Elephant Rumblings: Are the A’s “winning” the offseason?

MLB news roundup

Happy Friday, Athletics Nation!

Earlier this week, Baseball Prospectus released their 2025 PECOTA Standings Projections, which predict that the A’s will return to last place in the AL West this year despite improving to fourth place ahead of the Angels last season and making some respectable efforts to improve the team this offseason.

The A’s front office has indeed made some moves that are quite uncharacteristic of the organization in recent years. They made the biggest free agent signing in franchise history by bringing starting pitcher Luis Severino in on a three-year, $67 million deal. GM David Forst and crew also locked up top slugger Brent Rooker with a five-year extension.

The A’s made some more modest free agent signings to plug a nagging hole at third base and shore up the bullpen, bringing Gio Urshela and Jose LeClerc onboard for the move to Sacramento, and signing bullpen workhorse T.J. McFarland for another year.

There have been trades, too: Joe Boyle was sent to Tampa Bay for a change of scenery along with a pair of prospects and a Competitive Balance pick in exchange for a more established starter in lefty Jeffrey Springs along with another southpaw, Jacob Lopez.

All of this adds up to make the A’s the most productive AL West team so far this offseason, according to a reader poll conducted at MLB Trade Rumors. As of last night, over 32 percent of nearly 7,000 respondents said the A’s have had the best offseason in the division so far, compared to around 27 percent for the Rangers, 20 percent for the Astros, 14 percent for the Angels, and just seven percent for the Mariners.

That all seems reasonable to me; I’m not bowled over by the A’s offseason per se, but it’s nice to see some legitimate effort being made. I love the Rooker extension. LeClerc was a solid get. Fingers crossed on Severino.

What say ye, AN? Are the A’s making up ground against their division rivals, or just overpaying for another year of underplaying? Sound off below! And have a wonderful weekend.

A’s Coverage:

• Athletics Outright Kyle McCann, Anthony Maldonado
• Poll: Who’s Winning The Offseason In The AL West?
• A’s 2025 Minor League Staff

MLB News & Interest:

• NFL is the parity league? MLB would like a word ($)
• Baseball’s brightest minds revere a reclusive engineer. No one else knows who he is ($)
• Giants, Lou Trivino Agree To Minor League Deal
• Pirates To Sign Tommy Pham
• Ippei Mizuhara Sentenced To 57 Months In Prison
• Astros Have Reportedly Increased Offer To Bregman, Deal Still Seen As Unlikely
• Angels To Sign Yoan Moncada
• Free-spending Dodgers aren’t bad for baseball, MLB commissioner says ($)
• MLB Owners Approve John Seidler As Padres’ Control Person
• Today in Baseball History

Best of X:

Roster moves.

Somehow this seems all too fitting in 2025. Or par for the course, at least.

A long road from Oakland to SF for Sweet Lou.