What the Athletics' Hot Start Means for Their 2026 Trade Deadline Strategy
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Coming into the week, the Athletics are sitting atop the AL West at 15-13 with a potentially easier schedule just ahead. This week they'll face the Kansas City Royals (11-17) and Cleveland Guardians (15-15) at home, before taking on the Philadelphia Phillies (9-19) and Baltimore Orioles (13-15) on the road.
The Phillies just fired their manager this morning while riding a 1-9 streak in their last ten, and the Boston Red Sox (12-17) fired their own manager over the weekend. These are big teams with good players that are grasping at their competitive windows before they slip away. The New York Mets are also in this same boat at 9-19.
All this is to say that it may not just be some of the teams that everyone expected to be bad that will be selling pieces off at the 2026 Trade Deadline. If these trends continue, there could be some talented players on teams that were actually expected to contend that could be made available.
Of course, it's too early to know exactly which teams will be in the postseason hunt and which will be sellers at the end of April, but the way things are playing out could end up working in the A's favor—if they're able to continue to meet their own expectations.
It was just last year when the A's were in a good spot at the beginning of May, but then rattled off a 1-20 stretch that knocked them out of postseason contention. They ended up trading away Mason Miller at the Trade Deadline for top prospect Leo De Vries.
This year, they're hoping to acquire their own key piece from a seller at the deadline.
A's advantage on the trade market
The A's biggest advantage is that they have a number of players that are big-league caliber, but that just aren't at areas of need for the club. Brett Harris is a great defensive third baseman that could use some consistent playing time in the majors to determine what kind of a player he actually is. With De Vries looming in the minors, Harris' path back to Sacramento is extremely cloudy.
Speaking of De Vries, his eventual arrival will have an impact on the roster construction as well. Have the A's seen enough from Max Muncy or Darell Hernaiz to dub them the "third baseman of the future"? Will De Vries play at the hot corner, or at second base? These questions may need answers around the deadline at the earliest, and during the offseason at the latest.
That mix could be thinned out in a deal that makes sense for the A's, while also providing a little more roster flexibility.
The club also boasts a number of outfield bats with upside, like Colby Thomas, Junior Perez and Henry Bolte. Given that Lawrence Butler and Tyler Soderstrom are already locked into extensions, the outfield mix is largely set for years to come. Center field will belong to Denzel Clarke when healthy—and if he can hit enough—but that is the only question mark at the moment.
One of those three prospect outfielders will likely break through and land a role with the A's, but with the emergence of Carlos Cortes and Zack Gelof looking good in center, the opportunities may be hard to come by.
That depth is the A's greatest strength in potential trades, along with a farm system that boasts some terrific players as well.
What the A's could use
It's still early in the year, and their needs may ultimately change, but they will almost certainly need some higher end pitching. That could be a leverage relief pitcher, an established starter with team control to spare, or simply a lefty for the bullpen. They could also end up needing all three.
Facing a potential injury to J.T. Ginn in the rotation at the moment after he left Sunday's game with right arm soreness, the A's depth options are limited. They have plenty of talented prospects to choose from, but they're not performing well just yet. The veteran pitchers have also been struggling. Adding some depth here—likely a veteran—would set the A's up for success.
Since trading Miller last July, the A's have held the best bullpen ERA in baseball at 3.35. Their 4.04 FIP ranks 15th in that span, suggesting some regression could come for this group eventually. Adding another arm or two to the mix would help guard against that.
The A's bats are still getting into the swing of the season, but the expectations for this group are high. The next couple of months will be used to determine if there are any additions needed to the offensive side of this club.
What would a successful deadline mean for the A's?
The A's are obviously trying to build a winning club right now, with the hope that they're legitimate World Series contenders when they land in Las Vegas in 2028. That team isn't going to come together magically that year, however.
The A's front office has been hard at work, drafting Jacob Wilson sixth overall in 2023 and Nick Kurtz fourth overall in 2024, on top of selecting left-hander Jamie Arnold in the first round of 2025. He's a key piece that has yet to debut, much like De Vries, who was the A's key addition at last year's deadline.
Those are the types of player additions that will end up determining how the A's fare in Year 1 in Las Vegas.
They'll have another opportunity to not only add to that 2028 Vegas roster at the Trade Deadline, but also build up some positive headlines and shift the vibes that have been hanging like a cloud over them since they left Oakland. Winning baseball cures some of that. A postseason run could cause real excitement in their future home.
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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. Mason Miller once said he likes Jason's content.
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