Athletics Trade for Nate Eaton: How He Fits in Lineup

Taylor Smith and his old friend Craig Breslow have come together to make a trade.

Sep 30, 2026; Bronx, New York, USA; Boston Red Sox outfielder Nate Eaton (18) hits a double in the third inning against the New York Yankees during game two of the Wildcard round for the 2026 MLB Playoffs at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The A's are hoping to make some changes this offseason in hopes of erasing their struggles from the 2026 season. The team sat in first place for a little over a month, and injuries slowly moved them down the rankings.

The club elected to mutually part ways with their long-time general manager, David Forst, before the end of the season. They also brought in Taylor Smith, the assistant GM from the Red Sox, to serve as the club's President of Baseball Operations.

It's notable that Smith came from the Red Sox organization, as both teams have now come together to make the first move of the offseason.

In the trade, the A's have acquired outfielder Nate Eaton. Eaton has spent parts of four seasons in the big leagues and even recorded a pair of at-bats in which he doubled in the 2026 postseason against the New York Yankees.

Nate Eaton Has Great Potential

Sep 30, 2026; Bronx, New York, USA; Boston Red Sox outfielder Nate Eaton (18) hits a double in the third inning against the New York Yankees during game two of the Wildcard round for the 2026 MLB Playoffs at Yankee Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Vincent Carchietta-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Although he has recorded no more than 122 plate appearances in any of his four big-league seasons, he has the potential to be at least a fourth outfielder on a major league squad.

In 90 plate appearances with the Sox in 2025, he posted a strong .296 batting average. He wasn't so hot at the plate in 2026, batting .160, but he also spent time in Triple-A. He posted a .748 OPS in Triple-A this season and also participated in the World Baseball Classic this year. He finished with a .316 batting average with Team Great Britain.

While his bat has shown some potential, he's already proven he's an elite defender and also comes equipped with 96th percentile speed. Being one of the league's fastest players helps being a good defensive outfielder; he also has an unreal 97th percentile arm.

The hardest part about this move is finding a place for Eaton on the current A's squad.

How Nate Eaton Fits on the A's

Jun 24, 2026; Denver, Colorado, USA; Boston Red Sox left fielder Nate Eaton (18) after failing to score a run in the fourth inning against the Colorado Rockies at Coors Field. Mandatory Credit: Ron Chenoy-Imagn Images | IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Nate Eaton feels like he could be in a similar place to Denzel Clarke. We have discussed how he could be the perfect fourth outfielder for the team because of his elite speed and defense.

Now, with the addition of Eaton, they both could fight for that spot. Since they have similar skill sets, it's likely that only one of them will crack the Opening Day roster. This could allow the club to make a decision based more on offense between them, knowing that both players are elite defenders.

If Eaton can out-hit Denzel, then there's a strong chance he makes the roster out of Spring Training. He certainly has more experience at the big-league level and has shown a little bit of success as well.

The team also has Carlos Cortes to push for an outfield spot, but his inconsistent hitting in the second half, matched with his rough play in the field, could make him an option for trade this offseason.