Spring Training storylines for the Athletics as they report to Mesa
Several roster spots will be up for grabs for the A’s during spring camp.
Pitchers and catchers report today for the Oakland Athletics with the first workout scheduled for Wednesday. The A’s offseason has been marred by off the field issues involving their expected move to Las Vegas. While that is largely the most important storyline involving the club at the moment, the focus in this article is going to be on the on the field product.
Oakland once again largely sat out the offseason in terms of major transactions. They chose to supplement the roster with some cheap veterans that they hope will be good enough to flip at the trade deadline and perhaps help them avoid a third straight 100-loss season.
As the Athletics open camp, here are three things worth keeping an eye on.
Who will win the fifth starter spot?
JP Sears and Paul Blackburn are expected to return to the top of the A’s rotation in 2024. Sears wasn’t assured of a rotation spot when he went to camp in 2023, but ended up making 32 starts while logging a career-high 172 1/3 innings. Blackburn was slowed by injuries early and will be looking to take another step forward.
The A’s recently acquired veteran right-hander Ross Stripling from the Giants and then signed his former teammate Alex Wood to a one-year deal. The team is hoping that Stripling and Wood can cover innings and provide some veteran leadership to the rest of the team’s young pitchers.
The fifth spot in the rotation appears to be up for grabs as camp opens. Luis Medina made 17 starts last season and might enter camp with a slight edge over the rest of the group. He will face competition from the likes of Joe Boyle, Freddy Tarnok, Joey Estes and Adrian Martinez among others. Boyle was impressive in a small sample at the end of last season while Tarnok and Estes also pitched in the majors. Lefty Kyle Muller was the team’s Opening Day starter last season, but struggled and was demoted before finishing the season in the bullpen. Muller is out of options and will need to land a spot on the Opening Day roster or be exposed to waivers.
Who will be the team’s Opening Day shortstop?
This might not even end up being much of a competition, but it appears that the job could be there for the taking. Incumbent Nick Allen saw the bulk of playing time at short in 2023 and is a good defender, but produced just a 55 wRC+ at the plate in over 300 plate appearances. Allen would be best suited as a defensive substitute. Aledmys Diaz saw action in 40 games at shortstop, but isn’t good enough there defensively to be a regular option. That is without mentioning Diaz’s own struggles at the plate in 2023.
Prospect Darell Hernaiz was added to the 40-man roster during the offseason in order to protect him from the Rule 5 Draft. Hernaiz tore up Double A last season with a 133 wRC+ and hit .300/.376/.418 with a 97 wRC+ in 60 games at Triple A. Hernaiz’s bat would be a clear upgrade over Allen, but the question is whether or not he can handle the position well enough defensively. The A’s may ultimately decide that he needs more time in Triple A, but the opportunity might be there for him to win the job with a strong performance during the spring.
Which young players make the roster?
Oakland was aggressive in 2023 in promoting several of its top prospects to the majors. Some forced their way into the picture while others were moved more out of necessity. The A’s have a crowded outfield picture heading into 2024 so someone like Lawrence Butler could find themselves back at Triple A to start the season. Currently Tyler Soderstrom is one of two catchers on the 40-man roster, but isn’t a lock to break camp with the club. Shea Langeliers if healthy is assured of seeing the majority of playing time behind the plate. With Ryan Noda at first and Brent Rooker likely at DH, there isn’t a clear path to playing time for Soderstrom. He would likely be better served seeing regular at-bats at Triple A until a better opportunity opens up on the major league