A’s Ruiz hits record, Rucker hits 30th HR in A’s season finale

ANAHEIM – After the futility of setting a franchise record for the A’s this season, a record was broken and another milestone reached on Sunday, sending them into the winter on a positive note despite a season-ending 7-3 loss to the Angels. Can help you move forward.

Outfielder Esturi Ruiz broke Kenny Lofton’s American League single-season record by a rookie with his 67th stolen base. Then A’s journeyman outfielder Brent Rucker, the team’s only All-Star this season, hit his career-best 30th home run of the year.

The A’s finished their postseason season at 50–112, after going 60–102 the previous year, the franchise’s worst record since the 36–117 Philadelphia A’s of 36–117. With disgraced owner John Fisher’s dreams of a Vegas relocation looming over the Coliseum, the A’s experienced their first back-to-back 100-loss seasons in Oakland and the franchise’s first since 1964–65 in Kansas City.

But two happy moments on Sunday helped offset the sting of another defeat. Rucker’s blast and Ruiz’s record stolen base in the third inning, which surpassed Lofton’s 1992 AL record, brought out a lot of emotions in the Oakland dugout.

“It was a goal for (Ruiz),” A’s manager Mark Kotsey said. “I know how hard he has worked. He is continuously engaged in his preparation. He studies pitchers, and he’s very good at picking up tendencies. …and it’s great for Rook. I actually had a huge reaction to the kid. I think it’s because I know where he came from. He was the 26th man on the team after spring training, so I probably reacted more emotionally than I should have, but… I know what it meant to him.’

Emotions were the theme of the day as Angels two-way star Shohei Ohtani navigated through bags and boxes scattered in the Los Angeles Angels’ clubhouse following the season finale, exchanging hugs and memorabilia with his teammates. -Provided while they were all packing. winter.

Everyone in the building knew this could be Ohtani’s last game day with this team after six unprecedented years, and the uncertainty over their beloved superstar outweighs every other question hanging over the Halos.

Ohtani was in the Angels’ dugout all weekend, cheering on his teammates for his final two games less than two weeks after surgery on his pitching elbow. Ohtani can become a free agent after the World Series, and the Halos have not made the playoffs or finished higher than third in the AL West during his tenure in Anaheim.

“Shohei is going to make the best decision for himself and his family, and we respect that, (but) we hope he’s an angel for his entire career,” said Angels outfielder Mickey Moniak, whose breakout Had a season – especially when hitting behind Ohtani. “I would really love to be his teammate for a long time.”

The Angels ended their eighth consecutive loss with a win as Brandon Drury hit two home runs and a double and drove in three runs in the win over Oakland.