Three storylines to follow as A’s enter last stretch in Oakland
Here are three storylines to follow as the A's begin their final stretch of games in the city of Oakland
The All-Star Break provided the A’s — and their fans — with some much-needed good vibes. Luis Morales, the team’s top pitching prospect, struck out two batters in the Futures Game, then Mason Miller carried the torch by throwing the hardest-recorded ball in All-Star Game history and striking out Shohei Ohtani.
Now, it’s back to reality.
The Oakland A’s, as the baseball world has known them for roughly the last five-and-a-half decades, have just 64 games remaining — 34 of which will be at the Coliseum. Then, they’re off to Sacramento before a planned move to Las Vegas in 2028.
Several former players and coaches have already said their goodbyes and several more will continue to do so in the coming months. The fans, meanwhile, will likely have more to say as well.
Here are several storylines worth watching over the next several weeks before the A’s play their final game at the Coliseum on Sept. 26 and finish the 2024 season three days later in Seattle.
What twists and turns await as the team tries to finalize its move to Las Vegas?
For all the chatter about the A’s moving to Las Vegas, construction has not officially begun. That could change soon.
The A’s draft development agreement was discussed during Thursday’s Las Vegas Stadium Authority meeting, and team executive Sandy Dean said the organization plans to spend $350 million of an available $380 million in public funding for the stadium, leaving $30 million on the table.
Dean also told the authority that the club plans to finance $300 million of the stadium cost, but no lenders have been secured.
Dean said the other $800 million the A’s need for the planned 33,000-seat stadium, which has been budgeted at $1.5 billion, would come from private equity. The A’s hope to begin construction on the stadium next year and have it completed in time for the start of the 2028 season.
Regardless of whether their long-term future resides in Sacramento or Las Vegas, the A’s, barring a development in the eleventh hour, will cease to call Oakland their home by October. Their fans, though, will not go quietly into the fall.
The protests have, as expected, been plentiful, from the organized to the one-offs. The existence of the Oakland Ballers, who recently launched a community investment campaign, is, in essence, a form of protest as well.
Has the A’s shortstop of the future arrived?
On July 9, 2023, the A’s selected shortstop Jacob Wilson with the sixth overall pick in the MLB Draft. On July 19, 2024, Wilson will be able to call himself a major leaguer.
The A’s are reportedly calling up Wilson, the 22-year-old son of former All-Star Jack Wilson. Given that Wilson has done nothing but hit since becoming a professional, the decision shouldn’t come as a surprise.
In 72 career minor-league games, Wilson owns a .401 batting average over 311 plate appearances. Those numbers aren’t the product of his numbers being inflated in the lower levels of the minors. He’s hit at every singe level.
Following last year’s draft, Wilson had a .318 batting average and .833 OPS in 23 games for High-A Lansing in his first taste of pro ball. As absurd as it sounds, that’s the worst performance he’s had in the minors.
Wilson began this season with Double-A Midland, where he posted an absurd slash line of .455/.473/.705 with three home runs before being promoted to Triple-A Las Vegas. There, he hit .398 with a 1.083 OPS in 19 games with the Aviators, totaling more walks (seven) than strikeouts (three).
As the numbers suggest, Wilson is a hitter’s hitter. Now, he’ll have the opportunity to call the Oakland Coliseum home for the next two-and-a-half months.
How many veterans do they trade?
Regarding their baseball operations, the A’s, for one last time in Oakland, will be sellers at the trade deadline. That said, the question of who they trade is less obvious.
T.J. McFarland and Scott Alexander are the textbook trade candidates: 35-year-old veteran relievers slated to become free agents at season’s end.
Austin Adams, 33, has had a 7.71 ERA since June, but a team in need of arms might bank on him, looking more like the right-hander who had a 2.41 ERA through May.
Miguel Andujar, 29, has cooled off following his hot start (.281 batting average) but maintains a good track record against left-handed pitching (1.032 OPS over the last two seasons).
From there, it gets a little tricky.
Can starter Ross Stripling, currently on the injured list with a right elbow flexor strain, get healthy in time for the deadline? Will any team want a pitcher with a 5.54 ERA over the last two years?
What do the A’s do with outfielder JJ Bleday and starting pitchers JP Sears and Paul Blackburn (currently on the injured list), all of whom have trade value but are solid ancillary pieces?
Does any team make an enticing enough offer for DH Brent Rooker, who has been one of the game’s best hitters over the last two seasons?
The question that the larger baseball world wants to see answered: Will anyone make a grand enough offer to acquire Miller?