Oakland Athletics collapse in Houston sheds light on pitching staff needs

Homer Bailey allowed nine earned runs, including three home runs, in the A's 11-1 loss to Houston on Monday.

HOUSTON — The A’s (57-44) lost to the Houston Astros, 11-1 on Monday, digging the team into a 1-8 record against its American League West foe this season.

This one was over before the Houston sun set. But, it shed light on a crucial question mark hovering over this A’s team as the trade deadline nears.

Pitching dearth

The road to the AL West runs through Houston. This much is known.

And while winning streaks against middling league opponents and comeback victories against top ones tell us this A’s team is home to one of the league’s most potent offenses, capable of unlikely comebacks, eye-popping power and dehumanizing routes, Oakland’s sights are feasted on the team perennially right above them.

“In my opinion, the best team in the league,” manager Bob Melvin said of the Astros before the game. “Their roster’s been enhanced and they got their pitching lined up, and they’ve, to an extent, had our number. So we have to find a way to start beating these guys because they’ve had their way with us.”

The Astros have power at every turn: a fiery offense, a flame-throwing rotation and bullpen. At any angle, they are tops in the major leagues.

It became clear just a few minutes into Monday’s game that the A’s may not have all the right pieces to truly compete with the Astros.

Homer Bailey, a fine addition to the back end of this rotation, was utterly shelled. He demonstrated the qualities that enticed the A’s in the first place — a 94 mph fastball, a splitter — but he was no match for the Astros lineup. The splitter started to hang up in the zone and his fastball lost life as the short start wore on.

“It was fine,” Bailey said of the fastball. “Probably me just trying to be a little too fine, you know what I mean?”

Yordan Alvarez collected his 11th home run and 35th RBI against him (the 22 year old passed Albert Pujols for most RBIs in a rookie’s first 30 games). Yuli Gurriel and Aledmys Diaz would homer off him, too. He’d allow nine runs on eight hits in two innings of work.

On top of Liam Hendriks’ blown save on Sunday afternoon (it was the third straight game the Twins had a look at Hendriks), Monday’s route was the imperfectly perfect spotlight in which the A’s vulnerabilities were exposed: if Oakland wants to win the division or compete deep into the playoffs, pitching staff reinforcements are needed as the trade deadline clock ticks faster.

Of course, Sean Manaea’s extended absence as he recovers from injury certainly rings loud — it’s difficult to tell the extent to which the A’s need to reinforce its rotation given the top tier talent on the wings. And Jesus Luzardo certainly qualifies as a strong reinforcement in waiting — not just for the playoff push, but as the face of a future dominant rotation.

Jharel Cotton and A.J. Puk are inching forward as possible bullpen reinforcements, too.

General Manger David Forst and the A’s organization was quick on Bailey’s heels — Forst articulated that the A’s are in talks with teams to acquire more arms. The spots of vulnerability shown lately may ramp up trade discussions.

Then again, it’s just Game 1. Mike Fiers faces Wade Miley on Tuesday.

Nick Martini is ready for anything

Martini was called up Monday afternoon to replace pitcher Brett Anderson (paternity list) on the active roster. Melvin told Martini to be ready for anything — to pinch hit against a right-handed pitcher heavy Astros bullpen, to take an inning in the outfield.

Turns out, he meant anything.

Melvin had already relieved Matt Chapman, Matt Olson and Marcus Semien of their on-field duties for the evening. Silver lining: the route provided a rare opportunity to give the trio a rest amid this 13-game stretch.

Bailey’s early departure also meant Melvin had a lot of garbage innings to fill. Ryan Schlitter provided three, Wei-Chung Wang two.

Then Melvin approached Martini to pitch the eighth inning.

“He asked if he had thrown. I said ‘…yeah.’ He said ‘alright, go have fun,’ I was ike ‘… OK.”

Martini hurled a couple 60-plus mph fastballs that “must have registered as curveballs.”

“I was crazy nervous, probably more nervous than the first time I hit,” he said.

He walked Josh Reddick and Robinson Chirinos, then Josh Phegley paid him a mound visit. Told him to “put a little more on it.”

Martini added a couple miles per hour on his fastball and ended up striking out Tony Kemp on a foul tip.

He kept the ball.