A’s Second Base Options Dwindling After Lowe Trade Shakes Up Market
It’s been a quiet offseason in Oakland, but this past weekend sent some ripples through the league that could have long-term implications for the A’s-especially in their search to shore up second base.
The headline-grabber was a three-team, six-player deal that saw Brandon Lowe shipped from Tampa Bay to Pittsburgh, with the Pirates flipping young right-hander Mike Burrows to Houston and the Rays walking away with a bundle of prospects. That trade didn’t just shuffle rosters-it reshaped the second base market.
With Lowe off the board, any team still looking to upgrade at the keystone now finds itself scanning a much thinner list of alternatives. That includes the A’s.
Now, to be clear, Lowe was never directly linked to Oakland in trade talks. But the fit made sense on paper.
He’s a left-handed bat with pop, a former All-Star who could’ve slotted in nicely to a lineup that’s still searching for identity. But Lowe’s on an expiring deal, and the A’s aren’t exactly in “win-now” mode.
This isn’t the kind of move you make unless you believe you’re one piece away-and Oakland isn’t there yet. Not even close.
Still, his departure from the market has a domino effect. It raises the price on everyone else.
Two names that have drawn attention this winter are Brendan Donovan of the Cardinals and Ketel Marte of the Diamondbacks. St.
Louis is in sell mode, and Donovan’s versatility and on-base skills have made him a hot commodity. Marte, meanwhile, brings switch-hitting power and All-Star pedigree-but also a hefty contract.
With Lowe no longer an option, both players just became more valuable, and that likely prices the A’s out of any serious talks. Donovan would cost significant prospect capital, and Marte’s salary would eat up most, if not all, of Oakland’s limited financial flexibility.
That leaves the free agent pool-and let’s just say it’s shallow.
Luis Arraez, the former batting champ, is still unsigned, but he’s more of a first baseman now than a second baseman. Willi Castro offers defensive versatility, but none of the positions he plays particularly well, and his bat doesn’t do enough to offset the glove.
Jose Iglesias remains a slick fielder, but the bat has fallen off a cliff, and he turns 36 next season. Beyond that, the options are either unproven, unreliable, or simply not upgrades.
If you haven’t solved your second base problem by now, you're probably rolling with in-house options. And that’s exactly where the A’s appear to be headed.
Right now, it looks like Zack Gelof will get the first shot at locking down the job when camp opens. Once a top prospect, Gelof hasn’t quite lived up to the hype yet, but the opportunity is there.
Max Muncy-no, not that Max Muncy-also got some run at second last year. He had flashes, but struggled against more advanced pitching.
Max Schuemann is another name in the mix, though he profiles better as a utility man than an everyday starter.
Unless something changes between now and spring training, those three will be battling it out for the job. It’s not flashy, but it’s where the A’s are right now-leaning on internal development, hoping one of these young guys takes a step forward.
Could another name join the mix before the offseason wraps? It’s possible. But unless the A’s make an unexpected splash, the second base picture is coming into focus-and it’s a youth movement, not a blockbuster.
We’ll learn a lot more once everyone reports in a couple of months. For now, the A’s are betting on potential over proven production. It’s a gamble-but in a rebuilding year, that’s often the only play on the board.