Tyler Soderstrom Delivers Grand Slam Glory Amid A’s Ongoing Struggles
So, here's a moment worth talking about—Tyler Soderstrom, one of the Athletics' promising young bats, just smashed his first career grand slam , and honestly, it couldn't have come at a better time for the A’s. On June 5, 2025, facing the Minnesota Twins, Soderstrom stepped up big time. It was the bottom of the 4th inning, bases loaded, two outs—classic pressure situation. And what does he do? He clobbers a 98.6 mph four-seam fastball deep to left field. Boom. Gone. A 363-foot rocket that cleared the fence with a 98.3 mph exit velocity and a launch angle of 33°. That swing brought in Lawrence Butler, Jacob Wilson, and Brent Rooker, giving the A’s a much-needed surge.
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That grand slam wasn’t just a personal milestone for Soderstrom—it was a brief, shining moment in what's been a very dark stretch for the Oakland Athletics. The team is in the middle of a brutal 1-18 run, their worst over 19 games since way back in 1943. Pitching issues have plagued them all season, and manager Mark Kotsay has been trying everything—including using an “opener” strategy for the first time this year to shake things up.
On the same day as Soderstrom’s blast, the A’s had reliever Grant Holman open the game. He actually had a decent start—10-pitch first inning, no damage. Jacob Lopez came in after him and showed flashes of dominance with a career-high 9 strikeouts, but again, the long ball bit them. He gave up three homers, all on pitches left up in the zone. From there, the bullpen collapsed—again—giving up five more runs.
Despite the loss, Soderstrom’s grand slam felt like a spark. If you're an A’s fan, you’re hoping it’s the beginning of something bigger, especially with how rough the season's been on the mound. Manager Kotsay is clearly looking for any formula that works, experimenting with different ways to keep his pitchers afloat and manage the workload. But if they’re going to turn the tide, the bullpen has to stop bleeding runs, and those flyballs have to stay in the park.
Still, in the middle of all that, Tyler Soderstrom gave us something to cheer for. That swing, that moment—it’s a reminder of what the future could look like. It’s also a message: the young core is coming, and they’re not waiting quietly.
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