How the A's could approach the second half of the season

Dylan Grausz | Jul 15, 2024

Jul 9, 2024; Boston, Massachusetts, USA; Oakland Athletics manager Mark Kotsay (7) relieves pitcher Michael Otanez (47) in the sixth inning against the Boston Red Sox at Fenway Park. Mandatory Credit: David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports / David Butler II-USA TODAY Sports

Just like that, the 2024 Major League Baseball season is half over with the all-star break commencing and after heading into the break with an 18-3 win over the Philadelphia Phillies, the Oakland Athletics now possess a 37-61 record and are in fifth place in the American League West. A race for the playoffs may not be in the cards this year, but after entering the break in 2023 with a 25-67 record, this season’s team has seen some improvements. 

But how should they approach the second half? For a team that is out of the playoff picture and with the trade deadline coming up, it is safe to assume that a big fire sale could be coming, with the likes of Brent Rooker, and possibly even Mason Miller, could see themselves on the move and heading to a club that is vying for a chance to play October baseball. But with a team that contains a lot of young names both on the active roster and in the farm system, and in the midst of a major rebuild, there are multiple ways that the A’s could approach the second half of the season.

One way is to sell, sell, sell. Trade Rooker, for example, and/or look into trading away any older veterans such as a Ross Stripling or Paul Blackburn and see what you can get. Maybe the players that are sent back in a deal would give the team more pieces that they can apply towards the rebuild. Anybody the A's believe they could get any value from now, they should look at possibly dealing.

Starting a youth movement is another approach that could be looked at as a good option, giving fans the chance to see the future of what the team could look like down the line. The A’s farm system may not be in the top half of the league, but there are some very exciting prospects that could be on the way shortly, with guys like Jacob Wilson, Luis Morales, Daniel Susac, Max Muncy and others proving themselves in the minors.

Drafted only last year, the 23-year-old Wilson has seen himself climb the ladder of the farm system rather quickly, currently in Triple-A where he has impressed royally, possessing a .398 batting average in 83 at-bats while contributing four home runs and 12 RBI.

Wilson may not be fully there yet in terms of being the team’s everyday shortstop but he is just one example of a guy who has been excelling down in the minor leagues and giving them a taste of the big league level could suit the team well by allowing them to see just exactly they have with the youngsters and figure out if they can build a winning ball club with those guys.

Or, the team could stay put with the roster as is and see where things stand at the end of the season so that they can get a clearer picture as to what they have to work with in the offseason, and how they can improve for 2025 and beyond. 

Whatever approach the A’s decide to take will be an important one and while the outlook on this season appears to be bleak, the options are endless as the A’s continue to build for a future of success.