The end of the World Series flips the calendar for everyone else, and for the Athletics, the next few days matter.
Free agency opens in five days, though the first wave of signings usually comes with more noise than action. This year, there’s another wrinkle hanging over every front office: a lockout just one month and two days away.
That means teams may be tempted to move early on players they really want rather than wait and risk uncertainty once the next CBA picture gets clearer. New A’s president Tyler Smith has some payroll flexibility to work with, which raises the question of whether the club could get aggressive right away, maybe even on bullpen help, before the rest of the market settles in.
Before any of that, the Athletics have a handful of decisions to make on options. Jeff McNeil has a $15.75 million option, and Jeffrey Springs has a $15 million option, both sitting there over the next five days.
Neither one is expected to be picked up. McNeil did provide one of the team’s better bats in the second half, and there is at least a path to bringing him back, just not at that number.
Springs, meanwhile, has already made clear that his fly-ball approach doesn’t fit well at Sutter Health Park, which makes this look like a clean break for both sides.
Luis Severino is the other major call. He has a $22 million option to remain in Sacramento for another season, and the expectation is that he’ll take it.
That price tag is probably more than he’d find on the open market. He’s been steady over his two years with the Green & Gold, but he also spent much of the second half sidelined by a shoulder injury.
There’s always the possibility he walks away anyway because he’s 33 and wants a shot at the playoffs, but turning down that kind of money would be a serious gamble.
If the expected path plays out, McNeil and Springs will become free agents while Severino stays put for another year. That would leave the A’s looking to fill McNeil’s spot from inside the organization, with Zack Gelof or Joshua Kuroda-Grauer as possible answers at second base.
Springs’ rotation spot feels like the more obvious place for outside help, especially with the current mix projecting to include Severino, JT Ginn, and likely Gage Jump. So the next few days should bring the first real sense of what this offseason might look like for the Athletics.
The offseason is here. Now we see how fast the A’s move.
In Other News...
A's Offseason Pitching Plan May Start With A Familiar Arm
With a new offseason and a new president of baseball operations in Taylor Smith, the Athletics are expected to look hard at pitching upgrades as they try to reshape a staff that needs more help. Left-handed arms are part of that search, with names like Aaron Ashby in the mix as Oakland looks for options that can bring both depth and flexibility to the mound.
One familiar possibility is Sean Newcomb, whose past time with the As gives him a built-in familiarity with the organization. He has worked both as a reliever and a starter, which makes him an appealing fit for a club that can use pitching in a variety of roles, and Oakland may be willing to explore a multi-year arrangement if the reunion makes sense on both sides. [Read more 🡒]
A's First Offseason Move Raises A Bigger Roster Question
The offseasons first reported trade sent outfielder Nate Eaton from Boston to Oakland, giving the Athletics an early move to sort through as the roster begins to take shape. Eaton arrives as a player still trying to establish himself offensively at the major league level, but the change of scenery gives him a fresh opportunity to keep his career moving with a club that can use depth and competition across the outfield mix.
What makes the deal more intriguing for the As is the lack of clarity around the return, which leaves the transaction feeling more like the opening note in a longer offseason conversation than a finished move. For Oakland, every early addition matters as it tries to build out a roster that still has plenty of questions to answer, and this one hints that the front office is willing to start doing that work now. [Read more 🡒]
A's First Taylor Smith Move Hints At A Bigger Roster Shift
The Athletics first official move since hiring Taylor Smith as president of baseball operations came with a modest but telling swap, bringing in outfielder Nate Eaton from the Red Sox for Minor League right-hander Jareth Rayo. It was the kind of transaction that fits this stage of the calendar, adding another name to the outfield mix while giving the club a little more flexibility as it starts to shape the roster under its new baseball chief.
Around that move, the roster churn kept going. The Athletics also outrighted six players to Triple-A Las Vegas after they cleared waivers, another sign that the front office is already working through its offseason housecleaning. It is still early in Smiths tenure, but the first wave of decisions suggests the As are already trimming, sorting and preparing for more changes as they try to settle the roster picture. [Read more 🡒]