The Athletics are sitting in a tricky spot as the deadline nears, and the next stretch could decide everything. They’ve been uneven all season, and with seven losses in their last 10, the ceiling looks pretty clear right now. Still, this isn’t a team that’s automatically waving the white flag.
A big reason for that is the possibility that a few additions could change the picture fast. The Athletics have already made one move, acquiring RHP Hayden Juenger and RHP Ben Hansen from the Red Sox on July 1, but neither pitcher has much Major League experience, so that deal doesn’t really solve the immediate problem. And the immediate problem is obvious: the roster has too many holes, and the injury pile keeps growing.
The biggest issue remains the pitching staff. If the Athletics could land a reliable starter - someone in the Sonny Gray, Joe Ryan, or Reid Detmers mold - the whole conversation shifts.
On paper, that kind of move would make them look like a contender. The bullpen has had its rough patches, but it has started to settle in some, which is why starting pitching should be the top priority.
At the moment, the rotation is Gage Jump, J.T. Ginn, Jeffrey Springs, Jack Perkins, and Aaron Civale.
Jump and Ginn give the group something to work with, but the rest of that list explains why the Athletics have stalled out. Even so, help may be on the way from the injured list, and that’s part of what keeps this from becoming a clear sell-off situation.
If the Athletics do become sellers, the next two weeks would have to go badly enough that they no longer look like real players in the A.L. West. That division has been poor this season, which keeps the door open for Oakland to chase a division title or at least a playoff spot if a few things break right.
A true sell signal would be major names getting moved. Shea Langeliers, Lawrence Butler, or Carlos Cortes would all fit that category, though that kind of move seems unlikely unless the bottom really falls out. Joshua Kuroda-Grauer, described here as the Athletics’ newest star, is another player worth keeping an eye on.
For now, the Athletics still look more like buyers than sellers. They have enough talent to justify pushing in, and if the injury situation starts to ease, the roster could look a lot better in a hurry.
But if they drop out of the A.L. West race over the next week, that outlook could flip fast.
In Other News...
Royals Revisit A Familiar Bullpen Answer As Pressure Builds
Scott Barlow is back in the mix for Kansas City, where the Royals signed the right-hander to a minor league contract as they keep searching for reliable bullpen help. Barlow spent parts of six seasons with the club earlier in his career, so this is a familiar name for a team that knows exactly what kind of arm it is bringing into the conversation.
The timing also says plenty about where the Royals are right now. Their bullpen ERA sits near the bottom of the American League, which has pushed the club to look for depth wherever it can find it, even if the immediate role is a modest one. Barlow most recently pitched for Oakland before being released in June, and now the Royals will see whether a return to a comfortable setting can help stabilize a relief group still looking for answers. [Read more 🡒]
A's Move On From Brett Harris As Infield Questions Keep Growing
The Athletics kept trimming the infield picture by moving Brett Harris to Boston for minor league right-hander Ben Hansen, a deal that followed Harris being designated for assignment to clear space for a prospect promotion. It was another small but telling roster shift for an Oakland club that has been sorting through its depth chart while trying to find the right mix of young pieces.
Harris, a 2021 seventh-round pick who has spent parts of three big league seasons with the A's, now heads to the Red Sox organization after never quite locking down a permanent role. Hansen, a relief-type arm, lands in Oakland's system and was sent to High-A after working 41.2 innings with Boston's affiliate, leaving the A's with one more arm in the pipeline and one less option on the infield. [Read more 🡒]