Oakland Athletics wrap up the holidays without much to show for themselves

Good morning, Athletics fans. Hopefully everyone had a good weekend, whether you celebrate Christmas or not.

We've about reached the nadir of the offseason, with little activity to acknowledge despite several of the top free agents left on the board.

Two of the top five free agent starting pitchers are still available, with Blake Snell and Jordan Montgomery still on the board. Cody Bellinger has also yet to sign, coming off a huge comeback year with the Cubs.

The Athletics won't be in the market for any of those guys, unfortunately. There are still some obvious roster positions where GM David Forst could find an upgrade, specifically on the pitching staff.

Since we don't have much clarity on the health of Ken Waldichuk or Sean Newcomb and whether those guys will be available on opening day, the rotation and bullpen seem like good target areas for Forst and company.

It's possible one or both of those guys are healed up from their surgeries and ready for the Athletics' opener on March 28 but even if that's the case, the pitching staff is a weak spot.

Otherwise, the Athletics' 40-man roster remains full with the addition of RHP Trevor Gott. The A's have made a handful of minor league signings in the past three weeks, all pitchers. Gerson Moreno, Gerardo Reyes, Michael Otanez, and Danis Correa will slot into their respective clubs.

Moreno could be a name to watch as someone who might contribute in 2024 at the major league level. The righty spent last year pitching for the Nationals Triple-A club, posting a 3.14 ERA and a 29.8% strikeout rate in 71.2 innings.

Though Moreno isn't on the 40-man, he could be one of the first pitchers to get a look if the A's need injury replacements or with surprise DFA's prior to opening day.

This week will likely be a slow one. Hopefully all of you get to enjoy some time off, or at the very least not feel completely bogged down at work.