The Oakland Athletics 2019 season came to an end with Wednesday's 5-1 loss to the Tampa Bay Rays in the American League Wild Card Game. For the second year in a row, the A's won 97 games during the regular season but lost in the AL wild card.

The A's were hoping to follow up last season's breakout wild-card run with a longer postseason. But, with this year's early elimination in the wild card, Oakland dropped its ninth consecutive winner-take-all game. It's the longest such streak in MLB history, and Oakland has now lost 15 of its last 16 potential round-clinching games. Three of the losses happened in wild card games while the other six occurred in the finales of five-game Division Series. The last time Oakland overcame a win-or-go-home? When they beat the New York Mets in Game 7 of the 1973 World Series.

When it counted most on Wednesday, Oakland's offense disappeared. The club that finished with the fifth-best home run total -- a franchise-record 257 homers -- in the league didn't manage to knock a single long ball in Wednesday's contest. The A's offense couldn't even generate a single extra-base hit during the win-or-go-home game.

Another year and another early exit in the playoffs no doubt adds a to frustration felt by the A's players and front office. But, the A's probable rotation for the 2020 season can give fans hope. The young staff could be the push the A's need to put an end to their October woes and go for a deep run. Jesus Luzardo, a 22-year-old lefty and one of baseball's best pitching prospects, threw three clean innings against the Rays on Wednesday, racking up four strikeouts in the outing. After pitching seven games in relief this season, he'll likely enter the A's rotation next season, joining Frankie Montas, A.J. Puk, Mike Fiers and Sean Manaea.

"We're going to get better," manager Bob Melvin told reporters after the loss. "As good as this year was, we feel we're going to get even better next year with some of the young pitchers you see."

Now, it's unlikely the A's overtake the mighty Astros in the division next season. It'll certainly help if Houston sees Gerrit Cole depart to free agency this winter, but the roster comparison of both AL West clubs still would put the Astros at the advantage. Instead, the A's might have to focus on doing the same thing they did this season, and claiming a spot in the Wild Card Game. Maybe next year's rotation can help the club finally escape the early stages of the playoffs.