This A’s Wild-Card chase only gets trickier as pitching wounds mount

Tampa Bay sits 2.5 games atop the American League Wild Card standings — 4.5 ahead of Oakland — after a definitive 8-2 win over the A’s on Sunday propped up their cushion even further.

The A’s had to settle for a series split against a team they’ll be hunting down as the 2019 season’s second half looms; the team had plenty of time to come to terms with a loss essentially sealed after the fourth inning.

“One of those days where what could go wrong, did go wrong,” said Brett Anderson, the game’s starter. Here are three takeaways:

Anderson’s clunker

It was clear to manager Bob Melvin out of the gate that Anderson didn’t have his best stuff. He’s not known for hurling fire, but Anderson’s fastball fizzled with little sink and his breaking ball just wasn’t biting.

“It might’ve been the first time all year that he didn’t have a whole lot,” Melvin said.

Anderson essentially gave the Rays the game in the third and fourth innings, allowing a two-run blast and three extra base RBIs in a seven-run, three-inning outing without a strikeout.

“It’s frustrating from my end that we could have taken a series from a team ahead of us in the standing,” Anderson said.

Matt Chapman’s defense stuns

Melvin was asked before Sunday’s game if he’d ever seen a player like Chapman.

“No, maybe Matt Williams,” he chuckled. “But Matt will tell you defensively he has no peer, we’re lucky to see him what he does on a day-to-day basis.”

Chapman was given half the game off once the Rays started running away with it, but didn’t leave without making three defensive gems.

Most notably, he made back-to-back snags of sharp ground balls, chopping a run down at home and a runner at first to quell the third-inning damage.

The definition of Defensive Runs Saved #RootedInOakland

@mattchap6 pic.twitter.com/MnVnDsvC9u

— Oakland A's (@Athletics) June 23, 2019

State of the pitching staff

The state of the staff became all the more uncertain this week with a rash of injuries, a suspension and prolonged rehabilitations. Frankie Montas’ 80-game suspension suddenly left the A’s without an ace and, Sunday, the A’s lost closer Blake Treinen to a right shoulder strain.

Sean Manaea had a 60-pitch simulation game on Thursday, but Melvin announced before Sunday’s game that he’d be shut down with a slight pain in his right side. Manaea was supposed to start his rehab assignment on Tuesday.

“I don’t think it is anything, just some tightness,” Manaea said. “It’s something that’s just bothering me a little bit. Just precautionary stuff.”

So, where does this leave the A’s rotation?

Anderson, Mike Fiers, Chris Bassitt and Tanner Anderson hold down four of the rotation spots currently, but it is unclear who will take Montas’ spot, especially with Manaea’s return slowing.

Melvin mentioned Daniel Mengden, Paul Blackburn and Aaron Brooks as potential fill-ins for the time being. Mengden started three games for the A’s this year with mixed results.

The in-house options feel less inspiring with top prospect Jesus Luzardo throwing flames in his minor league outings.

Saturday night with Triple-A Las Vegas, Luzardo’s fastball reached 100 mph and he struck out five batters in 3.1 innings, walking two and allowing two runs.

“His next step is going to go up to 75 his next time out,” Melvin said. “He gave up a couple runs, we’re not really concerned about that. We’re just trying to get his pitch count up.”

The timing of Luzardo’s progression — should he not experience any setbacks — could prompt a call-up sometime soon after the All-Star break. Seeing that kind of potential take center stage could certainly boost a deflated rotation.

The games’ beginnings seem just as hazy as the endings.

Treinen’s placement on the IL felt a long time coming; something was off.

“Some days he feels great and some days he doesn’t,” Melvin said. “It’s time to shut him down for a little bit and get him right.”

Treinen’s walk rate was eye-opening. In his 35.1 innings, Treinen dealt 21. While his sinker looked lethal at times, it was clear that he was trying to compensate or pitch around the pain.

Luckily, the A’s have an alternative. Liam Hendriks — once a garbage inning pitcher — has started to throw his high-90 mph fastball harder with more consistency and solidified a slider and curveball he can throw for strikes.

Per Statcast, Hendriks’ xwOBA of .241 — which measures the expected opposing weighted on-base percentage — is in the league’s top three percentile. He has a 1.49 ERA and got his second career save Saturday night.

“At this point we’re thinking that’s a pretty good role for him right now,” Melvin said.