The  A’s rolled into Arlington and punched the 2023 champs square in the mouth, taking down Nathan Eovaldi and the Rangers with a 7-1 statement win. It was a night of grit, survival, and timely bombs. The Rangers had plenty of chances to put the A’s away early, going just 1-for-11 with runners in scoring position, including a golden opportunity in the 6th—bases loaded, nobody out, tie game. But Justin Sterner, who's been nothing short of automatic, came in and slammed the door like a closer in October. The dude has now thrown 26.2 scoreless innings in an A’s uniform. That’s not just luck—that’s dominance.

Then came the 9th inning, and the A’s bats woke up loud. Brent Rooker, who had been quiet, finally made some noise with a two-run laser off Rangers closer Luke Jackson to give the A’s a 3-1 lead. But Lawrence Butler wasn’t done—he dropped a grand slam on Texas to turn this one from a tight pitcher’s duel into a full-on beatdown. Final score: 7-1. This wasn’t just a win. This was a message. The A’s don’t care who you are, where you play, or how big your payroll is—they’re coming for you.