2020 Athletics season preview: Sights set on the Astros
Fresh off a surprisingly dominant 97-win campaign, the Oakland Athletics return largely unchanged and with a legitimate chance to upset the Houston Astros and win the AL West.
The team's biggest additions prior to the 2020 season aren't technically additions at all. First, Frankie Montas will presumably be around for the full season after a PED suspension last year. Even further, Jesus Luzardo and A.J. Puk will likely play key roles for the club's pitching staff, regardless of how Bob Melvin chooses to deploy the rookie lefties.
2020 Breakdown
2019 record: 97-65 (2nd in AL West)
Payroll: $96,018,933
Projected record: 32-28 (2nd)
World Series odds: +2500
3-year trend: 2017 (5th); 2018 (2nd); 2019 (2nd)
Key addition: Tony Kemp
Key subtraction: Blake Treinen
Highest projected WAR: Matt Chapman (2.0)
X-factor: Frankie Montas
Prospect to watch: Jesus Luzardo
Winter report card: C+
Projected Lineup
| Order | Player | Pos. | Proj. WAR |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Marcus Semien | SS | 1.5 |
| 2 | Ramon Laureano | CF | 1.2 |
| 3 | Matt Chapman | 3B | 2.0 |
| 4 | Matt Olson (L) | 1B | 1.3 |
| 5 | Mark Canha | LF | 0.8 |
| 6 | Khris Davis | DH | 0.5 |
| 7 | Stephen Piscotty | RF | 0.6 |
| 8 | Sean Murphy | C | 0.7 |
| 9 | Tony Kemp | 2B | 0.2 |
Bench
| Player | Position | Proj. WAR |
|---|---|---|
| Austin Allen (L) | C | 0.2 |
| Franklin Barreto | IF | 0.3 |
| Seth Brown (L) | OF | 0.0 |
| Robbie Grossman (S) | OF | 0.2 |
| Vimael Machin (L) | IF | 0.0 |
| Chad Pinder | IF/OF | 0.2 |
*Bold indicates player acquired during offseason
FanGraphs projects Oakland's top four hitters to each be worth more than 1.0 WAR, even during a shortened season. There's also plenty of pop in the team's lineup beyond those unsung stars.
Canha posted a 146 wRC+ last year, which ranked ninth among hitters with 450-plus plate appearances. Meanwhile, Davis struggled in 2019, but from 2016 to 2018 the slugger led MLB with 133 homers. If he rebounds, Oakland's lineup could rival that of the Astros.
Rotation
| Pitcher | Throws | Proj. ERA |
|---|---|---|
| Frankie Montas | R | 4.11 |
| Sean Manaea | L | 4.54 |
| Mike Fiers | R | 5.21 |
| Chris Bassitt | R | 4.29 |
| Jesus Luzardo | L | 3.86 |
The A's likely won't go with a six-man rotation all year. However, they'll need to give Luzardo some time to ramp up after he reported to camp late following his positive COVID-19 test. If the left-hander lives up to his potential, he could be instrumental to the club's success this season.
Projections also favor Puk, who's forecasted to post the second-best ERA in the team's rotation behind only Luzardo. The tall lefty endured an injury scare in the spring and needs to visit Dr. Neal ElAttrache for a strained shoulder.
Bullpen
| Pitcher | Throws | Proj. ERA |
|---|---|---|
| Liam Hendriks | R | 3.20 |
| Jake Diekman | L | 3.57 |
| Joakim Soria | R | 3.94 |
| Lou Trivino | R | 4.19 |
| J.B. Wendelken | R | 4.32 |
| T.J. McFarland | L | 4.51 |
| Burch Smith | R | 4.74 |
| Yusmeiro Petit | R | 4.75 |
| Jordan Weems | R | 5.24 |
| Daniel Mengden | R | 5.15 |
It may not be readily apparent, but Oakland's bullpen is one of the best in the majors. The team's relief corps was MLB's fourth-best last year by FanGraphs WAR, and everyone is returning. For that reason, FanGraphs pegs the club's bullpen as the league's fifth-best in 2020.
Key injuries/absences
| Player | Position | Absence |
|---|---|---|
| A.J. Puk | SP | Shoulder strain |
(Projected WAR/ERA source: FanGraphs)