Good morning A’s fans! Happy Friday!
Now that the calendar has turned to October, spooky season is not the only thing anticipated this month. The MLB playoffs are ratcheting up, with the final game of the Wild Card round taking place yesterday.
The New York Yankees, Chicago White Sox and San Diego Padres all dispatched their opponents in two games. Those three teams will move on to play the Tampa Bay Rays, Cleveland Guardians and Milwaukee Brewers, respectively. The fourth matchup, featuring National
League East winner Atlanta Braves against their division rival Philadelphia Phillies, was the only series that took three games to determine a winner. The Braves prevailed, moving on to challenge the defending champion Los Angeles Dodgers.
If the Green and Gold want to return to the playoffs in 2027—assuming there is a season—they will need to make some roster and coaching changes over the next few months.
While A’s manager Mark Kotsay remains employed, pitching coach Scott Emerson, assistant hitting coach Chris Cron and quality control coach Marcus Jensen have all been dismissed from their duties. Perhaps with Cron out of the picture, A’s hitters will tone down their hack-at-every-pitch approach.
Before the A’s can make any free-agency maneuverings, however, they must first address several players with contract options.
Right-hander Luis Severino, who missed the majority of 2026 with a shoulder injury, has five days after the end of the World Series to exercise or decline his $22 million player option. Meanwhile, veteran left-hander Jeffrey Springs and second baseman Jeff McNeil have $15 million club options. The Athletics will surely pay the $750,000 buyout to make Springs a free agent, while the New York Mets are responsible for McNeil’s $2 million buyout. The infielder will likely join Springs on the open market, where the A’s can re-sign him for less or let him join another team.
Once those decisions are made, the A’s will look to be aggressive in addressing their roster deficiencies. It will be interesting to see how the free-agent and trade markets unfold this offseason, particularly with the looming threat of a lockout beginning Dec. 1.
Do you think free agents will be quicker to sign than in years past, or will there be a lull in activity? And what are your predictions for the Division Series?
A’s Coverage:
- A’s part ways with assistant hitting, quality control coaches
- After an outfield collision left him paralyzed, every gain in rehab is a big win for A’s Ryan Lasko
- Athletics’ Zack Gelof sues Tigers after hitting metal fence
- A’s Las Vegas ballpark cost rises to $2.1B, public funding delayed
- 2026: Year Of The “Didn’t See That Coming!”
- A’s Hoping Luis Severino Chooses to Stay
- Where the A’s Plan to Use Zack Gelof in 2027
- A’S OPEN TO MOVING LUIS MEDIA BACK INTO ROTATION
- Last MLB game in West Sacramento? Why A’s 2026 season deserves a eulogy
- A’s Lose Final Game Of The Year To Astros 9-0
- Perkins finishes intriguing season with another flash of potential
- A’s Bounce Back, Take Second Game From Astros 6-5
- ‘Road Trip Mike’ on the move to wherever his beloved A’s go
- Wheat/Chaff Updates As Season Winds Down
- Paralyzed A’s prospect Lasko released from rehab facility to ovation from staff
- Devin Taylor: Athletics 2026 Minor League Player Of The Year
- Henry Bolte Is the A’s Next Budding Star
- Determining Athletics’ Offensive MVP for the 2026 Season
- Notes From Star-Studded Rockies-A’s Instructional League
- Injuries Out Of Control, But Why?
- 2027 Infield Landscape Ever Changing
- “Fast Movers” Might Be Key To Contention
- Billy Beane comments on the job Mark Kotsay has done this season.
- Should Mark Kotsay return in 2027? A’s Players Weigh In
- What the A’s Hiring Mike Rizzo would Signal and the Questions it Would Raise
- Athletics Considering James Click For GM Vacancy
- Get the best of Athletics Nation on the new SB Nation app
MLB News & Interest:
- Braves finish off Phils to set up date with Dodgers
- Source: Diamondbacks to retain Torey Lovullo as manager
- What’s it like to face Miz? We asked those who have
- Best 2026 World Series matchups for every type of MLB fan
- White Sox sweep Astros once more to claim 1st playoff series win since 2005 WS
- Guardians to start with Parker Messick, Gavin Williams in ALDS
- ’Never a doubt’: Resilient Phils force Game 3 on three dramatic swings
- Yanks sweep rival Sox behind another offensive onslaught to punch ticket to ALDS
- Red Sox’s Roman Anthony ruled out of ALWC with injuries
- Padres make quick work of Cubs to sweep Wild Card Series
- Padres’ Ethan Salas becomes youngest ever to catch playoff game
- With 28th postseason HR, Altuve now 1 shy of all-time record
- With 2 steals each (in 1 inning!) Acuña bros. make postseason history
- D-Backs, Michael Soroka Have Mutual Interest In Reunion
- Daulton Varsho Undergoes Wrist Surgery
- MLB attendance up for 4th straight year, boosted by Rays
- Previewing The Upcoming Center Field Class
- Today in Baseball History
Best of X:
Initial A’s offseason roster transactions:
Do you agree with this guy’s selections? His team comprises the Athletics’ top prospects, underrated names to know and a couple of young Latin players getting their feet wet in rookie ball.
Congrats! 96-year-old Monte Moore has a chance to become the latest individual to represent the Athletics in Cooperstown.
