Oakland, we have a problem, and it’s Houston. Rumors of the Astros’ decline were greatly exaggerated, and they still look like a powerhouse so far in 2021. Their pitching staff isn’t quite what it once was but it still has an ace and plenty of depth, and the lineup is back atop the majors after an off-year during the pandemic.
The A’s have played 45 games, and 10 have come against the Astros. Oakland dropped seven of those meetings, often by blowout margins. They’ve pitched pretty well against the rest of the league, but they’ve been routinely hammered by their top division rival.