The Athletics are in need of pitching but are reluctant to trade their promising young hitters for rotation upgrades. ESPN's Jeff Passan reports that while other teams are interested in trading controllable starting pitchers for A's hitters, the organization prioritizes maintaining their current lineup and plans to pursue pitching through free agency instead. With a solid group of position players showing potential, including Nick Kurtz and Tyler Soderstrom, the A's face challenges in attracting free agents due to their temporary playing location and the ongoing stadium situation in Las Vegas. Despite prior overpays in free agency, the A's may look to bolster their rotation through trades or consider less prominent free agents if they don’t want to part with their lineup pieces.

By the Numbers
  • The A's starting pitchers had a collective ERA of 4.85, ranking them among the bottom four in the league.
  • Soderstrom hit 25 home runs and achieved a 125 wRC+ while shifting to left field, showcasing his offensive potential despite the position change.
Yes, But

While the A's prioritize keeping their young hitters, the difficulty of attracting free-agent pitchers to a rebuilding franchise and the lack of strong rotation performance may force them to reconsider their options in the upcoming offseason.

State of Play
  • The A's are temporarily playing in a Triple-A park in West Sacramento, complicating their free agent appeal.
  • The club is projected to maintain a competitive balance tax figure of around $105MM for 2026, influencing their spending decisions.
What's Next

The A's may need to strike a balance between preserving their young hitters and addressing pitching needs through strategic trades or targeting less popular free agents as offseason dynamics evolve.

Bottom Line

The Athletics face a pivotal decision point; retaining their young hitters may be wise, but they must successfully navigate free agency or trade markets to strengthen their rotation without sacrificing their developing core.