Athletics at Cincinnati Reds

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9	R	H	E
ATH	0	0	0	3	0	0	0	0	2	5	9	0
CIN	1	0	0	2	2	0	1	0	—	6	8	1

Cincinnati's Andrew Abbott (5-7, 3.96) took the ball for the early matinee at 12:40 PM ET opposite Oakland's Mason Barnett (1-1, 4.68), with the Reds already up two games in the set and looking to put Oakland away for good.

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ML

Total

Athletics(45-69)

LLLLL

5

+1.5-133+153o9.5+130

Reds(55-58)

WWWLW

6

-1.5+133-156u9.5-130

Best BetReds -163

Postgame

Cincinnati got the win as expected, but let a 2-run 9th make it uncomfortable before closing it out 6-5. The pre-game case leaned on Oakland's broken lineup, and that held up — the offense just took longer to finish the job than the price implied.

Pregame

Cincinnati's the play here — the Reds have already beaten this Oakland team twice this week and have a real reason to keep pushing (a playoff race) while the Athletics are playing out a lost season missing three of their best hitters. The price isn't a gift, but it's fair value for a team that's clearly the better club right now.

Abbott's turn came around a day early after Hunter Greene's elbow put him back on the injured list — Terry Francona said this week there's only a "slim chance" the right-hander throws another pitch in 2026, and Nick Lodolo is out too, thinning a rotation that's already weathered extended absences from Brandon Williamson and Graham Ashcraft. Oakland's issues run deeper: reigning AL Rookie of the Year Nick Kurtz went back on the injured list Tuesday with a thumb injury that's lingered since before the All-Star break, and the lineup around him is filling in with names down the depth chart.

Mason Barnett

(1-4)·7.08 ERA

Jul 30 vs Red Sox

ND

5.0IP

3ER

6K

1BB

73P

08/06 Lineup

Andrew Abbott

(6-8)·4.07 ERA

Aug 1 vs Pirates

L

5.0IP

3ER

1K

5BB

98P

08/06 Lineup

None of that stopped the game from turning into a fight. Oakland's lineup, which had kept scoring even during the losing streak, found its footing against Abbott in the middle innings, while Cincinnati's offense did just enough against Barnett to keep building a cushion.

Oakland broke through with a 3-run 4th to tie things up, but Cincinnati answered right back with 2 in the bottom of the 4th and 2 more in the 5th to retake control. A 7th-inning run pushed the lead to 6-3, and it looked like a comfortable finish until the Athletics scratched across 2 more in the top of the 9th to make it 6-5. Cincinnati's defense committed the game's only error and its pitching allowed 9 hits, but it held up just enough.

Athletics

(45-69)

Aug 5L@ Reds2-3

Aug 4L@ Reds4-5

Aug 2Lvs Tigers0-11

Aug 2Lvs Tigers6-8

Aug 1Lvs Tigers1-13

Cincinnati Reds

(55-58)

Aug 5Wvs Athletics3-2

Aug 4Wvs Athletics5-4

Aug 2Wvs Pirates10-2

Aug 1Lvs Pirates1-4

Jul 31Wvs Pirates8-7

That finish stretched the Reds' win streak to 3 and dropped another loss on an Athletics team that's now lost 5 straight with little sign of finding the floor. Cincinnati, by contrast, keeps riding this stretch with real momentum.

Athletics

(12)

• 10-Day-ILZack Gelof (3B) — Gelof (knee) started at second base and went 1-for-3 with a three-run home run with Triple-A Las Vegas on Tuesday.08/05
• 10-Day-ILNick Kurtz (1B) — The Athletics placed Kurtz on the 10-day injured list Tuesday, retroactive to Aug. 1, due to a strained right thumb.08/04
• 10-Day-ILShea Langeliers (C) — The Athletics announced that Langeliers underwent a successful medial meniscectomy Tuesday in Los Angeles and also received a platelet-rich plasma injection for his right knee, Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports.07/28
• 10-Day-ILJoshua Kuroda-Grauer (3B) — Kuroda-Grauer was diagnosed with a testicular contusion after exiting Monday's 5-2 win over the Diamondbacks, Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports.07/21
• 15-Day-ILJeffrey Springs (SP) — Springs (hip) was able to restart a throwing program Wednesday after landing on the 15-day injured list Tuesday, MLB.com reports.08/06
• 15-Day-ILJustin Sterner (RP) — Sterner earned his first save of the season in Wednesday's extra-inning win over the Cubs. He tossed a perfect inning while striking out one.07/18
• 60-Day-ILMark Leiter Jr. (RP) — Leiter will undergo surgery Tuesday to address a right hip impingement and is expected to miss the remainder of the season, Martin Gallegos of MLB.com reports.07/30
• 60-Day-ILLuis Severino (SP) — Severino (shoulder) began a throwing progression Saturday, per MLB.com.07/28
• 60-Day-ILDenzel Clarke (CF) — Manager Mark Kotsay said Saturday that Clarke (hamstring) is nearing a rehab assignment, Jason Burke of Roundtable.io reports.07/19
• 60-Day-ILBrent Rooker (DH) — Rooker will undergo season-ending surgery to repair a cartilage tear in his left knee, Jason Burke of Roundtable.io reports.07/17
• 60-Day-ILBrooks Kriske (RP) — Kriske (shoulder) began a throwing progression Thursday, MLB.com reports.06/16
• 60-Day-ILGunnar Hoglund (SP) — Hoglund (knee/back) will be sidelined for the rest of the 2026 season after undergoing surgery on his left hip Monday.05/20

Cincinnati Reds

(7)

• 10-Day-ILBlake Dunn (CF) — Reds manager Terry Francona said Wednesday that the surgery Dunn underwent on his right elbow was an internal brace procedure, Charlie Goldsmith of Fox 19 Now Cincinnati reports.08/05
• 10-Day-ILSpencer Steer (1B) — Steer will wear a splint for the next two weeks after being diagnosed with a partial tear of the tendon sheath in his right wrist, Charlie Goldsmith of Fox 19 Now Cincinnati reports.07/27
• 15-Day-ILNick Lodolo (SP) — Reds manager Terry Francona said Thursday that Lodolo (blister) will rejoin the rotation Tuesday with a start against the White Sox, Charlie Goldsmith of Fox 19 Now Cincinnati reports.08/06
• 15-Day-ILHunter Greene (SP) — Reds manager Terry Francona said Thursday that there's "probably a slim chance" Greene (elbow) pitches again this season, Charlie Goldsmith of Fox 19 Now Cincinnati reports.08/06
• 15-Day-ILTony Santillan (RP) — Santillan (oblique) was cleared Friday to begin an expedited recovery program, MLB.com reports.08/01
• 60-Day-ILBrandon Williamson (SP) — Williamson (shoulder/finger) allowed one earned run on two walks and no walks while striking out three over two innings in a rehab start for Double-A Chattanooga on Saturday. The left-hander also hit a batter.08/02
• 60-Day-ILGraham Ashcraft (RP) — Ashcraft (elbow) is on a throwing program, which will have him throw from 105 feet beginning July 20 at the Reds' training facility in Arizona, MLB.com reports.07/18

With Greene's season likely over and Kurtz banged up again, both clubs are searching for reinforcements the rest of the way — but only one of them is trending the right direction right now.