The Athletics spent the 2026 trade deadline mostly standing still, and that told the whole story.
While a long list of MLB clubs spent the day trying to patch holes and chase upside, the A’s chose not to disturb a roster headed toward a fifth straight losing season. That was in line with what had been expected for a team still building with its 2028 move to Las Vegas in mind. It also explained why recently extended starters Jacob Wilson and Tyler Soderstrom never came up in talks, along with rookies Henry Bolte, Gage Jump and Joshua Kuroda-Grauer.
In the end, the bigger reason for the quiet deadline was simpler: there just wasn’t much healthy, useful talent available to move. Injuries and a drop in performance had already done plenty of damage to the roster over the last couple of months.
Even the A’s two pending free agents, left-hander Jeffrey Springs and second baseman Jeff McNeil, stayed put. Their struggles, along with team options for next season, apparently kept interested contenders away.
The only deal the A’s made came right at the buzzer. They sent 25-year-old outfielder Colby Thomas to the Philadelphia Phillies for right-handed reliever Seth Johnson.
Thomas had been given a real chance to stick after debuting last August, but he never turned that opportunity into much production. In his first 234 major league at-bats with the A’s, he hit 10 homers and drove in 30 runs. Philadelphia will now try to squeeze some extra damage out of him against left-handed pitching as it pushes for the postseason.
Johnson gives Oakland a bullpen arm it can use right away. In 16 big league appearances with the Phillies this season, the 27-year-old went 1-0 with a 5.51 ERA and 20 strikeouts. He was much sharper at Triple-A, where he posted a 2.17 ERA and a 1-1 record.
That move drew a C grade, and for good reason. The A’s dealt from a spot of relative depth by moving Thomas, who looks more like a platoon bat because of his issues against right-handed pitching. In return, they picked up a former top pitching prospect who could help a relief group that owns the worst ERA in baseball.
Johnson brings a lively mix, headlined by a high-90s four-seam fastball and a power slider. The walks have been a problem, which makes him an interesting fit for a staff that already hands out too many free passes. If Oakland can get him throwing more strikes, he has a chance to become a late-inning piece for a bullpen that badly needs one.
There was also a clear missed opportunity baked into the deadline. Starting catcher Shea Langeliers suffered a torn meniscus, and that injury may have taken the A’s best trade chip off the board. With multiple years of team control and elite all-around production, he would have brought back a major haul, perhaps something comparable to what the Boston Red Sox got from the Baltimore Orioles in the deal for Adley Rutschman.
Because Langeliers was unavailable, and likely season-endingly hurt, the A’s also probably held onto fellow catcher Jonah Heim, who is due to hit free agency after the season.
In Other News...
As Face A Tough Call With Kurtz And Wilson
The Athletics have already spent much of the summer navigating one injury after another, with Brent Rooker done for the season after surgery and Shea Langeliers likely to miss the rest of it after choosing a non-surgical route. It has turned into a difficult stretch for a club trying to keep its lineup together, and the latest developments only add to the uncertainty around two of the teams most important young bats.
Nick Kurtz is scheduled to see a hand specialist about his lingering right thumb injury, a sign the issue is still serious enough to warrant another look. Jacob Wilson is also working through patellar tendonitis, and the possibility of shoulder surgery is now part of the conversation, leaving the A's with even more to sort out as they try to piece together what remains of their infield. [Read more 🡒]
A's Just Made A Deadline Move Fans Will Want To Watch
The deadline shuffle brought a familiar kind of intrigue for the Athletics, with Philadelphia and Oakland working out a deal that sends reliever Seth Johnson to the As in exchange for 25-year-old outfielder Colby Thomas. For Oakland, it adds another arm to the mix at a time when every move is being evaluated through both the present and the next wave of roster construction.
Thomas arrives as a right-handed hitter whose major league track record has been limited, but his minor league performance has given him a longer leash in evaluators eyes. He also comes with enough team control to matter beyond the immediate aftermath of the deadline, which makes him the kind of player As fans will want to track closely as the organization keeps turning over pieces and looking for long-term value. [Read more 🡒]
A's Face One Real Deadline Decision As Jonah Heim Draws Attention
The Athletics have already spent the summer making smaller moves, dealing Aaron Civale to the Chicago Cubs and Brett Harris to the Boston Red Sox, and the next decision could carry more weight than the others. With Shea Langeliers out for the season, Oakland has leaned on Jonah Heim behind the plate, giving the veteran catcher an important role on a club that is drifting further from contention.
That setup has naturally pushed Heim into the center of deadline conversation, especially with the catching market looking thin and contenders such as the Yankees still searching for help. For the As, the question is less about whether there is interest and more about how far they want to go in selling off a player who has become part of their short-term patchwork while the rest of the roster keeps changing around him. [Read more 🡒]