With the Athletics moving to a minor league ballpark in Sacramento, and with the overall state of the franchise, it’s unlikely the team will sign many high-profile free agents. The A’s plan to add through trades may not be very fruitful either.
In terms of major league talent, the Athletics’ best trade candidates are Brent Rooker, JJ Bleday and Mason Miller. The A’s are unwilling to trade either of Rooker of Bleday. Furthermore, the team is looking for a king’s ransom-type return for Miller, via Ken Rosenthal of The Athletic.
On the flip side, the Athletics have three outfielders in their top 10 prospects, via MLB Pipeline. If they wouldn’t deal Bleday, maybe they would be willing to trade one of them. However, teams around the league are looking for MLB-ready players.
So the Athletics find themselves in a pickle. They are looking to improve their team via trades but are unwilling to offer much value to teams around the league. A Miller trade would certainly restock the team for the future. But with the asking price so high, it’s fair to wonder if a deal will actually come to fruition.
But even if the A’s swing a trade or two, it’s going to take a lot to truly improve if an impactful free agency isn’t an option. The Athletics finished 2024 with a 69-93 record. Their 643 runs scored ranked 26th while their 4.37 ERA ranked 25th.
With the Athletics in transition mode until their big Las Vegas move, it’s fair to wonder how truly invested the organization is at improving their major league product. However, even if they wanted to, they have been blocked at every corner.
If the A’s stick to their trade plan, they will either need to make a compromise or get creative. It seems unlikely they’d blow up the future for a quick spark of success. But it could be a could cold years for the remaining Athletics fans until ownership’s vision is seen through.
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