It appears each few years, the Oakland A’s discover new methods to check their followers.
Whether or not it’s refusing to signal stable free brokers, buying and selling homegrown stars or letting a well-liked supervisor depart city, it’s all the time one thing with the A’s. This offseason, it was all the above.
The A’s are stuffed with surprises, and as Opening Day approaches, so are we. With Friday’s matchup in Philadelphia looming, we determined to make 10 daring predictions forward of the 2022 season.
1. Sean Murphy leads the A’s in dwelling runs (and will get traded): The A’s misplaced a lot of the pop from their lineup when Matt Chapman and Matt Olson have been traded this spring, which additionally made predicting their dwelling run chief rather more troublesome. The guess right here is that Murphy hits a minimum of 15 dwelling runs earlier than the All-Star break, tacks on three or 4 extra afterward after which turns into the centerpiece of a deadline blockbuster.
2. Shea Langeliers will decide up the place Murphy leaves off: Buying and selling Murphy ought to internet the A’s a stable bundle of prospects, however it'll additionally serve one other goal: Just lately acquired catcher Shea Langeliers will likely be able to make his massive league debut when the A’s ship Murphy elsewhere. A former first-round decide who arrived within the Olson commerce with the Braves, Langeliers hit 22 dwelling runs in 97 minor league video games final yr and can show to be a succesful alternative in August and September.
3. Frankie Montas ends the season with the A’s: Lengthy mentioned as the subsequent marquee A’s participant more likely to be traded, we’re projecting Montas to spend the complete season in Oakland, anchoring a rotation that’s exiting Cactus League play quick on high quality arms after former teammate Sean Manaea was traded Sunday. Montas received’t turn into a free agent till after the 2023 season, so the A’s can monitor his workload, preserve him wholesome and contemplate buying and selling him throughout the offseason relying on the workforce’s outlook for subsequent yr.
4. Sheldon Neuse turns into an on a regular basis participant: Neuse has but to take pleasure in sustained success on the massive league degree, however there’s a motive good organizations such because the A’s and Dodgers have prioritized preserving him. Neuse has proven spectacular energy within the minors, however it’s but to translate to the majors. Sound like one other A’s/Dodgers participant who didn’t have a pure defensive place and took some time to search out his groove within the majors? We’re not saying Neuse will likely be Max Muncy, however this will likely be his breakout season.
5. A.J. Puk will pitch his manner into the nearer job: Judging by their lineup and the again half of their rotation, the A’s may not have many video games to avoid wasting. With that being stated, if Puk can keep wholesome, he has the potential to supplant Lou Trivino because the nearer early within the yr. The Josh Hader comparisons Puk has drawn are professional, and now it’s a matter of placing all of it collectively. We imagine 2022 is the yr it lastly clicks.
6. Cristian Pache spends time at Triple-A, however ends the season within the majors: Pache, one of many intriguing prospects the A’s acquired within the Olson commerce, has struggled miserably on the plate in his transient main league profession. His leads to Cactus League play this spring haven’t been significantly better. With Ramón Laureano out 27 video games to start out the season on account of his PED suspension, the A’s are clinging to hope Pache might maintain down the fort in middle subject and can preserve him on the Opening Day roster. It’s doable they’ll preserve beginning Pache after Laureano returns, however it’s more and more clear he should work on his swing and that work will doubtless have to happen at Triple-A.
7. Stephen Vogt retires and joins the A’s as a coach: Vogt can nonetheless be a productive hitter from the left facet of the plate, however his greatest days as a catcher are behind him. It’s doable he spends the complete season in a primary baseman/DH function, however it’s additionally doable the A’s determine they should finally give his roster spot to a youthful participant pushing for a significant league alternative. If that occurs throughout or after the season, the A’s can be smart to retain Vogt in participant growth as a coach.
8. First base turns into a catastrophe: The A’s plan for changing Olson stays to be seen. After chopping non-roster invitee Eric Thames on Monday, it seems Oakland will go along with a primary baseman-by-committee method and will ask Vogt, fellow free agent signee Jed Lowrie and a handful of different gamers to man a place vacated by an All-Star. The A’s can attempt to acquire platoon benefits and play matchups on daily basis, however all indications are their first base experiment might be disastrous.
9. Tyler Soderstrom ends the yr at Triple-A: It will be an enormous soar for Soderstrom, the A’s first-round draft decide in 2020, to go from enjoying in Low-A all through 2021 to Triple-A a yr later, however he’s that gifted. After posting a .958 OPS with the Stockton Ports final season, we anticipate Soderstrom’s meteoric rise to proceed and for him to open subsequent spring coaching vying for a significant league roster spot.
10. The A’s might be able to compete once more by 2023: Chapman, Olson, Manaea and Chris Bassitt have been traded and Montas, Laureano and Murphy might be subsequent, however Billy Beane and David Forst have achieved a stable job restocking the A’s farm system. Regardless of an proprietor in John Fisher who received’t spend and a relentless cycle of buying and selling away fan favorites, the A’s may not be within the cellar for lengthy. We’re down on their 2022 workforce, however excessive on their probabilities of a minimum of being a fringe playoff contender as quickly as subsequent season.