Did the A's Just Tip Their Hands on the Favorite For the Third Base Battle?
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The battle for who will end up as the A's Opening Day third baseman is going to be the key contest in camp this spring. While we have made our initial roster projections, and have given reasons why one option could be hindered, there is a new quote from Mark Kotsay that could have provided some insight into who has the edge entering game action.
In speaking of the competition with MLB.com, the A's skipper said that the competition for third base is open, as we've been expecting all winter.
From Martín Gallegos: "How do the A’s determine a starter? Performance in Spring Training will have to factor in some, though they’re not necessarily looking at who has the best numbers at the plate. It’s about the quality of at-bats and how each player handles the position from a defensive standpoint."
Kotsay also went on to explain that they have the bats that can mash in other places in the lineup, so defense could be a focus here, as well as one other key factor. "So, you want a guy at third base that catches the ball, gets on base and takes a great at-bat."
Why that particular quote stands out
At the end of September in the A's end-of-season press conference, Athletics on SI asked both GM David Forst and manager Mark Kotsay which of the team's rookies (aside from the top-tier guys like Nick Kurtz and Jacob Wilson) stood out to them.
Forst's answer: "I thought Darell Hernaiz was a guy who made as big of an adjustment as anybody from 2024 to this year. He got his opportunity, frankly, only because Jacob [Wilson] got hurt and we knew what Darell was capable of doing a shortstop.
"I thought he came up, played outstanding defense at all three spots, made an adjustment to his swing to get the ball off the ground a little more that we had talked to him about last off-season. I was really impressed with the quality of at-bats that Darrell gave us."
Kotsay added that Darell was the one that had obviously grown the most.
Based upon the offensive side of what the club is looking for at third base to begin the season, Hernaiz showed a lot of growth, ran with an opportunity that he received out of the blue, and also put together some stellar plate appearances down the stretch.
He was working counts with the best of them, and both his manager and the GM took note. If he can drive the ball a little more, he could have an indisputable case for the hot corner to begin the 2026 campaign.
But what about the defense?
This is where things get a little interesting. Hernaiz is a solid defender at most spots, especially at his natural shortstop where he grades out particularly well, but according to those same metrics, he's either the second or third best option with the glove at third base.
Hernaiz earned a -1 defensive runs saved grade in 141 2/3 innings of work at third base, adding on a -1 in outs above average as well. Muncy was league average in DRS, holding a 0, while his OAA was at a -2 across 250 2/3 innings.
It should come as no surprise that Brett Harris, the natural third baseman, is the best defender at the position. This past season in 183 2/3 innings, he put up a +5 DRS and a +2 OAA. If he were to hold that level of production for 1,000 innings, he'd be a top-5 defensive third baseman, easily.
Ke'Bryan Hayes (+21 OAA) and Maikel Garcia (+18 OAA) led the way with their gloves by a wide margin, followed by former A's infielder Ernie Clement (+7 OAA) and José Ramírez (+7 OAA). Those are some solid gloves that Harris could be joining if he wins the job this season.
It's going to be a tight race that should end up going all the way through camp for all three players. The A's first spring game will be on Saturday against the Chicago White Sox.
Jason has been covering the A’s at various sites for over a decade, and was the original host of the Locked on A’s podcast. He also covers the Stanford Cardinal as they attempt to rebuild numerous programs to prominence.
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