It won’t exactly make up for the 1990 World Series — won by Cincinnati in a sweep over Oakland — but the Athletics played the role of spoiler to perfection after they won three straight over the Reds.

The A’s have shown this potential for a while.

The Athletics were above .500 in mid-May before a horrendous stretch of 20 losses in 21 games. But since the All-Star break, the A’s are 29-23, and they have the third-best run differential in baseball. Nick Kurtz is having a sensational rookie season, and Jacob Wilson has an outside shot to win the franchise’s first batting title since 1952, when it was playing in Philadelphia.

With the Reds inching closer to a wild card in the National League, the A’s outscored Cincinnati 21-9 in the series. Perhaps fittingly, the Athletics have a better rec

See Full Page