2002[edit]

Tejada's breakout year came in 2002. With the departure of Jason Giambi to the N
ew York Yankees during the offseason, and a leg injury to slugger Jermaine Dye,
the A's lost two of their key offensive players. Tejada hit .308 with 34 homers
and led the A's to their second Western Division title in three years. Their cam
paign included an American League record 20 game winning-streak. Tejada contribu
ted one-out, game-winning hits in the 18th and 19th games of that run: a three-r
un homer off Minnesota Twins closer Eddie Guardado for a 7-5 victory and a bases
-loaded single against Kansas City Royals reliever Jason Grimsley to break a 6-6
tie. Tejada also showed modest speed on the basepaths with 18 steals over a two
-year stretch. His performance was rewarded with the 2002 American League MVP aw
ard. For the third straight year, though, the A's fell in the fifth game of the
ALDS, this time to the Minnesota Twins.