Oakland A’s hoping to keep Marcus Semien in the fold
By David Hill
The Oakland A’s are hoping to solve their impending shortstop issue by keeping Marcus Semien around for a few more years.
The Oakland A’s have a potential problem moving forward. Marcus Semien is slated to hit free agency this offseason, creating a large opening in their lineup. The A’s internal options are not exactly ready for the show, and with holes to fill at second, the rotation, and in the bullpen, that could be a problem.
The solution may already be in place. The A’s are hoping to keep Semien in the fold, and have had open communication between he and his representatives.
David Forst said he texted Marcus Semien yesterday: "I told him we would love to have him back here. We've had an open line of communication with him and his agent. That will certainly be one of the topics for this offseason."
— Martín Gallegos (@MartinJGallegos) October 9, 2020
Semien represents a known commodity for the A’s. He has been a steady player, one who fills up the stat line, although he does not exactly have one outstanding trait. He has also been a slightly below average player with the bat, excluding his 2019 campaign.
More from White Cleat Beat
- Zach Logue yet another disappointing Oakland A’s trade return
- Luis Barrera heading to familiar foe in Los Angeles Angels
- Looking back at Ruben Sierra with the Oakland A’s
- San Francisco Giants showing Oakland A’s offseason could be worse
- Lucas Luetge what Oakland A’s need in bullpen
And what a glorious year that was. At this time last year, Semien was considered a probable candidate for the Qualifying Offer, coming off a career year that saw him finish third in the AL MVP vote. In his 747 plate appearances in 2019, he produced a .285/.369/.522 batting line with 33 homers and 43 doubles while stealing ten bases.
That production had Semien outside of the A’s price range, especially if he was able to replicate that performance in 2020. Instead, he had a typical year, posting a .223/.305/.374 batting line with nine doubles and seven homers, stealing four bases. His 91 OPS+ was a bit below his career norm, but not far outside his usual years.
Semien is certainly worth another deal for the A’s, provided that it falls within their budget. A two or three year deal could potentially bridge the gap to Robert Pauson as well, giving them a chance to develop their top prospect. And, as unlikely as it may be, Semien could even replicate his performance from 2019 at some point.
Next. La Stella could be a long term option. dark
The Oakland A’s want to keep Marcus Semien around. If the price is right, it could happen.