5 years later, Chicago deals boosting A’s

CHICAGO — Oakland’s weeklong stay in the Windy City really highlights the A’s two deals with this city’s teams five years ago.

In July 2014, the A’s traded infield prospect Addison Russell, pitcher Dan Straily and outfielder Billy McKinney to the Cubs for starters Jeff Samardzija and Jason Hammel, a move that left many Oakland fans upset for several years as Russell became a budding star for Chicago’s 2016 World Series title team.

Then, after the 2014 season, the A’s spun Samardzija back to Chicago, sending him to the White Sox with pitcher Michael Ynoa in exchange for shortstop Marcus Semien, starter Chris Bassitt, catcher Josh Phegley and infielder Rangel Ravelo.

That trade didn’t pay dividends right away. Semien got off to a slow start, setting an Oakland record for errors in 2015, and the A’s had to bring in coach Ron Washington to work with him. Bassitt was inconsistent, then he missed the better part of two seasons after Tommy John surgery. Phegley was mostly a backup when he was in the majors. The A’s released Ravelo two years ago.

Semien’s defense improved each year, though — he was a Gold Glove finalist last year — and so did his offensive work: He’s the A’s leadoff man and he has hit 19 homers, plus he has started all 115 games. His 4.6 WAR (via Fangraphs) leads the team and is sixth best in the majors.

“I should stop being surprised at what Marcus accomplishes because he really understands what he needs to work on. He’s a great selfevaluator,” manager Bob Melvin said. “Every spring, he comes in with something else he feels he needs to work on. He uses the analytics to check what his deficiencies are.”

Bassitt worked hard to come back from surgery and showed a good attitude when on the TripleA shuttle last season; now he’s firmly in the rotation and pitching well, allowing two runs in six innings in Monday’s 65 loss at Wrigley Field and scheduled to start Sunday’s game against the White Sox. Phegley, who’s on the injured list, was the A’s hottest hitter much of the early season, helping the team stay afloat through a rough month and a half.

Now, with Russell under a cloud after a suspension for violating MLB’s domesticviolence policy and currently playing at TripleA Iowa, it’s clear: The A’s appear to have come out ahead in those Chicago moves all those years ago.

“Sometimes it takes a while to see where these trades go,” Melvin said. “And the headliner in the trade (Samardzija) wasn’t with us very long. It’s the guys who were maybe the secondary guys who aren’t only with us still, they’re important factors in what’s going on.

“Phegley got off to such a great start and Bassitt has really solidified himself not only as a majorleague pitcher but a starter. And Marcus Semien is one of the premier shortstops in the game.

“If you look at that trade maybe three years ago, maybe not ... but you look at it now, and it was a great trade.”

Bassitt has a 3.80 ERA and opponents are batting .224 against him this season, but he said he doesn’t look at the deal that brought him to the A’s and think poorly of the White Sox, though it’s clear Oakland wound up with the better haul down the road.

“From history’s standpoint, the trade heavily favors the A’s,” Bassitt said. “But looking back at it, you have to kind of tip your hat to the White Sox. It didn’t work out, but they thought they had a chance that year with Chris Sale and back then, Samardzija was an elite pitcher.

“I don’t know how any fan could say they had a problem with it — they went for it. They got a really good pitcher for all of us and they had a chance to do something special.”