The Oakland A’s have a big problem at the top of the organization. Ownership has consistently refused to spend money on the roster, leaving a strong core without the supplemental pieces needed to make a viable charge for a championship. At the same time, ownership has been adamant about sending anyone making a respectable salary elsewhere.
That appears to be the case again this offseason. The A’s are gearing up for another rebuild, with virtually everyone potentially on the trade block. There is the thought that the A’s are eyeing the 2026 season, when they would hypothetically be entering a new stadium, as the year that they will contend once again.
Salary floor could save Oakland A’s
But there may be hope from an unexpected source. Major League Baseball has been pushing for a salary floor as part of the new Collective Bargaining Agreement, using that as a way to address the Player’s Union’s concerns about tanking and teams not spending money on players.
While the Union is currently opposed to a salary floor, feeling that is the first step towards a salary cap, it does show that the league is also concerned about teams refusing to spend and be competitive. It also shows concerns about those owners who are simply focused on the bottom line as opposed to winning.
This focus could include the A’s. Ownership has gone out of their way to eschew top players in free agency, preferring to scrape the bottom of the barrel in an attempt to find diamonds in the rough. Even the A’s own stars leave, making it difficult to engage a fanbase that ownership appears determined to neglect.
Maybe this will change the A’s modus operandi. Maybe they will be forced to actually keep their core intact instead of sending those players away for prospects. And maybe the A’s would be forced to supplement their roster, actually building a team that has a realistic chance of contending for a championship.
It is also possible that implementing a salary floor would have another result. Ownership may end up being forced to sell the A’s since they would no longer be able to squeeze every last cent from the organization. In the end, that may be the best case scenario.
Major League Baseball could actually save the Oakland A’s from themselves. A salary floor may be the best hope to keep the team intact.