The Athletics are not quite where they need to be right now.
After getting swept by the Rays and now the Guardians, the Athletics have clearly lost the objective of ending the season strong. However, a few individuals during the Guardians series proved that they are not done just yet. Here are the top performers from the Athletics' losing efforts vs. the Guardians.
Sep 20, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Athletics pitcher Jack Perkins (50) throws a pitch during the first inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: David Dermer-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
This is now back-to-back series , where Jack Perkins has been the clear-cut best performer in terms of starting pitching. And while it would be easy to discredit this nod, as there really was no other competition, it is important to understand that the Athletics would welcome an outing like this in every series with open arms.
If one thing is clear, is that Perkins has finally found his groove. And while it may be too little to late, as he only has one more scheduled start on the season, his recent stretch could implicate a lot of success if utilized as a reliever next season. In Perkins' last 12.2 innings , he has posted a 0.71 ERA, and 0.79 WHIP. Absolutely elite.
Sep 11, 2026; West Sacramento, California, USA; Athletics pitcher Luis Medina (46) throws a pitch against the Seattle Mariners during the seventh inning at Sutter Health Park. Mandatory Credit: Dennis Lee-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
Luis Medina has been incredible lately. And even that undersells just how good he has been lately. In his last 14.0 innings, he has posted a 1.93 ERA, along with an excellent 0.93 WHIP. If you want to look even more recently, Medina has allowed only a single hit in his last 6.2 innings. You cannot get much better than that.
Throughout the Guardians series , Medina would pitch two outings, and while each was only a single inning, it was a guaranteed three outs each time. Next season, it would be ideal if Medina could build on this success by pitching more innings per outing. If he can accomplish this, the Athletics just might have a superstar on their hands.
Sep 18, 2026; Cleveland, Ohio, USA; Athletics left fielder Zack Gelof (20) celebrates his three-run home run in the first inning against the Cleveland Guardians at Progressive Field. Mandatory Credit: David Richard-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect
In the last 30 days, Zack Gelof has not quite lived up to the expectations he set for himself during the first half of the season. In this span, he is hitting just .219 with a .697 OPS, along with 14 RBIs. But when looking at his overall seasonal production, this slump stands out . This year, Gelof has batted .252 with a .770 OPS, along with 19 home runs (third on the Athletics) and 50 RBIs.
With so many impactful players on the injury list right now, we needed to see more series performances similar to his against the Guardians. His combination of speed, power, and defense has ultimately put a burden on Gelof's shoulders to be the Athletics' second-half MVP. And while this might not have come to fruition, his recent showings could signal an even bigger 2027 season.
This article was originally published on www.si.com/mlb/athletics/onsi as Top Performers During the Athletics Choppy Series vs. the Guardians .
