Filling out the rotation could start at meetings
LAS VEGAS >> The A’s know they have plenty of work to do in order to construct a roster that can continue the success from last season’s improbable playoff run, but their first day at Major League Baseball’s winter meetings was more of a feeling out process.
Aside from internal discussions about free agents and trades they would like to pursue, A’s general manager David Forst didn’t get very far on any potential deals after arriving at the Mandalay Bay hotel Monday afternoon.
“We just got here,” Forst said. “Not a whole lot has changed, but it’s nice to have the whole group together. We’ll kind of get more in the flow of it tonight and tomorrow.”
Starting pitching will certainly be Forst’s first mission to tackle once things get settled in. Without a single starter from last year’s primary rotation currently under contract, the A’s would like to start adding arms sooner rather than later.
“We need five on opening day,” Forst said. “I don’t know that we have a number in mind, but we need to add to our depth for sure.”
That thin depth currently features Daniel Mengden, Frankie Montas, and Chris Bassitt as the healthy arms who were in the rotation at certain points in the 2018 season, and Grant Holmes, right-handed pitching prospect acquired in the 2016 deal that sent Josh Reddick to the Dodgers.
Paul Blackburn, who struggled before landing on the disabled list with an elbow injury in August and missing the remainder of the season, has been throwing at the A’s training Franklin Barreto’s talent and versatility will give the A’s front office some options to consider this winter.
facility in Arizona and is expected to be ready for spring training.
Also expected to be in the mix for a rotation spot is 21-year-old top pitching prospect Jesus Luzardo, who dominated his way from Single-A through Triple-A last season and is considered one of the top prospects in the game.
While that depth is filled with pitchers the A’s consider to be promising, none of them have proven the ability to sustain success over the course of a full major league season. But while there is an urgency to add pitching, especially with free agents beginning to sign elsewhere, the A’s still want to go about it in a smart way and not feel like they have to get something done within these next few days of meetings.
“We have targeted conversations for free agents and trades and kind of go at our own pace,” Forst said. “I don’t think external forces are gonna change that. But it’s a proven fact when everybody is here and things happen, more deals get done.”
One conversation rumored
to be developing Monday came on the position player side.
According to a report from The Chronicle, the A’s have engaged in talks with second baseman DJ Lemahieu.
A two-time All-Star, Lemahieu, 29, hit .276 with 15 home runs and 62 RBIs last season as a member of the Colorado Rockies. Though his batting splits could be a concern, he batted just .229 away from Coors Field in 2018, he claimed his second consecutive Gold Glove and third of his eight-year big league career.
Lemahieu reportedly has also garnered interest from a handful of teams, and may end up being too expensive for the A’s to engage in a bidding war, but the interest would signal the A’s are perhaps ready to move on from 2018 AllStar Jed Lowrie.
When it comes to second base, there is also Franklin Barreto, the A’s top hitting prospect over the past few years who has been blocked at the major league level by Lowrie.
The A’s are keeping a close eye on Barreto, who is playing winter ball in Venezuela and impressing with a .341 average through 35 games. But more impressive to Forst is the second baseman’s strikeout-to-walk ratio. It’s something Barreto has constantly worked to improve, and it seems to be going well so far as he’s struck out just 19 times with 15 walks in 126 at-bats.
Should the A’s add another second baseman, that wouldn’t necessarily kill Barreto’s shot at making the big league roster. Though he could be used as a trade chip for a starting pitcher, Forst mentioned the possibility of a position switch for Barreto and noted he’s been playing some outfield this winter.
“There are some options that revolve around Franklin. I don’t know that we have those answers yet,” Forst said. “He’s played other places. I think that’s always been part of the conversation. We’ve stayed away from playing him in the outfield because second base and shortstop are his primary spots, but there’s always a chance to pivot from that.”
• The A’s remain interested in signing 2018 MLB home run king Khris Davis to an extension, but it’s not at the forefront right now with the current holes on the roster.
“It continues to be an ongoing conversation,” Forst said. “Khris is going to be here in 2019 no matter what, so the sense of urgency right now is making sure we build the rest of the roster. But Khris is a huge priority for us.”
• Though the A’s have a few internal options at catcher, Forst made it clear that whether it’s bringing back Jonathan Lucroy or someone else via free agency or trade, another catcher will join the club at some point.