Athletics vs Astros Preview: Aiming for Comeback on Sunday

The Houston Astros swung like a machine on Saturday. Kyle Altuve, Mauricio Dubón, and Yuli Álvarez combined for three home runs. The Astros crushed the Athletics 13-2 and 5-1 in back-to-back games. Oakland's pitching staff got hammered. The Athletics are riding a three-game losing streak and sit 30-34 on the season. Houston just won two straight and looks fired up heading into Sunday. You can feel the momentum shift. The Astros' lineup is dangerous when they get rolling like this. Oakland needs to find answers fast.

Gage Jump gets the start for Oakland on Sunday. The Athletics need him to lock down the Astros' bats early. Jump has no published stats available yet this season, making Sunday a mystery. What we know is simple: Oakland cannot let Houston's lineup run wild again. The Astros hit four home runs combined on Saturday. If Jump can pitch strikes and limit the damage, the Athletics might stay in this game. Houston's Mike Burrows takes the mound for the Astros. Both teams need strong pitching performances. The winner likely goes to whoever throws it better.

Let's be real: Oakland faces an uphill climb here. The Athletics' record is 30-34 right now. They're playing in Sacramento this season while moving toward Las Vegas. The team's veteran pitching staff needs to dominate if they want any chance. Luis Severino and Aaron Civale are both injured, which hurts badly. Hogan Harris, their closer, needs to keep games close in the late innings. Houston sits at 30-36, so both teams need wins desperately. If Oakland's pitchers can strike early and the offense answers back, Sunday becomes a real battle.