White Cleat Beat
Fansided

Oakland A’s do not need to trade for a starting pitcher

By David Hill

OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA - AUGUST 05: Starting pitcher Sean Manaea #55 of the Oakland Athletics leaves the game in the top of the fourth inning against the Texas Rangers at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on August 05, 2020 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images)
OAKLAND, CALIFORNIA - AUGUST 05: Starting pitcher Sean Manaea #55 of the Oakland Athletics leaves the game in the top of the fourth inning against the Texas Rangers at Oakland-Alameda County Coliseum on August 05, 2020 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Lachlan Cunningham/Getty Images) /
facebooktwitterreddit

There is plenty of interest in how the Oakland A’s will attack the trade deadline. One area that should not be a concern is the starting rotation.

As the trade deadline is swiftly approaching, there are some possible areas of concern for the Oakland A’s. One that has begun to be mentioned is the starting rotation, particularly Sean Manaea.

It is not a secret that Manaea has struggled this year. He has allowed 17 runs, 15 earned, on 24 hits and four walks over his 15 innings of work this year. Manaea has seen his velocity drop on his fastball, and has been hit hard this season. It is particularly troubling, especially after he had a promising return in September.

It is reasonable, therefore, to consider a trade for the rotation. The A’s cannot afford to give Manaea too long to figure out his problems. Since every game is essentially worth 2.7 games in a normal season, Oakland needs to find a starter that can produce.

More from White Cleat Beat

With that being the case, it would be natural to look outside the organization. The problem is that trades are somewhat limited at this point, as players can only be dealt off of the 60 man rosters. There have been several trades involving players to be named later, such as the A’s trade of Jorge Mateo, but that may not work to get a real upgrade for the rotation.

The A’s also have other options. While Daniel Mengden is not exactly the most exciting depth piece, there are prospects on the horizon. Daulton Jefferies is expected to be the next man up if there is an opening in the rotation. If he can be stretched out, James Kaprielian could be an option.

While both are unproven, it is possible that they would be better than any other option available. Jefferies, in particular, is intriguing, with his impressive control and phenomenal changeup. But in the end, the best case scenario will be for Manaea to figure everything out and return to form.

Next. The Sean Manaea problem. dark

The Oakland A’s are thought to be considering rotation help at the trade deadline. The problem is that there may not be much available that is any better than what they already have.