The Athletics’ new front office move could matter to the Mariners more than the standings they just finished with suggest.
On Monday, the A’s announced they had hired former Boston Red Sox assistant general manager Taylor Smith to serve as their new general manager. It’s a notable step for a club that just went 64-98 and finished fourth in the American League West, behind Seattle by 12 games.
The Mariners ended 2026 at 76-86, good for third in the division, while the A’s posted a run differential of -238, the worst mark in the majors by a wide margin. On paper, Seattle is in the stronger spot right now. But the gap could get more complicated if Smith helps steer the A’s in the right direction.
The immediate question in West Sacramento is health. The A’s were one of baseball’s most injured teams last season, with Shea Langaliers, Brent Rooker, Nick Kurtz, Jacob Wilson, Tyler Soderstrom, Zack Gelof and Luis Severino all missing significant time. If that group is available next year, the A’s have the type of young core that can turn things quickly.
Pitching is the issue. Playing in a minor league ballpark in West Sacramento, Calif., makes it harder for the A’s to attract arms, which could force Smith and the front office to deal from that young core to get help on the mound. If they choose not to do that, another rough year for the pitching staff could leave the Mariners with room to stay ahead of them.
Longer term, the A’s have a very different horizon. They’re scheduled to move into a new ballpark in Las Vegas in 2028, and that’s when they may become far more aggressive about building a winner. The labor situation this offseason could slow things down for now, but once 2028 gets closer, the expectation is that the A’s will stretch beyond their comfort zone to compete.
That makes them look like a sleeping giant. The Los Angeles Angels, with Stan Kroenke set to take over, appear to be in a similar position. For Seattle, the takeaway is simple: the American League West may not stay this soft for long, and the Mariners will need to keep pushing to stay out in front.
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