A's Still in First Place, But Should We Be Worried?

The Habit Hunter is back, and Hobbs returns with a full autopsy on an ugly 2-4 homestand that somehow still leaves the A’s sitting in first place. The vibes? Complicated. The standings say everything is fine. The baseball says, “Buddy, we need to talk.” Hobbs digs into the ugly truth behind another late-inning bullpen collapse, sloppy defense against the Giants, questionable coaching decisions, and an offense that feels stuck in neutral despite flashes of brilliance from Nick Kurtz. Is this just a rough stretch in “Far Bad May,” or are dangerous habits forming that could come back to bite this team hard when the schedule stiffens? This episode breaks down the trends nobody wants to talk about: Zach Gelof’s defensive struggles, one-pitch outs killing rallies, recurring bullpen disasters, and why the A’s seem addicted to making games harder than they need to be. But it’s not all doom and gloom. Hobbs gives flowers to unexpected bright spots like Aaron Civale quietly becoming a stabilizing force, Daryl Hernaiz showing real growth, Justin Sterner grinding through tough innings, and Nick Kurtz continuing to look like baseball’s version of a cheat code. Plus, Roll Call returns to examine the bigger picture—because even after a soul-crushing Giants series, the A’s are still in first place. Somehow. Baseball is weird.