Oakland A’s players run during a spring training baseball practice, Monday, Feb. 22, 2021, in Mesa, Ariz.
Just two weeks ago we put together a very early projection for what the Oakland A’s opening day roster for the 2021 season might look like. It was a slightly bleak projection, determined on the basis that the A’s weren’t going to have much wiggle room in their budget to make many significant moves.
We should have known that no budget ceiling is too low for executive vice president of baseball operations Billy Beane and general manager David Forst. They made a flurry of trades and free agent signings over the last few weeks that rendered the roster projection on Feb. 10th moot.
Now, considering trades and signings that had the A’s lose Khris Davis and Sheldon Neuse and add Elvis Andrus, Mitch Moreland, Adam Kolarek, Sergio Romo and Trevor Rosenthal, it’s time to revise the projection. Here’s our best guess.
Rotation
RHP Chris Bassitt
RHP Frankie Montas
LHP Jesús Luzardo
LHP Sean Manaea
RHP Mike Fiers
Not much has changed here, except that the A’s finally made the Fiers signing official. There’s some uncertainty about how Montas’ COVID-19 diagnosis will impact his start to the regular season — he’s yet to report to camp in Mesa. Another X-factor is A.J. Puk, who is throwing side sessions off his shoulder surgery and looking strong and healthy. The A’s want to ramp him up as a starter, but he may start the season out of the bullpen, possibly as a swingman.
Bullpen
RHP J.B. Wendelken
RHP Lou Trivino
RHP Sergio Romo
LHP Jake Diekman
RHP Burch Smith
LHP Adam Kolarek
RHP Yusmeiro Petit
RHP Trevor Rosenthal
LHP A.J. Puk
The A’s went from having a somewhat patchwork bullpen to an overflowing one with, perhaps, not enough spots for the talent available. Manager Bob Melvin said the team is planning to carry 13 pitchers. With Puk in the starter/reliever gray area, I added him as a 14th pitcher — knowing full well one of these names will most likely not be on the opening day roster. Injuries happen, players are already delayed to camp. This will be a tough squeeze.
Infield
3B Matt Chapman
SS Elvis Andrus
2B/OF Tony Kemp
INF/UT Chad Pinder
1B Matt Olson
DH/1B Mitch Moreland
2B Jed Lowrie
Melvin has versatility to work with here. Kemp (left-handed hitting), Pinder (right-handed hitting), Moreland (left-handed hitting) and Lowrie (switch hitting) can all move around designated hitting, second base and, in Moreland’s case, first base depending on match up.
Everything else is pretty solid. Chapman, Olson and Andrus will be everyday third, first basemen and shortstop.
There are some odd men out and tricky situations, particularly with left-handed hitting Rule 5 pick Vimael Machín. The Rule 5 rules were tweaked for the 2020 season with the 90-day requirement that draftees need to be on an active roster reduced to 50. Since Machín was on the active roster all of 2020, he can now be optioned to the minor leagues just like any other player.
Outfield
RF/DH Mark Canha
CF Ramón Laureano
RF Stephen Piscotty
LF Blaze Ka’ai Tom
The Khris Davis trade unlocks a few more outfield options, including having Kemp or Pinder slide into the outfield against left-handed pitchers. Tom has missed the beginning of camp with an injured oblique, but he should be an intriguing option to step in where Robbie Grossman left off.
