"A month ago, designated hitter Hideki Matsui seemed as if he might be playing his final season in the big leagues. At the All-Star break, he was batting .209.

Since then, Matsui, 38, has been on an extraordinary roll, going 37-for-82 (.451) in 21 games. He's riding a season-high 15-game hitting streak that includes 13 RBIs and four homers. He has gone from struggling mightily to Mr. Reliable.

"What we're seeing now, we expect all the time," manager Bob Melvin said. "When he's up there, we expect him to get a hit. It's not just me, it's everyone on the bench. We're surprised when he gets just one hit in a game."

Suddenly it appears as if Matsui's career might continue, but Matsui, always even keel, isn't getting too far ahead of himself.

"I'm not really thinking about next year," he said through interpreter Roger Kahlon. "There's a little under two months left. We'll see how things pan out."

Would he have interest in coming back to the A's? Oakland has Chris Carter as a potential DH at some point, but he remains unproven, plus Matsui has shown that he is still a solid outfielder now that his knees are healthy."