SF Giants fall to A’s in first game since standing pat at MLB trade deadline

SAN FRANCISCO — Hours after Farhan Zaidi declared that the Giants were putting their postseason hopes in the hands of a starting rotation he called the “best in baseball” and a young core that had “been the catalyst for some of our best play,” the lowly A’s knocked around their starting pitcher and held their lineup in check.

In a 5-2 loss Tuesday night to their last-place cross-bay rivals on the same day they largely stood pat at MLB’s trade deadline, Robbie Ray served up three home runs...