Oakland A’s: Robbie Grossman might be worth bringing back

Robbie Grossman had a career year for the Oakland A’s in 2020. Depending on his market in free agency, he could be worth bringing back.

The Oakland A’s will have numerous holes to fill in free agency this year. Ten different players are on the market, and not all of them will be returning to the franchise. However, outfielder Robbie Grossman could be one of those players that the A’s could bring back.

In a normal offseason, that would not be likely to happen. Grossman had produced the best season of his career, posting a .241/.344/.482 batting line with eight homers and 12 doubles in his 192 plate appearances, while also contributing eight steals. His 130 OPS+ was second on the team, trailing only Sean Murphy.

It may be a small sample size due to the conditions surrounding the 2020 season, but that production far outpaced his usual performance. From 2013 through 2019, Grossman averaged a .253/.351/.372 batting line, worth an OPS+ of 99. He was a decent fourth outfielder, but somewhat below average with the bat.

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While the league did catch up to Grossman over the latter part of the year, his adjustments at the plate still made a difference. He easily produced his highest slugging percentage as a major leaguer, showing more power than he ever had. If those changes in the batter’s box are sustainable, Grossman could be an intriguing outfielder in free agency.

He would seemingly be the type of player that could get a multiple year offer in free agency. Even if he would not be plugged in as the starter, his ability to play all three outfield positions and uptick in power would make him a solid option as a fourth outfielder.

But that would be in a normal offseason. Instead, teams may shy away from players who had a career year in the pandemic shortened season. Not only are there questions about whether or not that success was a matter of a small sample size, but teams need to be careful in their investments. That could leave Grossman with a smaller than otherwise expected market.

Under normal circumstances, Robbie Grossman would likely depart from the Oakland A’s in free agency. However, given what may be a limited market, the A’s can hope for a reunion.