Thus far, the offseason has been marked by loss for the Oakland A’s. Not only have they lost two-thirds of their starting outfield, but their manager has departed for the greener fields and larger bank account that the Padres can provide. Those departures will not be the only ones this offseason.
On Monday, the A’s actually did something. They agreed to terms with both Chad Pinder and Tony Kemp to avoid arbitration.
Two A’s signings to avoid arbitration, per source: Chad Pinder for $2.725M and Tony Kemp for $2.25M.
— Ken Rosenthal (@Ken_Rosenthal) November 30, 2021
Oakland A’s come to terms with pair of utility men
Both Kemp and Pinder are likely to be even more important to the A’s in 2022 than they have been in the past. Kemp did see the most action of his major league career last season as his production was too valuable to take off the diamond. There have also been calls amongst A’s fans to give Pinder more of a look in a starting role.
The fanbase may get their wish. While Pinder has emerged as a key super utility man, he has spent most of his time in the corner outfield. He produced a respectable .243/.300/.411 batting line with six homers and 16 doubles in his 233 plate appearances, and may well be in line for more playing time this year.
Kemp, meanwhile, easily had the best season of his career. He posted a .279/.382/.418 batting line in his 397 plate appearances, hitting eight homers and 16 doubles while stealing eight bases. He even drew more walks (52) than he struck out (51).
As the A’s are looking to cut payroll and may be embarking on a fire sale, having players at a reasonable salary will be important. Both Kemp and Pinder have emerged as key players for Oakland, albeit in their somewhat limited roles. However, in 2022, they may have the chance to shine.
The Oakland A’s have finally done something this offseason. They have avoided arbitration with Chad Pinder and Tony Kemp, bringing both back for 2022.