Athletics series preview: The first place A’s?

Q: What is the current record of the Athletics and Royals?

The Athletics have a record of 15-13, while the Royals are at 11-17.

Q: Who is the standout player for the Athletics right now?

Carlos Cortes is currently a standout player, hitting .538 with three home runs in his last seven games.

Q: How have the Athletics performed since the All-Star break last year?

Since the All-Star break last year, the Athletics had a winning record of 35-29.

Q: What challenges do the Athletics face with their pitching staff?

The Athletics have a 4.05 ERA from their bullpen, relying on unproven pitchers and cast-offs from other organizations.

Apr 18, 2026; West Sacramento, California, USA; Athletics third baseman Max Muncy (3) is mobbed by teammates as they celebrate his walk off sacrifice fly out during the 11th inning against the Chicago White Sox at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: Scott Marshall-Imagn Images | Scott Marshall-Imagn Images The Athletics have endured four consecutive losing seasons as they relocated eastward to Sacramento on their way to Las Vegas, but they appear to climbing out of their hole with a young roster. They had a winning record (35-29) after the All-Star break last year, and are in first place early in this season.

**Kansas City Royals (11-17) vs. Athletics (15-13) at Sutter Health Park, Sacramento, CA**

Royals: 4.18 runs scored/game (21st in MLB), 4.86 runs allowed/game (21st)

Athletics: 4.25 runs scored/game (18th), 4.54 runs allowed/game (18th) The Athletics’ offensive numbers are very similar to the Royals in runs-per-game, batting average, on-base percentage, slugging percentage, home runs, and steals. They have a .360 on-base percentage at home and .291 on the road. Twenty-nine year old rookie Carlos Cortes has been on fire, hitting .538 (14-for-26) with three home runs in his last seven games, earning AL Player of the Week honors. was fifth in the American League with 36 home runs last year, despite not making his MLB debut until April 23. Former Royals slugger has struggled, but is just coming off the Injured List after missing time with an oblique injury. Infielder has the second-lowest walk rate in baseball, with just one free pass in 27 games. Max Muncy (not ) has a 35.6 percent strikeout, sixth-highest in baseball. Backup catcher hit two of his six home runs last year against the Royals. has given up 17 hits and 8 runs in 10 innings over his last two starts. is a career .333 hitters (7-for-21) with three home runs against him. He throws his cutter one-third of the time, but opponents are hitting .296 against it this year. won his first game of the year in his last start, giving up one run in 6.2 innings against the Rangers. He’s 5-1 with a 3.67 ERA in seven career starts against the Royals, but he has a 6.15 ERA in 17 starts at Sutter Health Park. has had a reverse split this year, with righties hitting .185/.269/.326 against him this year. He has a 48 percent whiff rate on his change up and has been good at suppressing hard contact. The A’s have a 4.05 ERA from their bullpen, using a collection of unproven pitchers, and cast-offs from other organizations. is a 31-year-old journeyman who barely has 100 career MLB innings, and has been anointed the closer early on, although 26-year-old Jack Perkins has also had some save opportunities. Former Royals pitcher joined the A’s after posting a 4.21 ERA in 75 games with the last year. After a disappointing series loss at home to the White Sox, the Athletics went on the road and won series in and . They have some talent, but a lot of inconsistent pitching. Sutter Health Park has been a very , so this is an opportunity for the Royals’ offense to keep rolling.