The A\u2019s capped their first season Sunday in West Sacramento with a 9-2 loss to the Kansas City Royals at Sutter Health Park, finishing with a 76-86 record after being eliminated from playoff contention on Sept. 17.<\/p>\n
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In 2026, they\u2019ll look to reach the postseason for the first time since 2020, while A\u2019s manager Mark Kotsay had mixed feelings about his club that went into the season hoping to play into October.<\/p>\n
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\u201cFrom an expectation standpoint, we didn\u2019t meet them,\u201d Kotsay said. \u201cBecause our goal was to get to the playoffs. Our goal was to be a playoff team this year, and we felt strong about our capabilities coming out of spring training to be able to do that.\u201d<\/p>\n
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The A\u2019s season was ultimately marred by a stretch from May 14 to June 4 when they lost 20 of 21. They came into Sunday at 53-45 since, which was the ninth-best record in the major leagues.<\/p>\n
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\u201cI think we learned from that,\u201d Kotsay said. \u201cWe can eliminate that type of stretch next season and be a team that\u2019s competitive all season.\u201d<\/p>\n
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Both clubs were playing out the final day of their 162-game schedules, and the lineups reflected it. The A\u2019s rested regulars Jacob Wilson, Lawrence Butler and Shea Langeliers, while Brent Rooker and Tyler Soderstrom exited early.<\/p>\n
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A\u2019s pitchers allowed 14 hits, including two home runs to former San Francisco Giants outfielder Mike Yastrzemski.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The Athletics didn\u2019t score until the eighth inning, when Nick Kurtz hit his MLB rookie-leading 36th home run of the season \u2014 a 423-foot, two-run shot \u2014 bringing his RBI total to 86. Kurtz remains a strong candidate for American League Rookie of the Year.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n It was fitting for Kurtz to end his impressive rookie season with a home run in his final at-bat. Until he takes the field next year, he\u2019ll be front of mind as a potential MVP candidate in 2026.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI don\u2019t tend on dealing with it. … I\u2019m not big on looking past what I\u2019ve done,\u201d Kurtz said of the offseason hype that\u2019s coming. \u201cIt\u2019s all about the future, moving forward. I might have had a good year, but the team didn\u2019t go where I wanted to go and that\u2019s the most important thing.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Kurtz led all rookies in home runs (36), RBIs (86), runs (90) and is the heavy favorite to be named Rookie of the Year.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI want a (World Series) ring,\u201d Kurtz said when asked about the award. \u201cThat\u2019s the goal. That one ring will mean a whole hell of a lot more than anything.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Rooker started at designated hitter and was replaced after drawing a first-inning walk. He was in the lineup to extend his streak to 202 consecutive games played, including all 162 this season. Kotsay revealed Rooker had been dealing with foot tendinitis in his foot late in the season.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cHe really grinded (to play) in these last six or seven games,\u201d Kotsay said.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Rooker, along with Wilson, was one of the A\u2019s two All-Stars in July. He finished the year with 30 home runs, 89 RBI and 40 doubles. He\u2019ll be 31 in 2026 and in the second year of a five-year, $60 million extension he signed with the A\u2019s last offseason.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n \u201cI\u2019m proud of it, I am,\u201d Rooker said of his consecutive games streak. \u201cObviously with DHing, which I do, it\u2019s not as much as much of a physical grind as the other guys do. But the mental grind is there. The days when it\u2019s been a rough stretch, there\u2019s a really good (pitcher) on hte mound the next day and it would be pretty easy to take that day and reset. But having that fortitude to stick with it, grind through it and go through those tough times is something that I am proud of.\u201d<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Brady Basso opened for the A\u2019s in what would have been Jeffrey Springs\u2019 turn in the rotation. Kotsay gave Springs the day off after he led the club with 32 starts in his first full season back from Tommy John surgery. The A\u2019s used seven pitchers in the finale.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n Kansas City built a 3-0 lead through four innings, then added a fourth run on a Michael Massey single in the fifth. Yastrzemski made it 5-0 with a solo homer, followed by Carter Jensen\u2019s 482-foot home run off Michael Kelly on a 3-0 pitch. The Royals added two more runs in the inning to push the lead to 8-0. Yastrzemski homered again in the eighth to make it 9-0.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The A\u2019s managed just two hits and no runs in 4 1\/3 innings against Royals starter Cole Ragans and finished with seven hits.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n The announced attendance was 8,754, following crowds of 10,543 and 10,407 in the first two games of the series.<\/p>\n <\/p>\n This story was originally published September 28, 2025 at 3:00 PM.<\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n![\"Athletics](\"https:\/\/www.sacbee.com\/public\/latest-news\/836zwa\/picture312300036\/alternates\/FREE_1140\/3871_20250928_HR_AsRoyals.JPG\" "\\"3871_20250928_HR_AsRoyals.JPG\\"")