In the aftermath of the A’s four-game road sweep of the Royals, we dive inside some of the significant numbers that stand out as Oakland approaches the 2016 finish line:
43 — Total number of runs the A’s scored in their four-game rampage through Kansas City. That’s an Oakland record for runs over a series of four games or less. Where exactly did this come from? Great question. They mustered just 26 runs total over a nine-game homestand that preceded their trip to Kauffman Stadium.
19-36 — The A’s record in games decided by four runs or more. Lopsided victories just aren’t their thing. That’s another factor that made these four wins over the Royals so unexpected. Oakland won by margins of 13, 1, 8 and 9 runs. Remember those three games in Boston back in May, where the A’s got outscored 40-15 in getting swept? This was the anti-Fenway series.
.520 — Ryon Healy’s batting average over the past six games, during which he is 13-for-25 with nine RBI. The rookie is hitting .309 with 10 homers and 29 RBI in 56 games, and he’s crammed in all that production since the All-Star break. By the way, Healy’s 480-foot homer Thursday was the fifth longest in terms of projected distance in the majors this season (Miami’s Giancarlo Stanton has the longest drive at 504 feet).
[STIGLICH: Instant Replay: Mengden sharp, A's demolish Royals in sweep]
6 — The number of RBI Khris Davis needs, over the A’s final 16 games, to reach 100. This team hasn’t had a hitter reach the 100-RBI mark since Frank Thomas notched 114 back in 2006. 24 — Davis’ season is worth a follow-up here. His 24 home runs hit as a left fielder lead the American League, and they’re the most by an A’s left fielder since Ben Grieve knocked 27 in 2000.
4 — Length of the A’s current winning streak. Before this stretch, they hadn’t won more than three in a row since a five-gamer May 28-June 1, and that helps explain how a club arrives at a 64-82 overall record.
25 — The home run total for Marcus Semien, after he connected on a three-run blast in Thursday’s 14-5 rout of the Royals. The Bay Area native is providing power the A’s haven’t gotten from their shortstop in more than a decade. Before Semien, the last Oakland shortstop to top the 20-homer mark was Bobby Crosby, who had 22 in 2004 and was the AL Rookie of the Year.
19 — The number of rookies the A’s have used this season. That’s tied for the second most in Oakland history, with only the 2008 club using more (21). This A’s season began with optimism due to the addition of veteran newcomers such as Rich Hill, Ryan Madson, John Axford and Chris Coghlan. It’s ending with optimism because of the play of rookies such as Healy, second baseman Joey Wendle, catcher Bruce Maxwell, pitchers Sean Manaea, Jharel Cotton, Daniel Mengden and others.
The A’s aren’t competing for the playoffs, but the injection of youth and talent to the big league roster is making the final weeks of a disappointing season feel very meaningful.
