Don't Count the A's Out From Trading For Relief Help

Depending how the season starts, the A's could use another arm or two pretty quickly

May 13, 2025; Los Angeles, California, USA; Athletics catcher Shea Langeliers (23) and pitcher Justin Sterner (60) celebrate the victory against the Los Angeles Dodgers at Dodger Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images | Gary A. Vasquez-Imagn Images

The A's are in an interesting spot entering the 2026 campaign. Last year they traded away Mason Miller, arguably the best closer in baseball, for one of the best prospects in the game. Most A's fans would make that trade again based off of the little bit they've seen of Leo De Vries.

The club also performed well down the stretch without Miller, posting a bullpen ERA of 2.99, which was second in MLB over the final two months of the season. The one downside here is that they seemed to have been over-performing a touch, with that same group also holding a 4.04 FIP, which ranked them No. 13.

Hey, if the A's have the 13th-best bullpen in baseball this season, they'll certainly take that. The pitching staff as a whole finished with a 4.71 ERA on the season, ranking them 27th. On top of this, they've also lost Sean Newcomb to free agency, and he was a key contributor down that stretch with an 0.84 ERA.

He was also the team's second left-hander in the bullpen, which set up Mark Kotsay with a couple of ways to attack hitters each and every night. Now, the A's are rolling with Hogan Harris and a slew of right-handers to begin the season.

The A's signed Mark Leiter Jr. this offseason, and he has performed well against lefties, so he could be an option to consider. At the same time they may need to deploy him in other leverage spots as well. With some question marks surrounding the staff as a whole, it wouldn't be surprising to see the team go out an add a left-handed relief pitcher early this season.

A's have pieces to move, too

Mar 6, 2026; Mesa, Arizona, USA; Athletics third baseman Brett Harris (11) makes the play for an out against the Colorado Rockies in the second inning at Hohokam Stadium. Mandatory Credit: Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images | Rick Scuteri-Imagn Images

Which player the A's specifically go after will depend upon a few things. The first is how well the club is doing. If they're killing it and looking to make a tweak, perhaps they're looking on the waiver wire for a slight upgrade.

If they're struggling like they were in May last season, going 1-20, then they would be shooting a little higher.

In the event of a trade, the A's have a couple of guys that could be moved, potentially, with how the depth charts are shaping up for the season. One player that doesn't have a clear path to the big leagues at this time and could be leapfrogged quickly is Brett Harris, who could be a nice piece for an acquiring team that is on the verge of DFA'ing a left-hander.

Harris is a solid defender at the hot corner and has shown some potential with the bat, but Max Muncy and Darell Hernaiz bat him out for the third base gig this spring, and when De Vries arrives in Sacramento, the infield mix will get a bit tighter.

Another option would be Joey Estes, who doesn't appear to be terribly high up on the depth chart either, with a number of younger pitchers reaching Triple-A Las Vegas to begin the 2026 campaign.

Those would be the main two trade options for the club, or the players that could be in danger of being designated for assignment if they add someone on the wire. Either way, the A's would be landing a relief pitcher, which is an area that they could use some help this season.

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