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Get ready for a teardown of the Oakland A’s

By David Hill

HOUSTON, TEXAS - OCTOBER 02: Matt Olson #28 of the Oakland Athletics and Matt Chapman #26 stand for the National Anthem before the game against the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park on October 02, 2021 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images)
HOUSTON, TEXAS - OCTOBER 02: Matt Olson #28 of the Oakland Athletics and Matt Chapman #26 stand for the National Anthem before the game against the Houston Astros at Minute Maid Park on October 02, 2021 in Houston, Texas. (Photo by Tim Warner/Getty Images) /
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Sometimes, the words left unsaid speak volumes. That is the case when it comes to the Oakland A’s heading into the offseason. With ten players slated for free agency, and another 11 players due to reach arbitration, the A’s front office will have a lot of difficult decisions to make.

Maybe those decisions will not be so difficult after all. Based on comments from Billy Beane, the A’s are about to tear their roster down.

Expect the Oakland A’s to gut the roster this offseason

The A’s have never had a payroll over $94 million, which was their mark for the 2019 season. With their push to focus on the bottom line and complaints that they cannot field a larger payroll in their current ballpark, it is a perfect storm for the A’s to rip the roster asunder.

As it is, they have $15.83 million committed to just two players – Elvis Andrus and Stephen Piscotty – for the 2021 season. The 11 players that are arbitration eligible are projected to earn another $58 million. That already puts the A’s over $73 million with just 13 players on the major league roster.

There is virtually no way that ownership will allow their payroll to reach that sort of a level. Even if the A’s fill as much of the major league roster with cheap free agents and prospects, they would likely surpass that number.

As Beane appears to be saying, that is not going to happen. Those payroll concerns, as well as his continued statement about needing to make changes for the long term, point to an impending teardown. It was a fun ride while it lasted, but the A’s are likely going to move away from contention once more.

Next. Three free agents the A's should sign but won't. dark

Billy Beane has laid the groundwork for a teardown of the Oakland A’s roster. It could be a very long offseason filled with numerous departures.