Skubal cruised into the seventh before a bases-loaded, no-out jam opened the door for Langeliers to deliver a game-changing grand slam, turning an otherwise tidy start into an 8-3 Oakland win. Detroit’s lead atop the AL’s best-record race dwindled to a half-game over Toronto.

Langeliers’ post-break surge continues to lift his fantasy ceiling as a catcher, while Skubal’s late-inning hiccup adds risk to his next start. The Jays’ pace remains fierce, and Oakland’s offense showed life, reshaping how bettors and fantasy players evaluate these teams going forward.

Nick Kurtz has transformed a scouting buzz into MVP-caliber production for Oakland, blazing through MLB pitching since the All-Star break. He leads the league in several second-half metrics, posting a blistering blend of average, on-base, and slugging that stacks with elite clutch hitting. The breakout has not only solidified him as the AL Rookie of the Year favorite but also showcased his power, patience, and contact skills as the cornerstone of the A’s order.

Oakland’s 2024 draft class—headlined by Kurtz and supported by top picks like Tommy White and Gage Jump—shaped a bold over-slot strategy that now looks brilliantly efficient. Kurtz’s rapid ascent, from Wake Forest prospect to a probable MVP front-runner, has coincided with an array of young talents contributing in the majors. The class’s college-heavy pedigree and quick arrivals signal a rising wave for the franchise and a new benchmark for evaluating left-handed youth in today’s game.

As teammates like Jacob Wilson and Shea Langeliers chase the same breakout arc, the A’s look poised to leverage this core into sustained relevance. The larger narrative positions Kurtz not just as a breakout star, but as a potential franchise anchor whose development could redefine Oakland’s competitive arc in the near term. More MLB coverage from Sports Illustrated follows.

Bailey Ober delivered a strong, steady outing for Minnesota, working 5 2/3 innings with seven punchouts and a modest 3 hits allowed, despite a back tightness that lingered into the later frames. The Twins bullpen held the line for most of the game, giving Minnesota a late chance to steal one at Target Field. In the 10th, Shea Langeliers crushed a two-run homer off Génesis Cabrera to push Oakland ahead, then Cabrera closed the door as the A’s prevailed 4-2. Minnesota stranded Austin Martin on third, the automatic runner, sealing a frustrating finish.

Early in the game, Minnesota had prime opportunities: Outman and Fitzgerald sparked the third inning with back-to-back hits, Caroming into trouble on the contact play at the plate and a runners-on-step double play, stalling the frame. A 5th-inning rally produced two runs on Larnach and Brooks Lee RBI hits, though Lee was picked off trying to advance to third on a passed ball. Keaschall and Lee added back-to-back singles in the 8th but could not push across. The night underscored Ober’s resilience and the bullpen’s ability to bridge innings, but Oakland’s late strike erased Minnesota’s rally and left the Twins squarely in the hunt with a .500-ish pace for August.