A’s agree with Olson, tender contracts to all arb-eligible

Dickerson will come back to Giants on one-year deal

The Oakland A’s tendered contracts to all 10 players eligible, the team announced.

So far, four of the 10 players have agreed to terms on oneyear deals. All-Star first baseman Matt Olson agreed to a reported $5 million deal and Tony Kemp signed for a reported $1.05 million on Wednesday. Utility player Chad Pinder signed for $2.275 million and reliever Burch Smith for $705,000.

The A’s tendered contracts to third baseman Matt Chapman, outfielder Mark Canha, RHP Chris Bassitt, LHP Sean Manaea, RHP Frankie Montas and reliever Lou Trivino. No deals for the remaining six have been announced.

Olson, in his first year of arbitration at age 26, is coming off a rough 2020 campaign in which he slashed .195/. 310/.424 with a .734 OPS, missing out on his

third Gold Glove. Still, Olson’s ceiling is as one of the game’s most naturally powerful hitters and best first baseman.

In 49 games, Kemp slashed .247/. 363/. 301 with a .664 OPS — a stat line demonstrating his lack of power with a knack for getting on base. Kemp, in his first year of arbitration at age 28, played primarily at second base, though he’s a natural outfield option, too.

A league-wide effort to cut costs and payroll due to the financial ramifications of the coronavirus pandemic-impacted season prompted a number of players non-tendered. The A’s, though, are in no position to let their cost- controlled players slip away with 10 free agents up in the air. Mike Minor signed with the Kansas City Royals, which leaves nine remaining: Marcus Semien, Liam Hendriks, Yusmeiro Petit, Joakim Soria, Tommy La Stella, Robbie Grossman, Jake Lamb, Mike Fiers, T. J. McFarland. The A’s

might have a smaller budget, but a huge canvas to work with.

With Pinder, Smith, Kemp and Olson’s reported contracts now included, the A’s have a total of seven players on the books. That includes Khris Davis (slated to make $16.75 million), Stephen Piscotty ($7.5 million) and Jake Diekman ($4 million). Terms for the other contracts tendered should trickle in through the coming days.

OF DICKERSON, GIANTS

AGREE ON $2.1 M, ONE-YEAR CONTRACT » Outfielder Alex Dickerson agreed to a $2.1

million, one-year contract with the San Francisco Giants for the 2021 season to avoid salary arbitration.

The 30-year- old Dickerson endured a false-positive coronavirus test in mid- September that postponed games in San Diego and then Seattle.

A left- handed hitter, Dickerson batted .298 with 10 home runs and 27 RBIs in 52 games for the Giants.

San Francisco went 29-31 under new manager Gabe Kapler, missing a playoff berth on the season’s final day with a 5- 4 loss to playoff-bound San Diego.