There was no harm in bringing Christian Bethancourt on board for the Oakland A’s. Although the former top prospect had not appeared in the majors since 2017 and had bounced around several organizations and South Korea, there was always a chance that he could deliver on that promise. As a rebuilding franchise, the A’s had plenty of openings.
It turned out that all Bethancourt needed was a chance. He had been hitting the ball hard since being brought back to the majors, solidifying his place on the roster even when Stephen Vogt returned from the Injured List.
Christian Bethancourt getting deserved attention
His strong play has begun to receive national attention. Bethancourt was named as a “noteworthy performance” this week after he had three homers and three doubles as part of his nine hits in 18 at bats.
That showing is part of what has been a surprising year for Bethancourt. He has posted a .269/.310/.454 batting line in his 127 plate appearances, hitting four homers and ten doubles. His 122 OPS+ is easily the best mark for anyone with at least one plate appearance on the A’s.
It is fair to wonder how long this production will last. Bethancourt has never produced at this clip over his time in the majors despite occasional flashes of potential. Maybe he is finally having that breakout campaign and living up to his previous top prospect billing. Or, it could be that teams have yet to adjust to him as this is still a relatively small sample size.
Bethancourt is going to continue to get chances. The A’s are clearly not going anywhere in the standings this season. Meanwhile, he is under team control through 2025, potentially making him a part of the A’s future if he can continue to hit. Thus far, that appears to be the case.
Christian Bethancourt has been one of the biggest surprises for the Oakland A’s this season. He is starting to earn some recognition for his performance.