The hot stove is starting to warm up, and the first real signs of winter business are already on the board.
After four days of general manager meetings in Las Vegas, the baseball world is shifting from discussion to action. The meetings wrapped up yesterday, and for a lot of executives, reporters and league officials, it was also their first look at the Athletics’ ballpark under construction. That stadium is set to start hosting major league games in 2028.
The first signings of the offseason came out of those meetings, too. The Atlanta Braves and Detroit Tigers both moved quickly to strengthen their bullpens, with Atlanta signing right-hander Evan Phillips and Detroit agreeing to terms with right-hander Emilio Pagán.
That kind of early movement may only be the beginning. A potential Dec. 1 lockout is hanging over everything as the current collective bargaining agreement nears its expiration, and that uncertainty could push more free agents to get deals done before the league’s economic system potentially changes this winter.
At the center of that fight is the owners’ push for a salary cap and floor system beginning in 2028. If that happens, MLB would join the other major U.S. pro leagues in having such a structure. Owners argue it would help create more balance by cutting into the financial edge enjoyed by big-market clubs.
For a team like the Athletics, the idea could have major consequences. A proposed $180.2 million salary floor would force owner John Fisher to raise payroll through free-agent spending and/or bigger contracts. In theory, that could mean more competitive seasons and fewer of the ugly 100-loss stretches that have defined too many recent years.
Players see it differently. They worry a salary cap would squeeze the earning power of top talent, and A’s designated hitter Brent Rooker voiced that view during a podcast appearance this past spring.
The labor fight is now the backdrop for everything else happening around the league. With time ticking toward a possible lockout, the question isn’t just what gets done next - it’s whether baseball can avoid a shutdown altogether.
In Other News...
As Rotation Could Be Eyeing The Veteran Arm It Needs
The Athletics are spending the offseason looking for ways to steady a rotation that still needs more proven help, and the search could take them into both the trade market and free agency. Oakland has young arms in the mix, but the front office knows it will need at least one more experienced starter if it wants to give the staff a more reliable shape heading into next season.
One name that fits that kind of search is Brandon Woodruff, a veteran who could change the look of the group if he is healthy enough to take the ball. His track record and injury history make him a complicated fit, but that also can make him the sort of arm a team like Oakland can at least consider as it tries to balance upside, cost and durability while sorting out who belongs near the top of the rotation. [Read more 🡒]
A's Could Make A Tough Shea Langeliers Decision This Winter
Shea Langeliers has become one of the more interesting names in the Athletics offseason picture, not because of anything he did wrong, but because of how much value he still carries. The All-Star catcher remains under team control for multiple years, and even after a knee injury cut short any chance of a midseason deal, his profile still fits the kind of player other clubs would line up to ask about when the winter market opens.
For Oakland, the calculus is straightforward and uncomfortable. The As want to upgrade a pitching staff that needs help, and moving a premium catcher would be one way to chase it, even if it means parting with a player who matters both now and down the road. The Yankees have been floated as a possible match, but the real question is whether the Athletics decide the return is worth making a difficult call on one of their most valuable pieces. [Read more 🡒]
As New GM Is Earning The Kind Of Praise Fans Needed
Cam Castros introduction as the Athletics new general manager gave the club a chance to reset the conversation around its front office, and it also offered a reminder of how much his background shaped the hire. Castro comes over after a long run with the Brewers, where he worked in a variety of roles and spent years around an organization that has earned a reputation for identifying and developing talent. In speaking about the move, Castro credited Brewers GM Matt Arnold for the mentorship and leadership style that helped prepare him for this next step.
Arnolds endorsement mattered, too, because it framed Castro as more than just another executive with a rsum. He pointed to Castros broad coaching background and his ability to connect with players at every level, traits that can matter as much as any title when a front office is trying to build trust. For As fans looking for a fresh start, the appeal is obvious, even if the full shape of Castros path and what it says about him is still only beginning to come into focus. [Read more 🡒]