The A’s have work to do this offseason, and the first move they’ve made only adds to the sense that more could be coming. After missing the playoffs in a year when plenty expected them to finish on top of the AL West, the club has already shifted leadership, parting ways with GM David Forst and bringing in Taylor Smith as President of Baseball Operations.
Smith’s first transaction came when the A’s landed Nate Eaton from the Red Sox, a deal that stood out not just because it opened the offseason, but because Smith came from Boston. That connection matters here, because it could shape where the A’s shop next.
One name that fits the picture is Sonny Gray.
Boston’s ace last season was the former five-year A’s pitcher, and he put together a huge year in 2026. Gray posted a 2.72 ERA across 169 innings and led Major League Baseball with 18 wins. His 18-5 record gave him a .783 winning percentage, the best mark among American League pitchers.
Smith got a close look at Gray during his time with the organization as assistant GM last season, and the A’s have plenty of familiarity too. Fans and staff already know what Gray looks like when he’s rolling, and with him getting older, a reunion starts to make real sense.
It would also fill a clear need. The A’s got inconsistent production from their rotation last season, and only JT Ginn showed he could be a great pitcher. Luis Severino is coming back healthy, but the club still needs more arms it can trust.
If the A’s can add a true ace and push Ginn and Severino down the rotation, the staff would look a lot stronger. With the offense already described as elite, the missing piece is pitching, and Gray would check a lot of boxes.
Given Smith’s history with Gray and the success Gray already had in the organization, a return to the A’s could be very much in play.
In Other News...
A's First Free Agency Move Could Reveal Their Real Priority
Free agency has opened in baseball, but the market has moved slowly, and the Athletics are again trying to navigate a winter that figures to be more about fit than flash. With stadium uncertainty still hanging over the franchise and a rebuilding roster in place, Oakland has not been a natural landing spot for many free agents in recent years, which makes every early move worth watching a little more closely than usual.
For the As, the first addition may say more about their priorities than their payroll. Low-risk help in the infield or a bullpen arm would fit the profile of a club looking to support a young core without tying itself down, and the way Oakland approaches the opening weeks of free agency should offer a clearer read on whether it is aiming to patch obvious holes or simply wait for the market to come to it. [Read more 🡒]