WEST SACRAMENTO — Entering Tuesday, there were just six games remaining in the regular season for most teams across Major League Baseball, including for the Athletics. And although the club has suffered a fifth straight losing season and have long been mathematically eliminated from postseason contention, this week is still significant for many in the A’s clubhouse at Sutter Health Park.
The A’s (73-83), have played some of the best baseball since the All-Star break — sporting a 32-26 record. It’s a welcome sight for the front office and fan base, especially considering the club has the third-youngest lineup in the league, with an average age of 26.1. A strong finish to the season can build momentum heading into the offseason for the franchise trying to return to glory.
A constant in the middle of the youthful batting order has been Turlock native Tyler Soderstrom, who after making his MLB debut on July 14 of 2023, had never played a full season in the big leagues until now. Not only has he posted every day, but he has statistically been one of the best players on the A’s.
Soderstrom has played in 152 games heading into the homestretch, the second-most on the team behind only All-Star designated hitter and outfielder Brent Rooker, who has appeared in all 156 contests on the calendar.
The Turlocker has played 49 games at first and has appeared in 102 games in left field to accommodate rookie phenom Nick Kurtz. At the plate, Soderstrom leads all A’s players with 90 RBI and is second amongst the team in batting average (.277), OBP (.357) and doubles (31), while his 150 hits, 24 home runs, 53 walks, .270 on-base percentage and .817 OPS are all career highs by significant margins. Per Fangraphs, his 2.5 Wins Above Replacement (WAR) is fourth on the team.
“Obviously, it’s been a really good year for me,” Soderstrom told the Journal last week. “Knock on wood, but it feels good to have stayed healthy and to help this team win.”
Soderstrom is carrying himself differently these days — shoulders firm and a head held high as he now approaches each plate appearance confident and with a specific plan of attack. In his first cup of coffee in the big leagues, many in the organization, including manager Mark Kotsay and GM Dave Forst, mentioned multiple times about how the former 26th overall draft pick looked rushed or was guessing which pitches would be thrown to him, resulting in some off-balanced swings out of the zone.
So, how did he flip the script on his career so quickly?
Said Kotsay in April: “Past seasons, he expanded and swung at some bad pitches. I think he’s really found some zone discipline and is swinging at the right pitches.”
Soderstrom couldn’t identify the specific turning point, but suggested regular reps could have been the key.
“I really have no other explanation for it other than just the experience, going through it, I guess,” Soderstrom said. “I mean, just having the time and the experience kind of does it for me.”
As far as the number of games played goes, the consistency is also a far cry from what the 23-year-old has experienced in recent years, even dating back to his time as a top prospect.
As a farmhand, the most games the former Turlock High star had ever played in a season as a professional was 134 in 2022. In 2023, he played in 69 games in Triple-A Las Vegas before his 45-game stint in Oakland. After a slow start to his career and throughout spring training in 2024, he played his first 33 games back with the Aviators before making his return to “The Show.” That, too, was interrupted by a two-month stint on the injured list with a bone bruise in his wrist.
“I guess I can say it’s (attributed) to all the offseason work, finally being healthy and being able to grind through the whole season,” Soderstrom said. “I reported (to spring training) as a catcher, so that helped, knowing the responsibility and pressure that it comes with.
“It’s not really something we talk about, but it’s cool being able to play as many games as possible.”
Being a player that his coaches and teammates can rely on is something Soderstrom is proud of. It doesn’t take away from the fact that it takes a toll on the body.
“I mean, it's obviously tiring,” Soderstrom said with a laugh. ‘There are some little things going on here and there, but you gotta battle through it.”
Last week, Soderstrom missed three games to nurse a bothersome groin. The only game he had missed before that was at the beginning of the month, with Kotsay giving the rising star a much deserved day off.
“Like they say, a big league schedule is like no other,” Soderstrom said. “With the minor league schedule, you play six days and then you have an off day. Up here, we go through phases of 16-plus games in a row, so it’s definitely a grind and something you have to get used to. It’s not easy, but you gotta keep pushing. We’re almost there, so just gotta keep your head down and finish the job.”
The A’s will first try to play spoiler in a three-game series from Tuesday through Thursday against longtime AL West rival Houston Astros, a team trying to catch the Seattle Mariners atop the division. The final series, also at home, is a three-game set against the Kansas City Royals from Friday through Sunday.
