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Oakland A’s projected to stand pat at deadline

By David Hill

OAKLAND, CA - JULY 9: Manager Bob Melvin #6 and Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations Billy Beane of the Oakland Athletics talk on the field during summer workouts at RingCentral Coliseum on July 9, 2020 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Michael Zagaris/Oakland Athletics/Getty Images)
OAKLAND, CA - JULY 9: Manager Bob Melvin #6 and Executive Vice President of Baseball Operations Billy Beane of the Oakland Athletics talk on the field during summer workouts at RingCentral Coliseum on July 9, 2020 in Oakland, California. (Photo by Michael Zagaris/Oakland Athletics/Getty Images) /
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The Oakland A’s do have a few minor holes on the roster, but they are not considered major enough for the team to make a deal.

Every year, the trade deadline is an exciting time for the Oakland A’s. They are typically busy, making deals either to shore up the roster for a playoff run, or to make deals as part of another rebuilding process. With the shortened season, and the deadline approaching on Monday, this year should not be different.

However, the A’s do not have many holes on the roster. There are questions at second base, which has essentially turned into a platoon between Tony Kemp and Chad Pinder. A backup catcher might be an option, although Jonah Heim is getting a chance at the majors. And teams can never have enough pitching, either in the rotation or in the bullpen.

At this point, the rest of the roster is set. The A’s have their lineup, and several utility options with Pinder, Mark Canha, and Vimael Machin can all play different positions. The A’s top three in the rotation – Frankie Montas, Jesus Luzardo, and Chris Bassitt – are formidable. And the bullpen has been stellar.

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Given the A’s success this season, and their relatively few holes, this may be a quiet trade deadline in Oakland. In fact, MLB.com is predicting that August 31 will come and go with absolutely no activity from the A’s.

It certainly makes sense. The A’s do not have many holes that need to be addressed. Meanwhile, there are few definite sellers, putting a premium value on any players that would be on the trade block. With so many teams still in the postseason chase, and so few options available, it just might not be worth making a deal.

Even though the A’s have an eye towards ending their postseason struggles and advancing, the deal still needs to be right. They are not a franchise that will mortgage the future for a deep run into October, looking to build a sustained contender. That will not change this year, even with the different playoff format.

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The Oakland A’s are projected to stand pat at the trade deadline. Considering how few holes they have on the roster, that may be the right move.