The Athletics have not been themselves lately at all.Right now, there is a good chance that the Athletics are completely out of the A.L West race, despite leading the division as a whole less than a month ago. With piling injuries and a very difficult schedule before the break, the Athletics will need to figure out how to remain competitive.Jeffrey Springs Is DoneJun 25, 2026; San Francisco, California, USA; Athletics starting pitcher Jeffrey Springs (59) delivers a pitch against the San Francisco Giants during the fourth inning at Oracle Park. Mandatory Credit: D. Ross Cameron-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters ConnectThe Athletics' pitching staff as a whole needs to improve, but it is clear that something needs to happen with the starting rotation. Jeffrey Springs would struggle big time, giving up eight hits, two homers, and six runs, while walking four batters. Springs' pitch count would also come out to 92, with just 52 of them being strikes (56.5%). Even though Springs would show some improvement vs. the Giants, it really was not enough to buy him substantial time. With that said, it might be time for the Athletics to look elsewhere for starting pitching. Kade Morris could be a name to watch after his great performance in Game 1. Colby Thomas Is Looking AmazingJun 28, 2026; Anaheim, California, USA; Athletics left fielder Colby Thomas (32) reacts after being struck out against the Los Angeles Angels during second inning at Angel Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Jonathan Hui-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters ConnectColby Thomas has had his ups and downs all season, but with Tyler Soderstrom on the injured list, Thomas has really stepped up. In his last seven games, Thomas is hitting .250 with a .800 OPS, along with two home runs and four RBIs. Even though the Athletics' offense has been sputtering, Thomas has been a solid contributor. Thomas has been a great utility guy for the Athletics this season. With that said, we could see the Athletics be willing to move around some of their outfielders at the deadline. Carlos Cortes and Lawrence Butler are two names that could come up. Either way, Thomas is looking great, and if he can maintain this, we could see a larger role even when Soderstrom comes back. Nick Kurtz Needs To Step UpNick Kurtz was on pace for an MVP season, but like the Athletics, his recent struggles have made it difficult for him to stand out. While this does not mean the Athletics’ recent dip in wins correlates with Kurtz’s struggles, it is definitely not helping. Something needs to give for the young star.In his last seven games, Kurtz is batting just .160 with a .160 SLG. A huge drop-off has made it impossible for the Athletics to see good production from the top of the lineup as a whole. In the loss to the Dodgers, Kurtz would strike out three times, while walking once. This cannot continue until the All-Star break.Add us as a preferred source on GoogleFollow