Oakland A’s trade deadline recap: Did they do enough?

Now that the MLB trade deadline has come and gone, have the Oakland A’s done enough to bolster their chances?

For a team that was not expected to do much of anything at the trade deadline, the Oakland A’s were busy.

On Saturday, the A’s made a move to upgrade at second base, adding Tommy La Stella from the Angels. Then, on Monday, the A’s bolstered their pitching staff with Mike Minor, who has experience as both a starter and a reliever. The cost – Franklin Barreto and two players to be named later.

And that was it. The A’s were thought to be looking for a bullpen piece, which Minor theoretically could be. More depth in the middle of the infield may not have hurt, especially with Marcus Semien dealing with soreness on his left side.

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But were those two trades enough? In the context of the American League West, yes. The Mariners, Angels, and Rangers all ran the white flag on the season, selling off assorted pieces. Meanwhile, the Astros, who have numerous holes throughout the pitching staff, were linked to multiple players and did nothing.

The question really comes down to whether or not those two moves will be enough for a deep run in the playoffs. La Stella definitely improves the lineup, adding another solid bat to a lineup to a lineup that needs help. Despite ranking fifth in the AL in runs entering Monday, the A’s are 10th in OPS and 13th in batting average, areas that La Stella will help.

Minor, meanwhile, is more of a gamble. He has had an up and down 2020, although he showed signs that he was returning to form in his most recent start. However, with Sean Manaea, Frankie Montas, and Mike Fiers also having roller coaster years, Minor will need to return to form for Oakland.

While it remains to be seen if these two trades were enough, it feels like the A’s could have done more. Another bat off the bench could have been beneficial, especially given Khris Davis‘ struggles this year. More depth for the rotation, or adding another reliever to shorten the games in the postseason, could have helped.

The Oakland A’s made two solid moves to improve their roster. But it feels like there was still one more move that should have been made.