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Athletics: Top Five Plays of the 2019 Season

By Zachary Engberg

OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 02: Sean Manaea #55 of the Oakland Athletics throws a pitch against the Tampa Bay Rays in the first inning of the American League Wild Card Game at RingCentral Coliseum on October 02, 2019 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images)
OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA - OCTOBER 02: Sean Manaea #55 of the Oakland Athletics throws a pitch against the Tampa Bay Rays in the first inning of the American League Wild Card Game at RingCentral Coliseum on October 02, 2019 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Thearon W. Henderson/Getty Images) /
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4. Matt Chapman walk-off home run, June 20 vs Tampa Bay Ray

(Video via NBC Sports Bay Area)

The 2019 season was nearly a carbon copy of 2018 for the A’s, and just like in 2018, a miraculous win spurred by a clutch home run in mid-June vaulted a .500 team to a playoff berth.

Frankie Montas gave up one earned run in eight innings in his final start before he was suspended 80 games for PEDs, but the A’s bullpen blew a 2-1 lead by giving up three runs in the top of the ninth.

And then came Matt Chapman with a three-run walk-off shot to take home the win.

This turned out to be an even bigger play later in the season, as the A’s finished the year one game ahead of the Rays for the Wild Card. So Matt Chapman helped bring Oakland it’s first playoff game since 2013 (in more ways than one, as we’ll get to later in this list).