Oakland Athletics News

Aledmys Díaz - Continues in battle with Allen Although Diaz continues in a heated competition with Nick Allen for the starting shortstop role, the veteran's ability to play multiple positions should help him garner a near-ever...

Impact Diaz inked a two-year, $14.5 million deal this offseason, and he's wasted no time validating the investment with a strong spring that includes a .357 average across 33 Cactus League plate appearances. Diaz's career .266 average, .763 OPS and modest 14.7 percent strikeout rate should afford him plenty of job security regardless of whether Allen is declared the victor of their competition, considering both his defensive versatility and the fact Kotsay has emphasized he'll be prioritizing offense this season after Oakland's struggles scoring runs throughout 2022.

7 HOURS AGO ? ROTOWIRE

Nick Allen - In fierce shortstop competition Allen, who is hitting .375 across 11 Cactus League games, continues to be in a heated battle with Aledmys Diaz for the starting shortstop job, Steve Stockmar of MLB.com reports.

Impact Allen got the start Sunday against the Dodgers, and Stockmar reports the 24-year-old helped his case with an RBI and two stellar defensive plays. However, Diaz is also enjoying a successful spring at the plate, and manager Mark Kotsay is going to emphasize offensive upside in his decision-making process with respect to the winner of the job battle. "You look at the production offensively last year, we evaluate that," Kotsay said. "Obviously, we evaluate our offense last year as a group. We didn't score enough runs, and that's a necessity this year."

8 HOURS AGO ? ROTOWIRE

AP source: Rockies sign Profar to shore up outfield

A person familiar with the negotiations says the Colorado Rockies have agreed to terms on a one-year deal with outfielder Jurickson Profar

15 HOURS AGO ? ASSOCIATED PRESS

Drew Rucinski - Struggling in spring Rucinski is 0-1 with a 6.97 ERA, 1.65 WHIP and 7:3 K:BB across 10.1 innings over three Cactus League starts.

Impact The veteran right-hander has given up multiple earned runs in each start, but he did turn in his best performance yet Tuesday against the White Sox while allowing two earned runs on four hits and two walks in 5.1 innings. Rucinski's last taste of regular-season MLB action came back in 2018 with the Marlins, after which he spent the next four seasons in the Korea Baseball Organization. Rucinski is battling Kyle Muller and JP Sears for the fifth spot in Oakland's starting rotation, but he could certainly also fit in as a middle-relief option considering all but one of his 41 MLB appearances have come out of the bullpen.

1 DAY AGO ? ROTOWIRE

Kyle Muller - Mixed bag in spring Muller is 1-2 with a 5.65 ERA, 1.60 WHIP and 6:3 K:BB across 14.1 innings over four Cactus League appearances (three starts).

Impact The offseason trade acquisition's Athletics debut Feb. 26 against the Brewers went smoothly, with Muller firing a pair of scoreless innings during which he allowed two hits and a walk. However, the towering southpaw has pitched to plenty of contact during his subsequent three trips to the mound, surrendering 10 runs (nine earned) on 18 hits, two walks and a hit batsman. Muller has been in contention for a back-end rotation spot with Drew Rucinski and JP Sears, and Steve Stockmar of MLB.com notes the big lefty's five-inning, 57-pitch outing against the Reds on Saturday caught the eye of manager Mark Kotsay. "He came out that first inning and really pounded the zone with his fastball," Kotsay said postgame. "I think he's recognizing the importance of the fastball and got through a full five innings. I thought he did a good job."

1 DAY AGO ? ROTOWIRE

Muller making statement in bid for rotation spot MESA, Ariz. -- Kyle Muller made his biggest statement of the spring in his effort to crack one of Oakland’s remaining spots in a starting ro...

1 DAY AGO ? MLB.COM

Tony Kemp - Struggling in Cactus League Kempt went 1-for-3 in Saturday's Cactus League contest against the Reds.

Impact Kemp has really struggled thus far this spring, so it's nice to see the 31-year-old have some success. Even with the knock, the left-handed hitter is slashing just .154/.361/.192 in his time in Arizona. Kemp is likely to hit at or near the top of the order against right-handers for the A's while likely moving to the bottom or out of the lineup altogether against southpaws.

1 DAY AGO ? ROTOWIRE

Trevor May - Shaky start to spring season May has registered a 9.64 ERA in five Cactus League appearances so far in spring training.

Impact May has allowed five runs in 4.2 innings of work, but he has struck out nine while only issuing one walk. Signed to a one-year deal by Oakland in December 2022, the right-hander has a chance for saves in 2023 -- albeit for one of the projected worst teams in baseball. His role in the Athletics' bullpen has yet to be defined, so he probably won't be appealing in fantasy drafts.

1 DAY AGO ? ROTOWIRE

Facing sudden trouble, Kaprielian gives A's a boost MESA, Ariz. -- With 2022 All-Star right-hander Paul Blackburn set to open the season on the injured list, there is suddenly an opening at th...

2 DAYS AGO ? MLB.COM

Seth Brown - Could play in outfield next week Athletics manager Mark Kotsay announced that Brown, who has been dealing with shoulder soreness, could play in the outfield as soon as next Friday, Matt Kawahara of the San Francis...

Impact Brown has not been able to play in the outfield since March 7 as he recovers from shoulder soreness. The outfielder will throw to the bases Wednesday, and if that goes well, he has a chance to back in the field by the end of the week. Brown would likely be the designated hitter if he can't get healthy by Opening Day, but everything points to him being in the outfield to start the year.

2 DAYS AGO ? ROTOWIRE

Aledmys Díaz - Knocking cover off ball in spring Diaz is hitting .385 (10-for-26) with a double, four RBI, four walks and two runs across 10 Cactus League games.

Impact Diaz's torrid stretch at the plate is naturally a welcome sight after the Athletics committed $14.5 million through 2024 to him this offseason. The versatile infielder is one of several veteran signings by an Athletics team in transition, and he should serve as a decent source of power numbers and RBI as he likely fills in across the infield and at designated hitter during the upcoming campaign.

2 DAYS AGO ? ROTOWIRE

Jesús Aguilar - Solid spring results at plate Aguilar is hitting .261 (6-for-23) with two doubles, six RBI, five walks, a hit-by-pitch and three runs across 10 Cactus League games.

Impact While he's yet to leave the yard, Aguilar has put forth a productive spring at the plate thus far and encouragingly struck out just twice in 28 plate appearances. Aguilar has never been able to re-ascend to the heights of his career-best 35-homer 2018 season with the Brewers, but he proved he still had some solid pop in his bat a year ago while belting 35 extra-base hits, including 16 round trippers, across 129 games with the Marlins and Orioles. Aguilar is slated to play on a near-everyday basis at either first base or designated hitter to open the 2023 campaign.

2 DAYS AGO ? ROTOWIRE

Jace Peterson - Holding own at plate in spring Peterson is hitting .240 (6-for-25) with two doubles, two home runs, six RBI, seven walks, a stolen base and four runs across 12 Cactus League games.

Impact The veteran offseason signing has produced noteworthy results in his bid to lock down the starting third base job on the Opening Day roster. Peterson owns a career .231 average and .664 OPS across 741 big-league games, so his real-world and fantasy ceilings are irrefutably capped; nevertheless, he's proven a serviceable contributor over the years in large part due to his speed, which has helped him leg out 90 doubles, 14 triples and 60 steals since 2015. The lefty-swinging Peterson should open the season seeing the majority of work against right-handed pitching, but it's worth noting he also boasts a .268 average and .340 on-base percentage in 94 plate appearances versus southpaws over the last three seasons.