The next ten games will either ignite the A’s 2025 playoff hopes or put them out cold. With a brutal stretch against the Rangers, Astros, and Mariners—three teams ahead of them in the AL West—the A’s must decide what they are: dark horse contenders clinging to life, or a young squad about to be gutted at the trade deadline. This episode breaks down what’s at stake in each of these ten games, why every inning matters, and how the A’s can punch back in a division that has bullied them for years. 

We also ask the big question: has the AL West lost its edge? Rivalries that once made baseball electric now feel like background noise. We dive into the history, the bad blood, and what it would take to bring the fire back—because if you’re going down, go down swinging, and maybe take a rival with you. This isn’t just a preview—it’s a challenge to the A’s to stand tall, fight hard, and make the West remember who they’re messing with. 

A's vs AL West, A's playoff hopes, A's 2025 season, Athletics vs Rangers, Athletics vs Astros, Athletics vs Mariners, MLB rivalries, AL West standings, A’s trade deadline, Mark Kotsay, A's young core, Nick Kurtz home run, Jacob Wilson A's, A's Wild Card chances, MLB playoff race 2025 

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