San Francisco Chronicle - (Sunday)
A’s get Rangers’ Andrus for Davis
5player deal fills hole at shortstop; DH sent to Texas
The A’s filled their biggest need, shortstop, acquiring Elvis Andrus from Texas in a trade Saturday that included sending designated hitter Khris Davis to the Rangers.
Oakland acquired Andrus, former Giants catcher Aramis Garcia and cash from Texas for Davis, catcher Jonah Heim and righthanded pitching prospect Dane Acker, the teams said. The Fort Worth StarTelegram reported the A’s were receiving $13.5 million in the trade.
Andrus, 32, is a .274 career hitter who has logged 145 or more games in 10 of 12 MLB seasons but dealt with injuries in 2018 and 2020. He’ll be the A’s everyday shortstop, general manager David Forst said, replacing Marcus Semien, the 2019 MVP finalist who recently
signed with Toronto. Forst said he first talked to the Rangers about Andrus in November. After Plan A, resigning Semien, didn’t happen, the deal with Texas came together in the past week.
“This was a position we were going to have to piece together, but instead you (add) a guy who wants to play every day, who plays excellent defense, who has hit in the leadoff spot,” Forst said on a video call with reporters. “Obviously has not been the offensive player the last two years that he wants to be and that he’s capable of being. He told us when we talked to him … he has a lot left in him, he wants to go out and get his career back on track.”
Davis, 33, led the majors in home runs (133) from 2016 to 2018 with the A’s and signed a twoyear, $33.5 million extension in 2019. He totaled just 25 homers over the past two seasons — effects of a collision with the wall in Pittsburgh in May 2019 lingered that season — and he lost his everyday DH role in 2020. But he remained a popular teammate. Forst said trading Davis was “not an easy thing to do” and Davis “handled it like a pro, as you imagine he would.”
“What Khris has brought to the organization and the city really over the last five years is hard to put into words,” Forst said. “He got here when we were on a down cycle. He gave us all something to sort of look forward to and aspire to, and he kind of was the leader of this group now that has gone to the playoffs three (straight) years.”
On a call with reporters, Andrus said it was “a little shock” being traded, but with the Rangers in a rebuild he welcomed joining an A’s team that won the AL West in the shortened 2020 season.
Andrus knows the A’s well as a division rival and said: “I really admire the team, especially the last two years, because it’s really hard to have such young players be that mature like the A’s have right now, guys like (Matt) Chapman, (Matt) Olson, ( Jesús) Luzardo.”
Andrus likened playing with Chapman to playing next to former Rangers third baseman Adrian Beltre. Andrus also had praise for A’s manager Bob Melvin, saying: “I love that dude. Playing against him, I hate him because he’s so smart. So now, playing for him, I’m really excited to see what’s next in my career.”
Financially the deal makes sense for the A’s, who have spent little so far this winter following a short 2020 season with no ticket revenue. Davis is due $16.5 million in 2021. Andrus is due $14 million in base salary each of the next two seasons, per Spotrac. The money the A’s receive in the deal helps offset that, while Forst said it will also allow Oakland to explore other moves in the coming weeks — especially adding to a bullpen depleted by free agency.
Andrus is signed through 2022 with an option for 2023 that would vest if he reaches 550 plate appearances in 2022 or 1,100 total plate appearances in 202122, according to Spotrac. The option was to become a player option if Andrus was traded, per Spotrac, though it wasn’t clear whether Andrus still must reach the plate appearance totals to trigger the player option.
After a strong 2017 season — a careerhigh 20 home runs, 100 runs and .808 OPS — Andrus suffered a fractured elbow when he was hit by a pitch in April 2018 and landed on the injured list for the first time. He played in 97 games that season, hit .275 in 147 games in 2019, then was limited to 29 games in 2020 due to back issues, batting .194 with a .582 OPS.
Andrus, an AllStar in 2010 and 2012, said his back hampered him badly last year but he lost 10 pounds this winter and focused on speed and agility work. Forst said Andrus “got a clean bill of health” from a back specialist, and the A’s “feel good about the medical reports.”
“I feel a lot faster — I’m moving in the infield like when I was 20 again,” Andrus said.
The A’s avoid going into spring with inexperience at shortstop and won’t have to rush prospects Nick Allen and Logan Davidson, who haven’t played above Aball. Oakland also lost second baseman Tommy La Stella to the Giants in free agency, but Forst said he’s confident with Tony Kemp, Chad Pinder and Vimael Machin as options at second and added Sheldon Neuse will “get a long look” this spring.
Heim, 25, debuted last season and was the A’s backup catcher for the second half and playoffs. Backup catcher candidates this spring will include lefthanded hitting Austin Allen, Carlos Perez and Garcia, a 2014 secondround pick by the Giants who played in 37 games with San Francisco from 201819, hitting .229 with six home runs.