Detroit Tigers’ Gleyber Torres, left, scores around Athletics catcher Austin Wynns, right, in the eighth inning during a baseball game, Tuesday, June 24, 2025, in Detroit. (AP Photo/Paul Sancya)
 (ASSOCIATED PRESS)

Rooker’s Firepower Fizzles as A’s Bullpen Gets Burned Again in Detroit 11-4

By Mauricio Segura

The Sacramento Athletics came out swinging Tuesday night, blasting two home runs in the first two innings and chasing Tarik Skubal from the game after six. But once the Detroit Tigers got into the A’s bullpen, it was lights out for the A’s in an 11–4 loss at Comerica Park, their third straight defeat.

Things started with a bang. After a weather delay, Jacob Wilson drew a leadoff walk and Brent Rooker wasted no time launching his 16th homer of the year, a two-run shot to left that put the A’s up early.

Rooker has been red hot, slashing .345 over his last 30 games, and continued to show why he’s been the engine of Sactown’s offense.

In the second, Tyler Soderstrom singled, and Denzel Clarke followed with a towering two-run blast to center, the second homer of his young career. That made it 4-2, reclaiming the lead after Kerry Carpenter had tied it with a two-run homer in the bottom of the first off Luis Severino.

Severino was looking to improve his impressive road ERA, a sparkling 0.93 entering the game, and for a few innings, he was in control. But the third inning unraveled quickly. Gleyber Torres singled, Riley Greene doubled, and Wenceel Pérez cashed them both in with a two-run double to tie the game at four.

After a hit-by-pitch and a popout, Dillon Dingler unloaded on a three-run homer to left center, flipping the game on its head. The Tigers led 7-4, and Severino’s night was done after five innings and 97 pitches. It marked the eighth time in 17 starts he had surrendered at least four earned runs.

The A’s offense had chances, stringing together ten hits overall, but couldn’t find the knock needed to capitalize. They were thrown out on the bases twice in the seventh, first Soderstrom, then Wilson, each erased trying to stretch singles into doubles thanks to pinpoint throws from Pérez and Javier Báez. Sacramento’s last real threat came and went without a run.

Detroit, on the other hand, didn’t slow down. After knocking Severino out, they took full advantage of the green and gold’s weary bullpen. Hogan Harris gave up two in the seventh, aided by a throwing error from Soderstrom, and then T.J. McFarland gave up two more in the eighth as the Tigers padded their lead to 11-4.

Riley Greene had a big night, going 4-for-5 with a pair of RBI and raising his average to .321. Pérez, Dingler, and McKinstry each drove in multiple runs in a Tigers lineup that punished every A’s mistake.

The A’s bullpen ERA ticked up yet again. After briefly stabilizing last week, they now own a 5.94 ERA, second worst in the majors, and are on pace to set franchise records for both home runs allowed and blown saves.

The A’s are now 4-24 when out-homered, and with Tuesday’s long ball tally at three for Detroit and two for Sac, that trend continued. The loss drops the A’s to 32–49, firmly in last place in the AL West. Despite a strong June from their starters, the team’s Achilles heel remains their bullpen.

They have imploded way too often, and the defense, which committed its 50th error of the season tonight, continues to drop the ball (pun intended) in key moments.

Tuesday night was almost rained out, but unfortunately, the Sacramento bullpen was the one responsible for the deluge that followed. The A’s will try to regroup Wednesday with lefty Jacob Lopez (1-4 ERA 4.25) on the mound. The rookie has posted a 0.56 ERA over his last three starts and will face off against Jack Flaherty (5-8 ERA 4.83). First pitch is set for 3:40 PM Pacific.

Costa Rican-born Mauricio Segura has been covering sports in the Bay Area since 2001 for a variety of magazines and newspapers, as well as his own publication, Golden Bay Times

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