Last season, it seemed like every new player the A's brought in was a perfect fit.
From Nick Martini and Edwin Jackson to Mike Fiers and Shawn Kelley, each new acquisition added an important dimension to the team. Not surprisingly, A's executive vice president Billy Beane was named MLB's Executive of the Year for his efforts.
This season has been a completely different story, however. Newcomers Jurickson Profar, Kendrys Morales, Robbie Grossman, and Nick Hundley are all off to slow starts, as are Joakim Soria and Marco Estrada. If the A's are going to get back on track, they will need contributions from at least some of these players.
Stay in the game with the latest updates on your beloved Bay Area and California sports teams! Sign up here for our All Access Daily newsletter.
Profar was probably the biggest addition over the offseason but he has struggled mightily both offensively and defensively. At the plate, Profar is hitting just .165, tied for the fifth-worst batting average in the majors among qualified hitters. His .495 OPS is sixth-worst.
Profar's defensive nightmares have been well documented, as the Oakland second baseman has already committed seven errors. His -1.2 WAR is the second-worst in all of baseball.
Morales came over from Toronto after Matt Olson injured his hand to try to help fill the void at first base. But the 35-year-old has had a rough go of it, batting a lowly .154 with a .477 OPS. Fortunately for the A's, Olson is close to returning. His bat will be a welcome addition to a struggling lineup.
Grossman has been a little better, slashing .210/.312/.358, but he's still well under last year's slash line of .273/.367/.384. The same is true of Hundley, whose .190/.227/.214 slash line is far below his past four seasons.
Oakland Athletics
[RELATED: E-Jax set to make first Triple-A start]
On the mound, Estrada and Soria were supposed to be major contributors, but both are off to disappointing starts. Estrada went 0-2 with a 6.85 ERA in five starts before heading to the injured list with a back injury. Soria is 0-2 with a 6.28 ERA in 16 appearances.
Obviously, this group is not the only reason for Oakland's early season struggles, but they have certainly not helped. Sometimes it takes time for players to feel comfortable in a new organization, but we're now more than a month into the season. The A's need a lot more from all of them.