francisco's worst record since 2017. His fiery personality brought energy to the dugout, but enthusiasm couldn't rescue a team that never won four consecutive games.
Rafael Devers provided the biggest bat, hitting 37 homers with 98 RBIs. Bryce Eldridge offered a glimpse of the future, batting .269 with 17 homers and 57 RBIs in 107 games. Jung Hoo Lee hit .276, while Casey Schmitt contributed 21 homers.
Yet the offense had too many afternoons when opposing pitchers appeared entirely too comfortable.
Willy Adames batted just .230 despite hitting 21 home runs. Matt Chapman managed seven homers in 84 games before core muscle surgery ended his season. Heliot Ramos also missed substantial playing time.
The pitching staff wasn't particularly charitable, either.
Robbie Ray delivered a respectable 10-6 record with a 3.08 ERA. Logan Webb, normally the rotation's dependable workhorse, struggled to an 8-9 record and 4.31 ERA before a blister interrupted his season. Landen Roupp finished 9-14 with a 4.01 ERA.
Then there was the bullpen, where late leads sometimes had the life expectancy of an ice cube on a Sacramento sidewalk.
Ryan Walker struggled badly enough to lose his closer's job and spend time with Triple-A Sacramento. By mid-June, Giants relievers had posted an 8.74 ERA for the month, prompting Vitello to give Caleb Kilian the ninth-inning assignment.
San Francisco finished with 669 runs scored, 760 surrendered, and 108 defensive errors. The Giants weren't merely losing games; too often, they were helping their opponents win them.
President of baseball operations Buster Posey faces a demanding winter. Finding starting pitching depth and trustworthy relievers must take priority, while healthier seasons from Chapman and Adames could improve the lineup. Eldridge's continued development offers another reason for optimism.
For both franchises, 2027 represents an opportunity to recover rather than rebuild entirely. The Athletics have young hitters worth believing in. The Giants possess veteran talent and emerging prospects.
But promise is something fans purchase in March. Results are what they deserve by September.
After 195 combined losses, both organizations owe Northern California considerably more than another summer of what might have been.
